'The confusing bit was in the fact that there didn’t seem to be an established school colour. As James glanced around, soaking in the sights, he counted at least half a dozen different colour combinations. He did notice, however, that students in similar colours tended to cluster together in knots, either walking swiftly to their classes or hovering near the benches and low walls that dotted the campus, laughing and lounging, occasionally tossing around strange leather sporting balls. The buildings that comprised the campus were mostly brick, covered in ivy, with dormers and towers jutting from their high roofs. The entrances were wide and grand, with stone staircases leading to banks of heavy wooden doors, many propped open to admit the fresh autumn air. Most of the main buildings seemed to range along a very long narrow common space, dotted with huge ancient trees, pools, bridges, gardens, and statuary. On the closest end of the commons, near the guest house and the Warping Willow, was something like an old ruin, mostly comprised of stone blocks stacked haphazardly around a grass-filled foundation. The only recognizable portion of the ruin was the main entrance and steps, which seemed ready to collapse at the slightest provocation. A very worn and broken statue of a severely dressed wizard holding a wand at his side stood in front of the entryway, looking as if it had once stood atop a grand pedestal which had, through time and entropy, become buried. The name engraved along the top of the ruin’s doorway was barely legible: Roberts. Across from the ruin, sitting at the far end of the commons like a patriarch at the head of a gigantic table, was a very imposing red brick building with buttresses and stone columns, ranks of tall windows, and a dizzyingly tall clock tower which stood over its impressive central entryway. The school’s full name and date of origin were engraved over the columns in huge block letters: ‘ALMA ALERON UNIVERSITY of MAGICAL HUMANITIES and SPELLCRAFT – 1688’. James had an inkling that he’d seen the building before, and then he remembered: it had been in the background of his first glimpse of A.A.U., seen through the magical rear wall of the Trans-Dimensional Garage during his first year at Hogwarts. He’d seen that very clock tower, albeit from a different angle, and heard it tolling the hour. He felt a little surreal now, looking up the building from its own lawns, knowing that he’d be attending school under it, probably for the entire year.' (JP3, page 144-145; Chapter 7 Alma Aleron)
In 2011, the explosive finale of the 2-part and 10-year franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released with high praise with sadness for it was the year that the biggest modern saga was coming to a close. In 2007 in the month of July, J.K. Rowling released the final book that ended a series that started in 1997 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. In 2007, a trailer was discovered in a website for, what was then, an unknown title that led to court and an allowance for all to publish fan-written stories online. That title was what is now a world's famous series, and that title was James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing. To conclude this series of America in Harry Potter I will be looking into the vision from its author, G. Norman Lippert.
G. Norman Lippert, a married man with a son who would write for himself, is a fan of the Harry Potter series who dressed up as Dobby for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix. After the books were done, and before the films were over, he wrote a script for his own enjoyment in practice and shared it with his wife. She enjoyed it and wanted him to expand it. In 2007, he launched a site with a trailer and before the first chapter was released, the internet spread the details. George was not just a fan of the world-acclaimed series, he was also a graphic designer, which explains the trailer and website. Fans wondered, automatically, if this was WB's doing for a new title that was strictly for the medium of films to continue the story. It was also thought it was about Harry's father rather than his son. But then, the agent of J.K. Rowling revealed that he had contact with George at one point and J.K. never knew. Not only he had contact with the author but he allowed him to write the novel and J.K. Rowling never knew.
By law in Europe, a writer can not continue a series of its original author until the original author is dead. A specialist at Strathclyde University said "If an insubstantial character from a novel is taken and built up by another author in a new story, that can be a defence against copyright infringements." The results were a trial dispute for its copyright laws. G. Norman Lippert sent a physical copy of his book to Rowling. It is unclear if she read it. Despite that, the trial subsided and she allowed anyone to write a story as long as it was online. Unknown to her and even to George, fan-fiction was a thing and fans had been writing Harry Poter stories for years. George never heard of "fan-fiction". Releasing the book chapter-by-chapter and day-to-day, the book was read by a majority of fans. With the success of the online book, George would write sequels in the following years. James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper the following year in 2008(year 2), James Potter and the Vault of Destinies in 2010 (year 3), James Potter and the Morrigan Web in 2013(year 4) and concluding with its final entry in 2017 with James Potter and the Crimson Thread (year 7). The series had its fan-base and had its negative responses like why is there a lot of America is because he is American and because he does not know Europe's history. Why end with his final year? That is because that is what the story wants to do. Where it goes he follows. He released 2 spin-offs that were published physically on Amazon; The Girl on the Dock: A Dark Fairy Tale and Ruins of Camelot along with others. In 2016, J.K. Rowling established her larger world and seemingly borrowed from the author, G. Norman Lippert. Fan-films came out and numerous audios of many languages.
