By Alaena Fletcher
The last movie may have been released almost seven years ago, but that doesn’t stop the Harry Potter club from keeping the magic alive.
Every Wednesday night in the Communications Facility 110, the club meets to discuss all things Harry Potter. There are crafts, projects, games, lessons and movie clips during the meetings.
Seating for the meetings are arranged by House. Members are either Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.
“People want to come in and discuss the books, movies and all things Harry Potter,” senior Mei Parent, vice president of the club, said.
About 20 people attended the club’s April 11 meeting, but according to the club’s officers that number doubles during fall quarter with many incoming students on campus. For most members, it’s a place to come and discuss a shared interest in a positive environment.
“I love Harry Potter and it’s just a nice community,” club member Jezzi Reynolds said. “A lot of these people I’ve known for a while and so meeting up with people once a week that are my own age is really nice.”
This particular meeting revolved around Divination. Members flocked into the room, greeting each other happily before separating into groups by House. Members were then told to brew tea, which they drank while a lesson was given on Divination.
The rest of the meeting was reading symbols in the tea dregs of each person’s mug, an essential plot point in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The atmosphere was abuzz with laughter and energy.
“I think Harry Potter is ultimately a culture. It’s a community and it’s really expanded since the books and the movies stopped being produced,” said senior Madison Newman, budget authority for the club. “There’s still a lot to discuss and to debate with my peers, and that’s what we allow our club members to do.”
The club was founded in the early 2000s when the first movie was released. Despite being almost two decades old, the club’s goal is to keep things fresh and exciting for its members.
“We’re trying to get more club member input. We're always trying to come up with different activities, crafts, games, different things we can do to entertain our club members because we have so many people that come back for multiple years,” Newman said.
The club will be holding elections for officer positions on April 25 due to senior members graduating this quarter.
The Harry Potter club meets every Wednesday night during the school year at 6:30 p.m.
