The other day, a friend and I had a very short conversation on how RA is like Hogwarts. Well, actually, we said something about how some instructors here are like Hogwarts professors or were – this was our most probable conclusion – informers for the Ministry of Magic.
It's not a new comparison, either, RA and Hogwarts. Our gorgeous old main building is very old, though still much younger than Hogwarts (1500 vs. 1000 AD – making the castle pictured in the movies actually a bit anachronical, more in line with the time our building was built), with some halls that do in fact resemble some of Hogwarts' halls (sigh... if only we could have our meals in the Burgerzaal!). That's not all. Our four campus locations are fairly easy to compare to Hogwarts Houses, with Bagijnhof being like Hufflepuff, the place where all the sociable people are, Driewegenhof being Slytherin (we have our reasons) and the unresolved issue of whether Koestraat or Roggeveenhof is Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. This works especially well since we, like the teens of the Wizarding World, live on location. Also, Hogwarts has about 600 students according to J.K. Rowling – as many as we do. Our Dean even once referred to Jan Peter Balkenende's Convocation Speech as 'the homecoming of Harry Potter'.
Of course, there are many differences. For one, we don't learn any magic here (Yeah, I too was shocked to learn that. Also, if Time-turners really exist, I call dibs.). We're a University, not a Secondary school. We have no evil wizards and witches roaming the grounds (though I do suspect the science students of being evil geniuses) – we don't even have grounds or a proper forest or lake. We utterly lack inter-house/-campus location competitions. We don't have poltergeists or any normal ghosts (but I have heard rumours of hauntings...).
However, all these differences are for the better (except for the lack of magic bit. And the houses. And the ghosts.) since it means we are left with a student body of 600 students, devoted to their studies (thankfully we aren't all little Hermione Grangers, that would be scary... imagine all the hair!) and their friends, pretty awesome teachers (and, I am pleased to inform you, none resemble Dolores Umbridge) and a whole bunch of other stuff. I'm sure any real witch or wizard would feel right at home and the Ministry of Magic would be pleased. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and find me a mad scientist. They're in terribly short supply nowadays.
Of course, there are many differences. For one, we don't learn any magic here (Yeah, I too was shocked to learn that. Also, if Time-turners really exist, I call dibs.). We're a University, not a Secondary school. We have no evil wizards and witches roaming the grounds (though I do suspect the science students of being evil geniuses) – we don't even have grounds or a proper forest or lake. We utterly lack inter-house/-campus location competitions. We don't have poltergeists or any normal ghosts (but I have heard rumours of hauntings...).
However, all these differences are for the better (except for the lack of magic bit. And the houses. And the ghosts.) since it means we are left with a student body of 600 students, devoted to their studies (thankfully we aren't all little Hermione Grangers, that would be scary... imagine all the hair!) and their friends, pretty awesome teachers (and, I am pleased to inform you, none resemble Dolores Umbridge) and a whole bunch of other stuff. I'm sure any real witch or wizard would feel right at home and the Ministry of Magic would be pleased. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and find me a mad scientist. They're in terribly short supply nowadays.
Ilse is a second year social science student with an interest in law and law enforcement with an interest in many different sorts of media.
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