When there are enough people...

[erratic musings]

I have an idea for a Harry Potter roleplay but first, this would be the first time I, myself, would make a group roleplay and also that I am still missing a plot—so I need peeps to brainstorm with me on that. However, I already got the setting. After some research, the roleplay would take place in the Salem Witches Institute located in Salem, Massachusetts, USA in present time. Sorry Hogwarts fans but I wish to explore the possible culture of American wizards.

The Salem Witches Institute will have four dorms (similar to Hogwarts' four houses) in which their students will have a range of competitions—particularly in the popular American wizarding sport, Quodpot. These four dorms' students are sorted randomly opposed to being unified for several characteristics to create diversity while also promoting individualism. Students come from all over the United States and range from the ages thirteen to eighteen (the age in which American wizards come of age as opposed to Europe). Salem Witches Institute basically replaces high school for American wizards and witches as not only their block schedule includes a magical education but also a standard secondary school education as they will be forced to take a class in Arithmetic, Science, Social Studies, and English.

I imagine as well that American wizards and witches are more receptive towards muggles due to having spend elementary and middle school with them.

[Owl]

I think I would be open to that!

Obviously, it's your roleplay, so you can do whatever you want--but here's my stupid little two-cents, BECAUSE I'M SO IMPORTANT, LOLOLOL:

Originally I was a little perturbed by the idea of "houses" in an American-style school, given that America doesn't generally do that; I'm pretty sure Hogwarts just retained that because it's the way most British schools are set up (as evidenced in Gunnerkrigg Court, the webcomic, being that way also). Then I thought, "but hey, my middle school had "teams", which is basically the same :/". So I guess it varies, and this entire paragraph is moot. u mad? *trollface*

Second, I'm not entirely on board with there being actual subjects in a wizarding school--especially in a situation where the European school doesn't have them. In general, European secondary schools are known for being a lot more extensive than American ones, so I don't really think it makes sense. That's just my little head, though; it's certainly not a dealbreaker for me.

What I would want to know is, what's our time period? To be honest, I have a basket and a half of OCs for this thing, and I'd like to know which ones in Europe I should relate the Americans to xD;

[erratic musings]

Nah, I'm open to suggestions.
I can totally take off the actual subjects though my mind went way deep and was all what about the students who don't want to have a career in the wizarding world and my mind veered off there...
Anyways, just present time which I believe is like more than ten years after Harry Potter beat Voldemort? I am pretty sure Americans were impacted by Voldemort's rise but much less so than Europe.

[Owl]

Sounds good to me!

And nah, I don't think they get a choice xD I feel like the instance of people who would choose not to have a magical career is just so low, they didn't have to provide for it. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother with a computer science degree if I could just enchant nick-knacks (how the frig do you spell that!?) and sell them to people. "This wall clock, it makes your house more subconsciously attractive to people! Srsly."

Okay, so: things we need to cover?

Sounds like naming the houses might be one. You could name them after women(*/people! I forgot about Giles Corey for a minute there) who died in the Salem witch trials?--I mean, most of them were probably muggles, but it's a thought! One of them could be called Nurse, after... that old couple whose first names I can't remember. I read The Crucible a while ago. .___.

Also, how do I played Quodpot?--is that a thing you made up, or is it, like, something I can research on the Harry Potter wiki?

Something I really like about this whole idea is how much less elitist you're making the Americans out to be; I think that really clicks. The whole point of America is that anyone can pretty much be/do/say anything they want regardless of social status, so it's a nice thing to mention

[Chokopoppo]

Sounds good to me!

And nah, I don't think they get a choice xD I feel like the instance of people who would choose not to have a magical career is just so low, they didn't have to provide for it. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother with a computer science degree if I could just enchant nick-knacks (how the frig do you spell that!?) and sell them to people. "This wall clock, it makes your house more subconsciously attractive to people! Srsly."

Okay, so: things we need to cover?

Sounds like naming the houses might be one. You could name them after women(*/people! I forgot about Giles Corey for a minute there) who died in the Salem witch trials?--I mean, most of them were probably muggles, but it's a thought! One of them could be called Nurse, after... that old couple whose first names I can't remember. I read The Crucible a while ago. .___.

Also, how do I played Quodpot?--is that a thing you made up, or is it, like, something I can research on the Harry Potter wiki?

Something I really like about this whole idea is how much less elitist you're making the Americans out to be; I think that really clicks. The whole point of America is that anyone can pretty much be/do/say anything they want regardless of social status, so it's a nice thing to mention

I think it's knick-knacks. Actually, that could be a teacher's name! Only because I'm relating it to Uncle Knick-Knack from the Addams family, though. Also: Quodpot.

Yeah, us and our lines. LIIIINES. Other countries make fun of America for the lines we make.

~!~

As for me personally, I rather like the general idea of having a School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in America. I couldn't figgure it for shit, but if you've been thinking about the idea, you've probably got a better grip on it. So if we're after the death of ol' Voldy, what kind of aggressive force could you have? And if they've got the Ministry of Magic in Europe, do they have another one for the Americas? Or is it like a subsection of the government that's kept under wraps?

Just a thought.

[erratic musings]

Yeah, I still haven't thought out those parts out with the aggressive force and a Ministry of Magic. USA probably has something similar but you know converted to our government. xDD We could probably figure those out once we have a plot outlined because I have nothing for that. Dx

AS for naming the houses. Yeah, definitely need to do that. Haha, naming after The Crucible would be fun. I do want Giles Corey to be one of them because I loved him in the play and he is one of the real people who was accused of being a witch.

@Owl: Thank you so much for acknowledging that! I really was trying to go for that.

[Owl]

Man! We are sure going along here. Okay: so if nothing else, we know that one house will be (tentatively) called Corey. I liked that guy, too (other news: I totally added this emote!)

And I know what Quodpot is, now, kind of! I'm fuzzy on the details, but it's probably not that big of a deal =/

*OH! What I meant to say is that the U.S. goverment tends to be more stiff in nature, so I imagine their magical governing body having a name like the Department of Magical Affairs and being super uptight. Also, everybody has to wear suits. SUITS.

Just an idea to throw out there: the conflict could involve a number of transfer students from somewhere like Mexico or South America? (there was a briefly-mentioned wizardin' school in Brazil, if we're going for things that are canon.) They, uh, are jerks maybe!--or dealing with some kind of conflict that is causing them to have to leave. Monsters, maybe.

It could also be a thing with, you know, non-wand wielding creatures getting upset at the 'Mericans? ...because of the not-wands and such! Violence ensues. These are my suggestions.

[erratic musings]

YES. That idea there! Government officials especially of the magical kind must wear suits.
As for the transfer idea, I'll pass. Don't know about the last one though.

[DesdemonaKaylose]

Seems to me that the American magic department would be a lot like Men in Black, but with wands and centaurs. Because, you know what? That's so quintessentially American.

I don't know how everyone feels about social commentary, but the HP universe makes all sorts of fun possibilities. My vote would be for a major conflict between wand-users and non-wand users, because that offers the possibility of parodying racism and the possibility of exploring different sort of creatures that live in the Americas... After all, I seriously doubt we have any house elves.

On the other hand, there's no reason why there couldn't be two conflicts.

My question is, do we want to make a true villain complete with evil plot, in honor of the original HP style? It could be a Voldemort copy cat, ah, the American version I suppose? The Ku Klux Klan of Magic? Or it could be a corrupt politician in the MIB magic department.

Thoughts?

[erratic musings]

After some thought, I really think we should do that as well as have the school and maybe there should be some evil dude somewhere in there.

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