Grounded in Magic - Finding the Perfect Location
By Harry Potter
Before you get too excited sketching tower spires and dreaming up floating classrooms, let me give you some advice I wish someone had given me: it all starts with the land. Choosing where to build your school is one of the most important decisions you'll make. And no, you can't just stick a castle on any old hillside and expect it to thrive (trust me, I asked Hermione).
The best wizarding schools—Hogwarts included—were built on land that practically hums with ancient magic. These places often lie at the crossing of ley lines, those invisible rivers of magical energy that flow beneath the earth. If you find one of these, you're off to a brilliant start.
But it's not just about power—it's about protection and privacy too. You'll need somewhere secluded, hidden from Muggle eyes and safe enough for students to practice spells without causing international incidents. Forests, cliffsides, mountaintops, even enchanted islands—there are loads of possibilities. The key is finding a place where your school can grow without constant interference (and where exploding cauldrons won't attract attention).
Think ahead about what you'll need. A wide open space for flying lessons, maybe a lake for water magic, or a nearby magical forest for Care of Magical Creatures. At Hogwarts, we had all that—and the Forbidden Forest too, though I wouldn't recommend something quite that dangerous unless you've got a really good staff.
And one more thing—check the history. Some places come with a legacy. You don't want to build over the ruins of a cursed fortress unless you've got a very brave maintenance team.
Finding the right location takes time, but when you step onto the right patch of land, you'll feel it. The ground will almost seem to recognize your intention. That's when you'll know you've found the heart of your school.
Next up, we'll get into designing the school itself—but remember, your foundation is the land. Build where the magic already lives, and the rest will follow.