Before the great American school of witchcraft and wizardry got its official name it was known as "Salem Witches Institute of Magic." The school was of course an all girls school located in Salem, Massachusetts. The school was not as big as it is now. In fact back then it was one of the smallest, but greatest schools in the world. Now the school is one of the largest and still one of the greatest schools in the world. Becoming an all boys and girls school was only one of its big improvements. They earned a new school name "Salem Institute of Magic"  a new location, a grand castle, and it was changed to a boarding school due to the Great Salem Burning. Salems Castle is protected by many spells and guards so that they would never be under the same horror they were at the old school. 

The now Salem (referring to the schools shorter name) got its nickname "Hogwarts West" for various reasons, but that will all be explained in a new chapter. Salem has four houses and four founders. Like Hogwarts the common rooms are in the castle, but the houses them selves are away from the castle in its own campus. In each of the houses campus there aren't any common rooms. Students only tend to go to their houses at night or after school. They usually hang out in the common rooms in the castle between periods and sometimes after school. Like Hogwarts each common room has a specific way to get in. Some have passwords and some have questions and symbols. To enter the campus's you must be apart of that house. Any one who isn't will be kicked out. Rumors have it that students have entered by being invited.