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    • COMMUNITY

    LIBRARY IS HOGWARTS UNIVERSITY FOR THE NIGHT


    Riley Smith, Elizabeth Bertera, Charlotte Bertera, and Lillian Brown.


    Liron Sahar at the station for Caring of Magical Creatures Class.


    Nolan Morgan smells cabbage water at the class on making potions.


    Screaming mandrake not screaming.


    Arly Flores arriving at Hogwarts University.


    Wrenn Harvey as Hagrid with Holli Elliott.

    Story & Photos By LINDA ANN McDONALD Correspondent

    The Wakulla County Public Library was transformed into Hogwarts University, the “School of Witchcraft and Wizardry” in the magical Harry Potter series of books penned by author J.K. Rowling. The event was held in honor of Harry Potter’s birthday which is July 31, 1980.
    A crowd of 250-plus children and adults enjoyed activities such as creating monster books, making potions, herbology, how to care for magical creatures, muggle studies and advanced rune translation and mentorship. While visiting different stations (classes), small groups of six were lead through the university by lamplight by the famous character Rubeus Hagrid, (Wrenn Harvey).
    Professor Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter’s iconic mentor and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was portrayed by Andy Riddle. “I love this event,” Riddle said. “This is my third year doing it and I look forward to it every year. The look on the kids’ faces with the fun they are having is just magical.”
    Arly Flores said, “I like to come because I like the movies and I like the magic to see the library come to life.”
    Making purple cabbage potion was a class the university students had to attend within the event. By mixing baking soda and vinegar to the purple cabbage potion, if the elixir foamed up, the potion was made correctly. Nolan Morgan passed his class of potion making and said, “It was fun, and I will use my skills to learn spells.”
    Professor Alix taught Muggle Studies, which is an elective class and part of the non-magical studies curriculum at Hogwarts. The concept of the class involved the study of history and daily lives of Muggles, and how they are able to live without magic, but instead use electricity, technology and science.
    The Study of Ancient Runes was taught by Professor Will Bartnick. This class is also an elective course which is a mostly theoretical subject that studies the ancient runic scripts of magic.