If you were asked to become a founder of a new magical school, what would it be like? Where would it be located? How would you disguise the school from prying muggle eyes? Would you include cultural influences from your home country? Would you have Houses or something similar? If so, how would you divide the students? If not, why do you think it would be better to keep the students together rather than separated? What kind of classes and extracurriculars would be offered?
What details would make your magical school special? Be as specific as possible! (Consider the differences in Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang for ideas!) Â You could also design a school crest or House banners (hand-drawn or photoshopped!)
(I apologise for how long this is, I just got far too in to this and now I actually want to build this school. I've put lots of pictures in so that its easier to read I'm so sorry)
The Treriksröset Academy of Magic is a mixed school, that would be located at the point that Sweden, Norway, and Finland meet.
This place is called Treriksröset, or the Three Country Cairn. There is something there already to mark the border:
I would have my magical school here because I think that the idea of a place where these three countries meet is magical, and that this place would be embedded with natural and powerful magic.  To keep it from magical sight, a trick is actually played on the Muggles. The Three Country Cairn is not actually at the border. The real centre is about 100 metres away, in the middle of the water. The Cairn was put there is fool Sightseeing Muggles, as it has been embedded with a spell that confuses the Muggles, so that if they try and get too close to the school (for example if they were swimming and were almost at the entrance), they would suddenly find themselves back at the Cairn, as it acts as a kind of portkey that detects Muggles getting too close to the school.
(The vast space of water there is where the school would be). The school would be very large, accommodating around 500 students, plus staff. It would look like the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, only on a larger scale:
Because honestly, doesn't that scream magical school to you? The square turret to the right of the above picture, the one detached from the main building, is the teacher's quarters, where they all live. Student's are forbidden from entering the building, unless they have direct permission from a teacher, and are accompanied by a teacher at all times. The buildings to the left and right of the main building (sorry I'm so bad at describing) are the living quarters for the students, separated so that each year group has it's own floor, with the 7th Year students living on the top floor in more spacious rooms, than the first years who live on the ground floor. For each floor there is a common room for the students to spend their free time in, much like at Hogwarts, however you can visit the common room or room of someone in another year, so you're not separated by your age. The dorms to the left of the main building is for girls, and the dorms to the right are for boys. There is also a smaller building that has dorms for non-binary students who do not wish to live in the other dorms. The main body of the building is then composed of classrooms, a library, the great hall, a kitchen, and various other treats that you can only find when you explore the school. There would be a greenhouse as well. Astronomy would be taught in a glass-roofed turrent (which isn't in the pictures), which is lined with mattresses and duvets. Because the sky is so clear, the students can lie on the floor and look up to study the night's sky. The library would be large, including fiction and non fiction books (I always found it weird that Hogwarts didn't seem to have fiction books), and it would look like the Admont Abbey Library in Austria
The decoration of the whole school would be ornate, in comparison to the largely stone Hogwarts, with lots of white and light colours to reflect the coldness there, so that the whole school basically looks like ice. This would reflect light from windows so the whole school would be very bright and light all year round. To even out the heat there would be fires in all rooms, dorms, and hallways. At some points in the year, the sun is only up for about 3 hours; during this time all the lights in the school are light so that it's not dark.
