-Australia – Snakebinder Academy-

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Snakebinder Academy is the main wizarding school of Australia, also welcoming New Zealanders, Americans and English, though the main bulk of students is made up of Australian witches and wizards. Snakebinder is located in Southern Australia in the most remote part of the Snowy Mountains, away from the ski resorts after making a surrounding vicinity of ten miles unplottable and impossible for muggles to enter, even though this area does not belong to the grounds. Snakebinder is known for its just and fair ways of teaching, and for its skiing winter activities for the students, which are said to be most enjoyed. The current head of school is Cody Fowler, a wizard known for his devotion to both the school and wizarding courtroom, where he served for many years as one of the jury. He is apparently extremely keen on justice and will not punish a student until certain. For this reason he is said to be highly respected by staff and students alike.

Founding:

Snakebinder Academy was founded a British Naval wizard, John Marrion, in 1795 as a facility for convicts brought over from England to first live, then secretly learn magic if they were witches and wizards. With the support of the British Ministry of Magic, Marrion was able to expand the school widely and help many more arriving convicts that had magical abilities. Snakebinder was opened in 1799 and by the 1850s, when Marrion sadly passed, the school was thriving and in the trust of the newly founded Australian Ministry of Magic.

Apparently, though, Marrion does not haunt the halls; he was said to be a peaceful, compassionate man, a previous Hufflepuff, though not scared of death. He disliked the way the convicts were treated and his heart went out those with magical blood who were forced to hide their abilities. There is, however, a secret room in the school you may stumble upon, dedicated to this beloved founder. It is said to contain pictures of the seaman and letters to and from him to England campaigning about money for the school. It is even said his ghost haunts there as a peaceful spirit, but many have said this is not true. Either way, the room does not seem to have been created by Marrion, only be a loving student who scratched her name on the walls ‘Joyce Fisher’. The dates on the wall that the student also put where just when the school had opened and Marrion was still a young man in his early thirties. Suspiciously, one of the instances where Joyce’s name is written gives her the surname ‘Marrion’ instead of ‘Fisher’. Could the girl have been involved romantically with the founding wizard? We shall never know, but apparently a girl named Joyce Fisher died of Pneumonia in 1804. Since Marrion was back in Britain at the time on business the mystery was never solved and the founder never associated with the girl.

Further History:

Like many wizarding schools, Snakebinder keeps itself to itself, keeping out of other wizarding and Muggle problems. However, it has had some of its own; in 1874 a Veela student from America came to study at the school and caused complete uproar. When returning to her American School, one of the lesser ones, in 1875, many male students left to follow her. Loosing much business, the staff at Snakebinder tried to prevent this, and eventually the headmaster at the time, Leonard Eyemer, found out that the lesser American school had set up the procedure to try and get more students. Furious at this, Snakebinder and the ministry demanded they admit and send students back, which the lesser school did. It also closed down a year later from scandal.

There was also an incident in 1934 when a dragon from the mountains decided to attack the school. The Australian Ashwinder seemed to be in pain and rage and a magical creature despatch team had to be called up form the Ministry of Magic. Fortunately no students were injured in the attack, but the school was severely damaged.

The school did not wish to take part in either of the struggles against Lord Voldemort, though most British students went home to help their families.

After John Marrion died in the 1850s, the school’s running was passed onto a Mr Everton Royce. There have been many heads of school since, but all, strangely, have been wizards. There was a scandal in the school in 1910, however, when headmaster Duncan Moore was revealed to be an infiltrator from the British ministry of magic, who wished to know how the school was getting on. Moore was at once removed, and though the tow ministries of magic made up some time afterwards, the incident had never been forgotten.

Education:

Similar to English and American schools, having been modelled on Hogwarts, Snakebinder students start schooling at the age of eleven and brave seven years of education. They take the same core classes and electives, choosing elective in third year and doing O.W.L.s in their fifth year. They do not do N.E.W.T.s, however, instead there are two and one year course they may take, a little like degrees.

John Marrion, though a Hogwarts Hufflepuff himself, did not want to segregate the students using houses and instead kept the school house-free so no rivalry or unfeeling would come between the students that way. There are four Quidditch teams for the school, which play against each other, but they are not house-related and name themselves after Australian wildlife, i.e. ‘The Prancing Brumbies’ is one of the current teams.

Snakebinder as offers extras in skiing and hiking sports for students, and these are said to be very popular.

Setting:

Another mountaintop school, Snakebinder is located on the tip of a snowy mountain in a robust castle styled with four towers and the medieval look. It is vast, and thought to be bigger even than Hogwarts, but it is not built in the same style. One of its notable features is the library, an extensive room filled with books in all languages and no restricted section. Any student can go in there and pick up a book, but all are enchanted t, if the reader has dark motives, to snap shut or bite the reader until he or she drops it.

Each tower of the school had it’s own observatory and sleeping dorms, though it isn’t a house. Students there share dormitories with four people and sleep in comfort, with fires, un-suites and much space for them to store belongings. The common rooms are also located in the towers, one for each year, and are also furnished for comfort, also holding Muggle TVs so that muggle-borns may watch their favourite programs and educate wizarding students. Apparently the rooms are decorated lavishly inside, with beautiful scenery paintings and few portraits, bright, uplifting colours and simple but elegant ornaments. There are also music rooms for those who wish to practice playing, and a school choir and orchestra. Dances are held for notable holidays such as Christmas and Easter, and al studdents may attend. There is also a student council, like in many muggle schools.

The great hall is a communal place formed with long tables and another eating platform for teachers, though staff regularly socialise with students. New students are frequently asked what they think or how the school could be improved, as the staff are always striving to keep up the reputation of a happy, fair and comfortable school of education.

In spirits and secrets, there are more peaceful feelings, as most if the ghosts that haunt are incredibly polite and gentle. Among these is Felicity May, murdered by her brother when he went insane. However, Felicity returned to him as a spirit and nursed him with care until he died, then continued her educate at the school (they were both students). She is still a soft-voiced saint today, helping everyone in need and never blaming anyone for incidences.

Another notable spirit is Catherine de Boir, who haunts with her husband. She is suspected to have been a Veela or Muse (see my next book that is soon to come out) and to have been murdered by a passionate love, but no one is quite sure, as she will not speak. Her husband and her parade around as if they are at a wedding, always dropping a kindly word. Catherine is constantly making pretty flower arrangements and her Husband watches the skiing and attempts to teach younger students when a teacher is not on hand.

The grounds of Snakebinder are not as impressive as others, with a Quidditch pitch on a flat platform down the mountain on the moor, as well as glasshouses and care of magical compounds. When there is enough snow, students ski or toboggan down to these areas and take a portkey back up. The ski slopes are on the other side of the mountain, that area being steep and perfect for skiing. Mountain hikes, however, are held from the Quidditch pitch and apparently very popular. They also do horse treks and have a stables located at the magical creatures compounds.