Hidden in the deep forests of Mount Greylock in Massachusetts stands the North American equivalent to Hogwarts: Ilvermorny.
In her latest Pottermore entry, J.K. Rowling finally delves into the mysterious American school, whose history is steeped in bloodshed and vengeance. The school was founded by Isolt Sayre, an Irish orphan girl descended from Hogwarts co-founder Salazar Slytherin, after she fled on the Mayflower from an evil aunt. llvermorny was known to be " the most democratic, least elitist of all the great wizarding schools," thanks to its co-founding by a No-Maj, Isolt's husband.
According to Pottermore, Ilvermorny will have four houses into which students (and now Pottermore users) can be sorted:
- Horned Serpent; a ‘great horned river serpent with a jewel set into its forehead’
- Pukwudgie; ‘a short, grey-faced, large-eared creature’
- Thunderbird; a creature that ‘can create storms as it flies’
- Wampus; ‘a magical, panther-like creature that is fast, strong and almost impossible to kill’
Each of the creatures are said to represent a different part of the whole witch or wizard -- the mind is represented by Horned Serpent; the body, Wampus; the heart, Pukwudgie and the soul, Thunderbird. Pottermore states that the Horned Serpent favours scholars, Wampus, warriors, Pukwudgie, healers and Thunderbird, adventurers.
Ilvermorny is set to appear in the upcoming film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in theaters Nov. 18.
