asheathes:

WIZARDING SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD: THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippine School of Sorcery for Young Witches and Wizards is, quite unsurprisingly, spread amongst several Nipa Huts in Siquijor. In order to prevent tourists from interrupting students’ studies, several invisibility enchantments were cast over the grounds. The school teaches many branches of magic: Mananambals of the island often visit the school to conduct lessons on traditional healing methods, Mangkukulams lead classes on the practice of Kulam, the use of talismans, charms, and amulets is also studied, along with a branch of ancient magic originally written in Baybayin. Centuries ago, the mysterious disappearance of a student led many to believe he was an aswang who ran away to protect himself after his identity was discovered. To this day, the student has not been found. In the past, when molave trees were abundant on the island, students swore the branches of the trees on campus transformed into snakes at night and slithered through the grounds in an eerie tango. Not any more, though. The campus remains silent at night now. 

potofsoup:

ohhhmanchester:

karigane:

lightspeedsound:

nearlybecamehistoric:

deusexignis:

iridium-flames:

vixsubridens:

asheathes:

WIZARDING SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD: CHINA

Located in deep in the Guilin mountains, shrouded in mist and frequented by dragons that live in the multitude of winding rivers, the students of the Chinese Institute of Magic don their colourful wizarding garbs every September 1st for their return to school whereupon they are treated to spectacular opening festivities involving, but not limited to: choreographed martial arts performances from their combat professors, an assortment of acrobatic wonders, and “Mystery Mooncakes” specially made for the mid-autumn festival.

#BUT WAIT #HOUSES BASED ON THE ORIGINAL FOUR #THE TIGER THE DRAGON THE PHOENIX THE TORTOISE

#just imagine how powerful their magic is though #they’ve been developing it for almost 2000 years longer than western magic imagine how refined and beautiful

#harry potter being eurocentric was such a fuckin’ waste

#my favourite thing is how those of us who have grow up with harry potter are now saying “no that’s not enough” and are expanding the universe #like we’re all critically looking at the books and realizing everything that’s wrong with them and fixing it ourselves #and idk i think that’s amazing

#they would not have had four houses; four is such an unlucky number in chinese numerology that there would never be four of anything.

#They also wouldn’t have used a tortoise wtf tortoises are shit in chinese mythology

#There would probably be like 8 houses because hello chinese population is enormous there would probably be tons more witches and wizards just by dint of percentages.

#Also I refuse to believe that chinese witches and wizards are like as massively in hiding as everybody else; I mean just look at traditional chinese medicine. You wanna talk eye of newt let’s talk about the various medicinal uses of fucking freeze dried sea cucumbers wtf why is that always the biggest jar at your grandma’s apothecary.

#…Because that’s goddamn right chinese fucking muggles go to the goddamn apothecary wtf you think you’re special, white leghorn wizards

#also fuck quidditch and broomsticks i bet they play games on motherfucking dragons

#can you imagine HOW MUCH BETTER DUELING WOULD BE WITH MARTIAL ARTS

#Defense against the dark martial arts tho

#I bet the sorting ceremony is much more involved and includes astrology charts and chi and shit like that it’s like matchmaking only way more crucial

#I bet muggles fucking love magic

#I bet they gotta be careful and shit at orphanages making sure no accidental Tom Riddle shit happens and like the next dark lord gets adopted by a pair of white gay guys from Santa Monica because that would be hella awkward whoopsies 

Lmao that last one tho

Fireworks though. They would be off the heazy crazy

Okay but can we actually add more *actual* Chinese Daoist magic tradition here? Instead of just tapping into common “pop culture” China of “4 is bad, 8 is lucky” and “omg martial arts.” There’d be 8 houses not because 8 is a lucky number, but because of the 8 Trigrams. Imagine being sorted based on the I Ching — are you Wind because you’re gentle? Or are you Earth because you’re receptive?  Watch out for those guys from the Thunder House.

Let’s talk courses in concocting the perfect longevity pill, and botanical classes about cultivating longevity peaches and dealing with ginseng that insist on turning into kids and causing mischief in the forest. Instead of a wand, you spend a class carving a wooden swords out of peach wood.

Let’s talk traveling by FLYING CRANES, or, if you’re not as skilled, just harnessing a wandering cloud. Forget dragons (they’re royalty and rather hard to manage) — Daoist wizards like 姜太公 in Houshin Engi rides a 四不像, which is kinda like kirin. The 8 Immortals’ rides include a magic donkey, a flower basket, and twin swords that are sometimes snakes.

Anyone with half-decent magic would be able to have 36 different transformations (hey, if Piggy can do it, so can you.) But it takes proper focus — there’s that story where you can only phase through walls when you are properly pure of intent.

Summon mists, pacify ghosts that died of hunger, get drunk and accidentally create a volcano when you kick over the pill-making cauldron.

just-for-grins:

If you’re having a bad day here are a few baby animal pictures which surely should cheer you up!  😀