#marchmont

The Marchmont School of Magic:

Siren’s Isle, Sixth Borough*, New York City

The Marchmont School of Magic is not the oldest of magical schools, dating back to only the late 1880s, but its location, so close to the magical heart of the city, the Sixth Borough, nonetheless makes it a fine choice for the education of magical children. Its founding too, can be said to raise a few eyebrows. A young pureblood of an old family bought the grounds and built the sprawling mansion for the express purpose of impressing a girl, Genevieve Marchmont. When she rebuffed him to marry another, he persevered, opened the school with the help of his friend, and her sister, Jessamine Marchmont, for whom the school is named.

The beautiful Victorian building stands alone on the unplotted Siren’s Island, an island in the Sound between the Bronx and Queens. The grounds are not quite as sprawling as many other magical institutions, but it still supports a sizable quidditch pitch and gardens. A train station is situated on the north side of the island, connected to the Wizarding Rail out of Grand Central, allowing for a few day students to commute from their city homes.

Majority of the students, however, dorm in the school. There are no houses at the school, students are separated only by grade. The first year of education begins with sixth grade. Independence and exploration of the city are highly encouraged. The sixth and seventh grade students are watched more closely, but at eighth grade all students receive a metropolitan rail card and are loosed upon the streets of the Sixth Borough, along with the other muggle five. Siren’s Station has a train that goes direct to the Borough.

Subjects include Magical History, Arithmancy, Magical Theory, Herbology, American Magical History, Charms, Practical Defense, Theoretical Defense, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies and Potions. Elective courses such as Magical Arts, Photography, Astronomy (practicals conducted only at March Light off the coast of Montauk) and Divination are also offered for a well rounded magical education.

*The Sixth Borough is inspired by the great blog, American Wizarding, specifically this post.