Where You Lay Your Wand - Houses, Year Dorms, or Something Entirely New?
By Harry Potter
One of the most important decisions you'll make when designing your school isn't about spells or towers—it's about community. Where do your students sleep, study, laugh, and argue over enchanted chess? How do they find their people?
At Hogwarts, that answer was clear: Houses. Four ancient families, each with their own values, colors, common rooms, and a healthy amount of competition. I'll be honest—it worked. My house, Gryffindor, gave me a sense of belonging when I was still just a boy with a scar and too-big robes. But that doesn't mean it's the only way to do things.
Option 1: The House System
Houses create identity. Students form bonds that last for life, rallying under banners and building traditions unique to their group. It encourages loyalty, pride, and teamwork. Each house can have its own dorms, common room, and even its own Head of House to guide students.
But there are challenges. Rivalries can grow intense. Students may feel boxed in by the traits their house is supposed to represent. And sometimes, the sorting system doesn't capture the complexity of who a student really is—or who they might become.
Option 2: Year-Based Dorms
This approach groups students by age instead of personality. First-years bunk with fellow first-years, second-years with second-years, and so on. It creates a strong sense of camaraderie within a class, and helps older students form mentorship roles as they progress.
The benefit here is clarity: everyone's going through the same challenges at the same time. Friendships form fast, and students might feel less pressure to "live up" to a house identity.
Of course, you lose the inter-year community that Houses provide. Some students may feel like each year is a reset, rather than a journey with a consistent group.
Option 3: Something Entirely Your Own
This is where things get exciting. What if your school was divided by magical focus? Students could live and learn with others who share their passion—be it potioncraft, beast mastery, spell innovation, or healing.
Or perhaps your school has floating dormitories that rotate every term, so students form new connections regularly. Maybe dorm assignments are chosen magically, by the resonance of a student's wand, aura, or dreams. You could even create "guilds" or "circles" that students join voluntarily based on shared interests, with dorms forming naturally around those bonds.
And don't forget magical touches—dorms with personality. Rooms that shift with mood. Enchanted fireplaces that tell bedtime stories. Beds that gently rock students to sleep like flying carpets.
Final Thoughts
Whatever system you choose, it should support your students' growth. Will you give them a tribe to rally behind? A class to journey with? A path to walk on their own terms?
There's no wrong answer—only the one that fits your school's soul. After all, it's not just where your students sleep. It's where they dream.