Mahoutokoro School of Magic is the school for young Japanese wizards. Known for its academic prowess, day students, and thorough curriculum, this school is the most elitist of all the "Big Eleven". Located on the top point of Minami Iwo Jima, Mahoutokoro focuses its curriculum on achieving excellence and honour. It was founded sometime in the 9th century.
Location[]
Mahoutokoro is on the highest point of the volcanic island Minami Iwo Jima, near a muggle air-field. It is considered uninhabitable and has a few muggle-repelling charms placed on it to deter non-magicals from visiting the place. Unlike its fellow schools, Mahoutokoro is composed of multiple buildings all made out of nephrite (mutton fat jade).
The campus itself has a large pagoda for housing. On the bottom floor is the Banquet Hall, which has many small tables in two seperate rows, facing one another. Each floor going up is for the ascending years (first year, second year, i.e). The other, much smaller pagodas are for the other subjects like Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts. The Quidditch Pitch is by the sea, and many students practice Quidditch directly over the sea for a fun challenge.
History[]
Mahoutokoro is one of the oldest of wizarding schools. It has been theorised to be founded by an ancient Japanese wizard who wished to educate younger wizards and witches on the art of magic before they turned into Obscurus', which he believed to be quite sinful.
Mahoutokoro has been involved in Quidditch since a few Hogwarts students tried circumnavigating the globe on bad brooms and taught the curious students how to play the sport. It became extremely popular, and Mahoutokoro students quickly mastered the game, as well as setting up their own teams to play Quidditch. The students from Hogwarts ended up regretting the move as Japan has exceled at Quidditch since.
Reputation[]
The school always had a reputation for being perfectionists at magic. The world's greatest wizards come from here, and if you are Japanese and want to be involved in potioneering or Quidditch, Mahoutokoro offers a great education for both of those subjects.
Dark Magic is also strictly prohibited, making the academy a very safe place and perfect for a wizard refugee.
Recruitment[]
Mahoutokoro provides a full 11 years of magic for those who seek it. Young wizards and witches are being monitored from the age of five and promptly sent a letter on their sixth birthday about their magical ability. Nearly 2000 wizards/witches are sent this letter each year, but only a quarter make it in. From their birthday to April when the school year starts, the pupil-to-be (or not-to-be), goes through rigorous testing for magical ability and skill. If the student is eligible for the school, they are sent a letter of acceptance and a long handbook explaining Mahoutokoro's code of conduct, rules, and how to get to the school.
Reaching Mahoutokoro is an easy task for the young day students. Special Japanese multi-way portkeys are given to the parents or guardians of the student to transport them to an unplottable cliff off the coast of Japan, where giant storm petrels will be waiting to fly them to Mahoutokoro. Education for the elementary-aged wizards is generally the same as muggle private-school education, although there is more focus on magic.
At 12 years of age, Mahoutokoro students begin the traditional magical education expected of wizards and witches.
Uniform[]
The Mahoutokoro Uniform is one of the most well-known things about the academy. It is given to boarding students (free dress for the younger). It changes colour based on experiences and skills of the wizard, and grows as the wizard does. These are also used to sort wizards into "classes". An explanation for most of the colours observed on the robes is below:
Pink - The beginning colour. At most, this lasts for a few weeks. It shows a starting wizard who has not yet developed experience in the magical ways.
Red - A somewhat unskilled wizard. This can last for a long period of time if the wearer isn't skilled in magical arts.
Orange - A developing wizard. Usually seen in first years or second years.
Green - This is the most common colour. The average wizard.
Blue - An above-average wizard, quite skilled. Seen in sixth and fifth years most frequent.
Gold - Extremely skilled wizard who has perfect grades.
White - A wizard who broke the Japanese Wizard's Code or performed Dark Arts. Will be expelled immediately.
The "Classes"[]
In the second semester of three in the First Year, wizards and witches will be sorted into school classes. These are judged on their magical skill level, with Class One being the best. Students move between classes but often stay in the same one for their whole education.
Class One[]
Students in Class One have a very bright future. Class One is only for the most skilled Mahoutokoro students, and is very hard to get into. In fact, you can only get into Class One if you happen to have golden robes, which obviously is very difficult. To illustrate how hard it is to get into this class, the average amount of students in here are 10 at a time, whereas Class Two has forty. If you are in Class One, it will be put as a gold star on your record.
Class Two[]
Class Two often rivals Classes Three and One. Students in it are intelligent and hardworking and will mostly likely go into great wizarding jobs. This class' main colour is blue, as that is the colour of the robes that pupils in this class wear.
Class Three[]
Most students end up in Class Three, which always dominates in Quidditch. Their main colour is green, and they will likely have fine wizarding jobs, although not the best in their field. Class Three also has the most action, having plenty of students moving in and out on a weekly basis.
Class Four[]
Being in Class Four is often not looked at as being a good thing, although it really demonstrates the most average of wizards, but considering Mahoutokoro is super elitist, this is seen as a sort of insult. Class Four is sneered upon, but students often work hard to stay out of it, and so if you make it from Four to Two, the most common transition, it will be put on your record as an example of your hardworking.
Class Five[]
Class Five is not a class for skilled wizards. Being in Class Five often means you aren't that magically inclined and this role is, for good reason, sneered upon.
Trivia[]
- Although Japanese wizards today use wands, wandless magic was taught in the curriculum for a few centuries until students found they conducted magic better through wands.
- Mahoutokoro's main attractions are its focus on astronomy, divination, and combat, but the school also shines at Quidditch.
- The most revered wands at Mahoutokoro are those fashioned of cherry wood.