"It started very simply. My wife and I rushed off on the night Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released ... and procured our copy of the book. Savoring it as much as we could, we consumed the tale over the course of a week. When it was complete, I felt thrilled with the climax of the series, and yet bereft, as did many of you, that I would know these beloved characters no more. The next afternoon, I sat down at my computer and began to write. I hadn't written anything seriously for years, but I felt compelled ... to push the Harry Potter story just a bit further."—G. Norman Lippert
America is plastered throughout the series but primarily in its third entry. James Potter is a Gryffindor who is a friend to Ralph, a Slytherin, and an American named Zane (Ravenclaw) who is only present as his father works for the government. And Albus who is a Slytherin. In America, when a city disappears, Harry is called to investigate and he brings in his whole family and more. To ensure it isn't a vacation, all the kids will attend the school as he is on duty. James Potter, Zane Walker, Ralph Deedle, Albus Potter, and more attended Alma Aleron School of Magical Humanities and Spellcraft in Pennsylvania. This is the final part of this 3 part look at America in Harry Potter.
Founded on June 11, 1688, by three professors, Percival Pepperpock, Joanna Tempstra Newton, and John Jacob Roberts, Alma Aleron is built as a fusion of preparative and a university, it is a college campus for the young. Hogwarts is a school modeled to be a fusion of Elementary, Middle, and High School and Alma Aleron is that but in the style of a college campus. The campus is 300 acres of land and unplottable, along with a planted tree.
'Franklyn dropped the coin onto the bowl of the Disrecorder. “Do you have the shovel?” a voice asked loudly in James’ ear. He spun around and found himself staring up into the face of a large, very fat man wearing a vest and a short cloak with a high collar. He was smiling and red-faced, his forehead beaded with sweat. A man next to him handed him a small spade. James glanced around, wide-eyed. The walls and ceiling of the Archive chamber were still visible, but only faintly. Harry, Denniston Dolohov, Merlin, and Franklyn appeared to be standing in a grassy field, glowing with sunshine and dotted with butterflies. Other figures stood in a haphazard line, beaming and squinting in the sunlight. Some of the figures, James was interested to see, were dwarves. With their knobby heads, sausage-like bodies, and vaguely porcine faces, James thought that each one looked a bit like a cross between a goblin and a pot-bellied pig. Wind blew, and James smelled the fresh scent of wild, wooded spring. A gritty, scooping sound came from behind James and he turned again, stepping aside as the fat wizard, Sir Pepperpock himself, tossed the first shovelful of earth aside, nearly onto James’ shoes. “Here, we shall erect our school,” Pepperpock proclaimed happily. “And here we shall teach the dual duties of magical mastery and human respect, thus to ensure that said mastery is never used for selfish aims, but always for the good of all. Here, we shall grow our school, and from it we shall grow generations of witches and wizards who will be the shining lights of the magical world. We shall call them our children, and we shall call our school… Alma Aleron, the Mother Eagle!” (JP3, page 165-166; Chapter 8 The Vault of Destinies)
It is unclear why the author chose that yeat as its founding. 1688 is the year of the Glorious Revolution or Revolution of 1688 between the English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish and Dutch. But it ended the following year. He probably felt it was founded then plain and simple.
As for the name Alma Aleron, Alma could come from "Alma Mater", Where one attended. Aleron means Eagle in Latin.
The Founders gave the school fraternities or Houses of its own, they are directly referred to as "societies". Instead of a Headmaster, Alma Aleron has a Chancellor (a legal official of the state) being the highest position above all other staff members. James Potter and the Vault of Destinies takes place in modern times in the year 2018, so what is not the past, at the time of this writing. As of 2018, the chancellor of Alma Aleron is a long-lived wizard named Benjamin Franklyn and hard to believe he is still alive today and he even pointed out that he is the same man. To avoid confusion he had to change a letter in his last name for both the Muggle and Wizard world (In America, the inhabitants of the nation refers to non-magical as Muggles as it was influenced by the British).
