The Cupboard Series 4: The Fourth School

Chapter 9

Diricawl Academy: An Education Revolution or Simply An Experiment? You Be The Judge

by Rita Skeeter

We've all heard the rumours; now this reporter has been given an exclusive interview with Headmistress McGonagall along with a tour of Potter Haven.

Yes, dear readers, you read correctly, that first rumour is completely true: Minerva McGonagall, after forty-one years of dedicated service to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has abandoned her post to take up the mantle of Headmistress of Diricawl Academy of Magical Studies.

"Over the years, I've seen the educational opportunities that Hogwarts has offered slowly being eroded away," Headmistress McGonagall stated when asked why she accepted this new role. "And when I was offered the post of Headmistress of Diricawl Academy, along with the chance to introduce new subjects that haven't been offered in Britain in decades, I leapt at the opportunity. Diricawl Academy represents an exciting time for students – the opportunity to study and learn new subjects and topics, in an environment that emphasises individual achievements, at a pace that suits the student."

I'm certain that you, like me, are intrigued by this notion of new subjects. I asked Headmistress McGonagall what these new subjects on offer were.

"Being a brand new school, we aim to only slowly introduce the new subjects," she said. "Along with all of the current subjects that Hogwarts offers, this year, the students at Diricawl, will be offered Enchanting; Basic Healing; Magical Studies of Great Britain; various elements of The Arts; and the basic muggle subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. All of these subjects are only a tiny fraction of subjects on offer at magical schools around the world. As the years progress, we aim to introduce even more subjects to our students."

When I asked about the students who are being offered these intriguing subjects, I was told that, for this year at least, the number of students has been capped at fourteen. The most prominent of these is indeed The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, himself.

"As much as we'd love to take in more students, at the moment we simply do not have the facilities to house any others," Headmistress McGonagall stated. "Therefore, we will be using this year to help refine our teaching methods and our curriculum while we search for larger, more appropriate facilities ready for a larger complement of students from next year."

Exactly how many this 'larger complement' will consist of is anyone's guess.

Potter Haven is, as one would expect, owned by none other than Harry Potter. Interestingly, the young Potter scion was conspicuously absent from the tour that I was offered. As a school, the manor is well set up for learning, a fact that seemed to have been confirmed some months ago when Harry Potter achieved an Outstanding OWL two years early while studying there by himself.

There are half a dozen classrooms, a fully stocked potions lab, a telescope in the attic and a duelling area in the basement. Even the valley that the manor sits in has been set up for learning with a pair of large greenhouses, a loch filled with magical water-based plants and an enormous domed area filled with dozens of different magical creatures, including a pair of the school's namesake: the diricawl.

Apart from Headmistress McGonagall, the only staff member that has been hired so far is the known werewolf Remus Lupin. Lord Black allayed my fears for the students' safety somewhat by the fact that he was meeting with some dwarven contractors to have a 'strongroom', including a door inlaid with silver, constructed on the grounds. I'm assured that other teachers are currently being sought.

Headmistress McGonagall is well-known as being a strong-willed witch who accepts no nonsense, a feeling that she continued to exude during my time with her. The current facilities, too, are quite impressive and a must see for any who can manage it.