Of course, the school is invisible, and would be floating on the water, anchored down to the bottom of the lake. It would move ever so slightly in the water, if there were a breeze or strong wind, which results in some of the students getting slight seasickness. But dont worry, the skole forstander (school matron) has a potion that fixes seasickness in a heartbeat. The school would also have some rooms that were built underneath the water, like at Hogwarts. One of them is a heated swimming pool that the children can swim in - though they can also swim in the lake, but it is dreadfully cold in that water. The woods on the left and right of the school is often used by students for lazing around and studying. If they're just studying, then they don't have to worry about being spotted by Muggles, but if they wish to use magic (like for practicing spells for homework), then they must cast some protective charms over the small area they are in before they can use magic. Additionally this ground is used for flying lessons; the flying teacher would here cast protective charms so that the brooms and students wouldn't be spotted by Muggles.Â
There wouldn't be houses at my school, per say, but there would be 4 groups within a year who you would be taught with, like how most school have different tutors or forms (is that what they call them in America?). They would be representative of the elements. On your first day, kind of like how there is the sorting at Hogwarts, each new student would visit the equivalent of a Divination teacher, and spend 5 minutes talking to them, at the end of which the Professor will assign you an element. This is not like the houses system at Hogwarts, the different elements aren't separated, and they aren't rivalled at all, they're just simply there to figure out who you would work best with in class, to provide you with the best education.Â
One of the main points of this school is that Squibs are invited to attend too. Most students are from the surrounding Scandinavian countries ( Sweden, Finland, Norway, including Iceland and Denmark) but Squibs are accepted from all around the world, so that they can get the education they otherwise would not get. To get over the language barriers, the school is embedded with a spell that makes each student able to understand each other perfectly, kind of like the Babel Fish. If you were Swedish, everyone would be speaking Swedish, but with their own accent. If you were English, everyone would be speaking English, but with their own accent. Squibs would be taught in the same classes as all the other students, but would have support from Pastoral Care and Squib Teachers in case they need it. Additionally there would be Squib teachers at the school, who would help the new Squib students, as well as teach everyone else.Â
The core subjects that were taught at Hogwarts would also be taught at Treriksröset; Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, and Flying for first years. But there would also be electives from your first year, instead of your third. This would include Muggle subjects, like Art, Music, and History, but with magical influence - like History of Magic. Students are also encouraged to suggest their own classes, and are able to put classes on for other students, as well as create their own clubs and activities. For example, if some students had a passion for Medeval Poetry, then they would be able to offer a class/club for other students were they study and discuss Medeaval Poetry. Setting up and taking part in one of these classes would also count towards your end of year grade.Â
Where Hogwarts had House Elves, Treriksröset would be largely self-sustaining. It is magic, after all. For example, every night a cleaning/tidying spell would sweep the school and clean/tidy the whole school. Students would be expected to clean up after themselves after meals and stuff, like if they spilt some crumbs, but that is just a simple spell. The fires would be everlasting. There would be staff to work in the kitchens.
The students would have to wear school uniform when they attend classes, but if they're in a free period, or have a morning off, then they can wear their own clothes. However there were no restrictions like having your skirts a certain length, or anything like that. Students would be allowed to customise their uniform however they wish. There would be an option of a light blue plaid skirt or plain black trousers, or a plaid pinafore, with a white shirt, black jumper or a black cardigen, black blazer that has piping matching the blue of the skirt and the school logo on the pocket, and a tie matching the skirt.Â
(omg sorry thats so bad but ya know). There would also be a light blue coat for the winter, that's lined with fleece so that's it keeps you warm. The has two options, a velvet one, and a faux fur one. There are two options for a coat as well, a fitted one, and a loose one.
(so like that  but a lighter colour)
The school crest would look like this: (only obvs a lot better)
The three wands signify the meeting of the three countries at that point, and the Elk is the national animal of Sweden and Norway (not Finland unfortunately otherwise that would work very well). It would be embroidered onto the blazers, cardigans, and jumpers.
(Again sorry this is so long but just a little bit on culture and how it would fit in to the school Ayla I'm so sorry but this is just too good a discussion)
Joulupukki, the Scandi equivalent to Santa, would visit after dinner on Christmas Eve and deliver presents - yes he exists I don't care this is a magic world of course Santa exists. They also celebrate Midsummer's Ever by having a huge feast in the forest. Cinnamon is used in almost all dishes, especially puddings and breakfasts. The forests are filled with magical creatures, like Hogwarts, like fairies and elves, who are all very skilled from hiding from Muggles. You can also see some the Northern Lights from the school; some students often meet outside with hot chocolate to see the lights.Â
(Okay I'm going to stop now I'm so sorry)
posted by: hermiionegrangers