Professor Benjamin Amadeus Franklyn was born on January 17, 1706 (The calendar was messy back then. He was born on January 6 but that was in European time from American.) He attended Alma for 7 years and did multiple careers like becoming a teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts before becoming Chancellor. What Muggles know he did he did and to quote Ben himself:
"Yes, I am that Benjamin Franklin. No, I didn’t actually invent electricity for the Muggles, but I did give them a small push in the right direction. Yes, I was a part of the American Continental Congress, although for obvious reasons, I was not one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. At that time, I used two different spellings of my name, only one of which was known to the Muggle world, which made it easier for me to know which correspondences to open first. Yes, I realize my face graces the American one hundred dollar bill. No, contrary to popular myth, I do not carry sheets of uncut hundreds around to snip out and sign for admirers. Yes, I am indeed quite old, and yes, this is accomplished through means of magic, although I assure you that those means are a lot more mundane and prosaic than many have assumed. Emphatically no, I am not immortal. I am a very, very old man who has aged rather well with a little help. Does that cover most of the obvious questions?"
His Patronus is an owl and his wand is a springy 10 3/4 inch Yew with a Pheonix Feather core.
The staff includes Madame Desdemona Delacroix who teaches Divination, Advanced Enchantments, and Remote Parapsychology and Theodore Hirschall Jackson III with Technomancy and Applied Magic. Others include Felix Stanford Cloverhoof with Clockwork Mechanics, Betsy Bartholemew Ryvenwicke Newton with Wizarding Home Economics, Fenyang Baruti with Potions, Paul Bunyan(yes the folkloric character) with History, Georgia Burke with Muggle Occupational Studies, Persephone Remora with Forbidden Practices and Cursology, John Sanuye with Magical Flora, George Edward Wimwrinkle with Mageography, Helen Drummond Potsherd with Archeology, Benjamin Asher with Advanced Flight, Ham Thackery with Precognitive Engineering, Albery Plumvole with Artithmatics, Benjamin Franklyn himself teaches with Magical Defense and Dueling and, Oliver Wood with Magical Ethics (yes that Oliver Wood who went to Hogwarts).
The societies the school has is a total of 6, however, the book does not go into all the houses and its meanings but what follows;
The Head is Professor Remora. Today, the house refers to by its mascot, "Zombies", but once went by its Greek counterpart, Hermes. The House represents those who are Persistent and mischievous as well as adaptable. They are the Punks, rebels, and troublemakers of society. The colors are Blue, Yellow, and Black. (Zane Walker is a Zombie)
Erebus House, or Vampire. Dramatic and remorse, super serious. Black and Blood Red.
Pixies used to be the representation of Aphrodite. They are Popular with Pink and Yellow. (Equivalent as a house equivalent to the school of Beaubaxton).
Werewolves are the house of Ares. They are Jocks/Military type, arrogant, "and tough with no respect for anyone that isn't like them". Colors are Slate Grey and Burgandy. (Equivalent to Durmstrang and Albus Potter's house)
Ultimately the house of nerds. Technomancy and Alchemy freak who is good with clockwork. This is the house of the Hephaestus house of Igors. The colors are Acid Green. (James Potter's house).
Bigfoots are friendly hard workers. The House of Apollo. The colors are Blue and Orange. (Hufflepuff).
In the end thou, the houses are something that chooses you by a kneazle-cat named Patches however, you can choose whatever house you want despite the results.
Already, Ilvermorny is seen as the houses are similarly referred by mascots. Alma Aleron was founded by 3 in 1688 in Pensylvania. The next state over in Massachusetts is the school of Ilvermorny by founders 4 in 1627(Minalima) or 1637(Leaky Cauldron fansite). Only Alma is much more involved in America's history even having paintings of the Muggle Presidents of the United States Congress. Yes, the magical world has a government HQ in New York being the "Department of Magical Administration, the Worldwide Wizard’s Alliance, and the International Magical Bank" also known as the "Crystal Mountian". New York is a city built underneath a preserved city of the past, New Amsterdam when it "began as a mere alley, not unlike your Diagon Alley, hundreds of years ago, back when the Muggle city of New York was, itself, barely a port village on the Hudson River".
Swift Facts:
-Art-Deco was designed by a wizard named Mucha
-a monorail called Lincoln Zephyr mostly based on the ghost train and the blimps (it also has interactions with muggles)
-The Warping Tree is a time-traveling tree
-Alma is guarded by a rock monster named Flintlock
-The school is in suspended in time being the past because of a Timelock
But to understand just about everything is to learn what Technomancy is and that is a real thing as far as other works go.
-The wizarding currency in America is a golden American Drummel, or a half-note named after a wizard:
“This coin here,” he announced, regarding the first small golden shape in his fingers, “is a standard American Drummel, or half-note. Worth a little less than five Knuts by your measure."
"... Franklyn pocketed the half-note and held up another, decidedly larger coin. It glittered faintly silver despite a layer of dark tarnish. “This coin, worth a standard note, or Jack, you may be interested to know, was carried in the pocket of Sir Percival Pepperpock, one of the original founders of this school, upon the date of its groundbreaking. The coin was especially charmed on that day, thus preserving the details of the event for us in perpetuity.” (JP3, page 165; Chapter 8 The Vault of Destines).
