When readers first read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone" in 1997/1998, readers were introduced to the concept of a school for all magical kinds, specifically, witches and wizards, who like the Great Wizard Merlin, has once attended. The school has a Headmaster and Deputy Headmaster, it had houses to be sorted into (which are similar to cliques by American standards), and of course classes with potions and spells, and magical beasts, spirits, and poltergeists.
By the time readers attended Harry's fourth year, we are introduced to schools outside of Scotland in where one is in the Pyrenees, and one somewhere up north of Bulgaria. The french school Beauxbaton and Durmstrang Institute. Harry never thought there would be other schools other than Hogwarts.
In 2016, The world was given 7 schools total in addition to 2 other schools mentioned a year prior. Ilvermorny (USA), Castelobruxo (South America), Uagdou [Wag-a-doo] (Africa), Koldovstortz (Russia), and Mahatokoro (Japan). In total, we got 8 schools of what was told to be 11 Prestigious schools.
One time Jk mentioned Canada has one and a school were nearby Australia, which no information was given about them and so we don't even know if they are Prestigious. Castelobruxo, Mahoutokoro, and Beaubaxton (other than the film) have made an appearance via a student in "Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, where the first two students of the schools are heavily involved in its story.
But then we still don't know what the 3 schools are which is room for many theories. Castelobruxo isn't out of the blue as it is mentioned indirectly in the books being Fred's pen pal and a trick gas from Peru in Fred and George's store. But another place mentioned in the "Chamber of Secrets" is Romania.
The moment in question regards Ron's trip to Romania and the transfer for Norberta to Romonia. Romania is important for another reason, it is the home of Transylvania.
Transylvania is not necessarily out of the blue for the series as in "Goblet of fire" there was a vampire at Slughorn's party and a cancelled team in the 2001's "Quidditch World Cup" video game. The Transylvania National Quidditch Team, which would have had 2 werewolf beaters, as well as vampires and demons. They were involved in the games of 1473, 1991, 1994, and 1999.
I bring this up because of a school that resides in Transylvania in legend. In a school where the headmaster is the Devil, black magic was taught and a graduate was chosen as weathermaster for the demon in Graduation. (using Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholomance )
Scholomance is a school that may reside underwater south of a lake in modern-day Romania (Sibiu) where students were kept indoors with no sunlight. The school recruits nearby locals of 7-13, where they learn languages of all living things, secrets of nature and magic. Cast spells, ride dragons (Zmeu or balaur), and control rain. A student is in school for 7 years (though other information suggests 9) and part of the graduation is to write what you know about humanity in a book (Solomonar's book).
One story is it is connected to King Solomon but that was proven false.
Upon graduation, only a few are chosen to be the Weathermaker and ride the dragon in the skies which would cause rainfall. The students in the school are called Solomonari, which "are said to be tall, red-haired, wearing long white robes of peasants, sometimes woolen, or clad in ragged attire made from patches, and they are most often seen around begging for alms. The contents of their magic bag are instruments such as an iron ax, birchbark reins or bridle, a book of wisdom. A branch that has killed a snake is included in some lists. Once they are in the guise of beggars (often crippled or blindfolded beggars), they blend in with the populace so they cannot be distinguished as wizards. However, they apparently have the knowledge and memory of which peasant's farm deserves his retribution when he acts as a dragon-rider sending down his hailstorm".
Recently the school has made an appearance as a setting in a book trilogy called "A Deadly Education" by Naomi Novik and previously mentioned in Bram Stroker's Dracula, which, unlike the films, there are many Draculas in the book and all attended The Scholomance.
If this school was one of 11, it would be the second school where dark magic is allowed and where the undead is students in the Wizarding World. Course the author would only use her own schools and maybe Durmstrang is inspired by it but the addition to Transylvania with a quidditch team makes the location one of the highest possible important areas of schools, given the government, school, and sports stadiums are in close proximity.
Scholomance is largely known for its appearance in World of Warcraft and Hearthstone DLC.
Comments