This week at Camp ROGA, we swept off our invisibility cloak and revealed Harry Potter World with exclamations of awe. Fresh from platform 9 ¾, students gaped in wide-eyed amazement at the gym, as before their eyes it was transmuted into a magical castle. And as soon as their jaws clamped shut, they were whisked away to be draped in their robes and ushered into their magic classes. A world of polymorph potions, flying brooms, sarcastic sorting hats, and fearsome dragons awaited our students, so come, join them, and figure out if YOU too are a wizard (or witch) at Camp ROGA’s Harry Potter World.

Before the students could start casting spells and make trouble on the Marauder’s map, they had to take a trip through Diagon Alley to secure themselves some school supplies. The materials needed for their classes at Camp ROGA were myriad and bizarre, and many precautions had to be taken against evil professors, nasty beasties, and wicked death eaters. So let’s go down the list. One of the things students wanted more than anything was the chance to try out for the Quidditch team, and to do that, they would need the fastest broom they could make. The master crafters at Quality Quidditch Supplies and Broomstix showed the students the ropes, and with a cry of Accio! sent them to their work. The name of the game was aerodynamics: whoever could make the sleekest broom would have the best shot at a place on the Quidditch team, so students had to tie the ends of their brooms (which were made of yarn) as tightly and as neatly as they could. Also important was the color of their broom, as all the students agreed that color determined broom speed. What they did not agree on was which color did what, and different camps were made on whether red or pink was the faster color.

While the students were in Diagon Alley, they also had to get a messenger owl, so they could receive messages from home and send Howlers to each other as pranks. To make these, we had the students choose their favorite species of owl so we could obtain a proper breed. Students got to look all throughout Eeylops Owl Emporium and pick what eyes, feathers, and other features they wanted their owls to have before returning to the shop where they could take (make) their dream owl back home with them. Each owl came with their own little messenger pouch so students could store whatever letters they wanted; magical or otherwise. 

Now, after getting their school supplies, the students hopped on a train and set off toward Hogwarts proper, but look out! Even before they could get into the school, the students were set upon by the whomping willow! In this activity, Students had to guard their luggage and school supplies from the whomping willow, who was determined to destroy them. To do this, students had to pile up their luggage in a protective stack away from the whomping willow and shield it with whatever charms they had learned before school started (let’s hope they studied up!). Of course, the cunning and magic-resistant whomping willow saw through the apprentices’ tricks and found the gaps in their defenses, so after escaping its wicked grasp, there was much repairing to do! (You wouldn’t want to go through the year with a broken wand!)

But before they could magic their wands and broom back together and hit the books (literally!), students had to take a turn below the Sorting Hat to decide their houses! They steeled their hearts and gathered their wits about them to ensure they got the house they wanted. Nerves were high, but you should always remember that if you ask the sorting hat for something, it will always respect your wishes. For this exercise, your house determines what exercise you would be doing. Ravenclaw would be doing airplanes, Slytherins, the worm, and so on. Students could go up to the hat as many times as they wanted to change their exercise, though what they would be doing was up to the sorting hat to decide. 

Now that the students were sorted into their houses, it was time to head into class. Taking a trip down to the dungeon had the students finding themselves in potions class, with the menacing Professor Severus Snape looming over them, watching their every move. Potion making is a precise craft, and one misstep could have your cauldron going Boom! Right in front of you. Students carefully mixed bezoars and eye of newt (water and glue) under the watchful eyes of their instructors, stirring precisely and evenly, before adding one last super secret ingredient (glitter). After which they were inspected with discerning eyes and house points were distributed to the instructors’ favorite potions (we gave points to everyone). 

After the students had finished the dreaded potions class, they headed up and outside to Hagrid’s class, Care of Magical Creatures. Many magical creatures were there for the students to meet, but first, they had to manage their textbook, The Monster Book of Monsters. This was a tricky book to handle, as careless roaming fingers had to watch out or the books might try to have a nibble! Luckily (or unluckily for the books), these books were some of the books caught by the whomping willow, so students had to repair and rebind the books before they could use them. The normally monstrous books became really quiet under the care and attention of their new owners. With new bindings, eyes, and teeth in place, these Monster books purred lovingly under the hands of their owners, and only snapped about when their owners turned them on other students, seeking to chomp on the arms of their rivals.

After all the tiring class work, students were excited to stop by the great hall and stock up on all the food from their wildest imaginations.

A specialty offered up by Professor Pomona Sprout—a veritable Vegetable Garden for all of the students’ nutritional needs, including carrots, celery, and a variety of other healthy vegetables.

The students also enjoyed a variety of “House Snacks.” Depending on the house you received from the sorting hat, you could get Ravenclaw Grapes, Gryffindor Bugels, Hufflepuff Puffs, and Slytherin gummy worms. You should remember, though, that the sorting hat always respects your wishes (and you can choose whatever you want). 

We also offered feed for the weary messenger owls in the form of vegipuffs and pretzels, and other things which owls crave.

Finally, with tensions between houses high and many spells learned, the students were ready for dueling class and the chance to throw their nastiest hexes at their rivals. A great battle for Camp ROGA was fought on the school grounds with spells (water balloons) flying everywhere, but when the dust settled, there was plenty more magic to enjoy for the rest of the water day. Students even had the chance to ride on magic carpets and brooms across the lake at the edge of Hogwarts. 

As the train departs back for Platform 9 ¾, students are left with fond memories of their camp as they return once again to their normal lives. But camp this week taught us even the most mundane of moments could be magical, and that there is always a spell for any situation. Until the next adventure coming up with Camp ROGA Artful Antics week… stay magical, and remember, everyone’s a wizard (or witch) at heart.