Technomancy is, much like Necromancy, is a type of Divination involving Technology and a type of magic through technology. It appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Little Witch Academia, Mass Effect, Babylon-5, and Harry Potter itself under "Technology" in Pottermore (Wizarding World). George even had a pdf of a pamphlet about it: http://www.gatekeeperscurse.com/chapters/technomancy.pdf
The best parts would have to be the moments when the characters travel back in time to explore the past. In James Potter and the Morrigan Web, the cast has to travel in time to find someone living in the past who has a revolver with magical properties after an incident involving murder. In the first entry, after Merlin came back from the dead, Theodore Jackson, who lost his wand, had another wand in his possessions saying that all witches and wizards have dual wands to evoke the lifestyle of the wild west.
American Magic is Native American Magic and much like the magic, the beasts appear in the series as well. In James Potter and the Morrigan Web, the villain uses and controls Wendigoes. Jersey Devils appear as well (JP3).
The magical and non-magical people do cross paths, especially with Aurors because of the Magical Integration Bureau (MIB-Men In Black). Speaking of Aurors, in America, there are Harriers which is like broom-riding bodyguards (think of those Aurors in Grindelwalds Escape scene) which Viktor Krum is part of (unless it is a Quidditch team which makes no sense as they guarded the Vault and are part of the Nation of America).
-Pigeons instead of owls.
-American sport is called Clutchcudgel on brooms called Skrims that you stand on and surf (seen in the game Hogwarts Mystery via Broom Surfing)
Ben Franklyn is the Chancellor but he HAS built a school in actuality, University of Pennsylvania. A Chancellor is higher than the Prime Minister. In actuality, Arbiters exists and they exist in the fan-fiction series of America. Arbiters are judges:
“A pleasure,” Keynes nodded smugly, obscuring his face for a moment behind the black brim of his hat. “I’m impressed that you were able to be here on such short notice,” Harry replied, unsmiling. “General Arbiter sounds like a rather demanding and important post.” The man laughed lightly. “The title sounds more grand than it is, I’m afraid. There are, in fact, many of us, stationed all around the country, performing our given duties to the best of our ability. My station covers only Pennsylvania, but I admit that the metropolitan Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas do take up most of my time. I was in the vicinity when I received the message from Chancellor Franklyn.” Harry asked, “You represent the American Wizarding Court then?” Before the man could answer, however, Chancellor Franklyn spoke up. “We have a rather more hands-on approach to legal matters in the American magical world, Mr. Potter. A holdover from a time when magical individuals were scattered finely all across the country, making it necessary for the law to go to them, rather than the other way around. Mr. Keynes, in effect, is the American Wizarding Court.” “Judge, jury, and executioner,” Professor Cloverhoof quipped darkly, buffing his nails on his lapel. Keynes nodded. “Crude, but accurate enough, Professor,” he said, and then turned to Harry. “I am an arbiter, Mr. Potter. My job is to make impartial judgments based on examination of the evidence and interviews of everyone involved in any given case. This is why I have requested that your son join us. I understand that he has observed much of what has taken place in connection with the attack on the Hall of Archives. You need not fear for his involvement. I am trained to be utterly fair and objective.” (JP3, page 268; Chapter 13 The Octoshpere and the Arbiter)
The funny thing is that lawyers don't exist in the world of Jk Rowling. The Suspect is expected to fight for him or her owl life.
-American Wizarding Court
-Bands such as The Boggart Brothers and The Stifftones.
-Wymnot's Wand Polish
-A statue of a wolf named Victory (that isn't a statue)
Below are the dormitories of the houses (Igor not present):
By now you can see the similarities to the later created view by J.K. Rowling. The houses are similarly named thou its mascots are connected to native Americans from the Muggle founders of America with Greek and ultimately the modern society. Clutchcudgel in the game of Hogwarts Mystery however he never mentioned Quodpot (probably never knew of it like many others). The wild west dual wand and the choice of a house despite what is best are also interwoven into J.K's vision Ilvermorny along with how grounded it is. While Alma has paintings of the Muggle presidents, perhaps the Magical Congress presidents are equivalent to a few like Josiah Jackson to George Washington for both are Generals. But rather or not she read it, she knows it exists, and made her school here, Ilvermorny, the prestigious of them all.
"G. Norman Lippert has outdone himself, taking a concept that many would churn out as trite 'fan-fiction', and instead creating a literary piece that stands out as a spiritual successor novel to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series." -- Trent Rayner
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