LIBRARY: We're all potty about Harry

As JK Rowling fans all over the world celebrated Harry Potter Book Night, our students joined in the fun. Librarian SALLY DRING reports on Ripon Grammar School's spellbinding evening

THERE was a sprinkling of magic in the air when we celebrated this year’s Harry Potter Book Night at RGS. In the run-up to the big night students were invited to take part in a series of craft sessions run over the lunch break, creating dragon eggs, origami howlers and mini-mandrakes.

The big night arrived and students swapped their blazers for cloaks. To start with they sorted themselves into Hogwarts Houses to take part in a Hogwarts Hunt, following clues to find the Potter-based items hidden around school, such as Dobby’s sock, the lost diadem of Ravenclaw and the Triwizard cup! Once all the treasures had been found we headed to the science labs for a wizardly lecture by Professor Barker, who thrilled with demonstrations of his magical powers, from colour-changing potions to electrifying experiments.

Back at the Great Hall (aka the library) it was time to feast on some spellbinding snacks, including golden snitch cake pops, witches’ digits, cheesy owls and troll lips. To round off the evening our trainee wizards worked on creating their own wands, ready to practise spells such as ‘lumos’, ‘wingardium leviosa’ and ‘expelliarmus’ to protect the muggles around them. 

*We also celebrated Valentine’s Day with a romantic challenge - to match up the literary couples listed on a quiz sheet, with all entrants treated to a heart-shaped cookie. (Why not have a go at our quiz, below?)