Just as wizards, spells and potions abound in the world-renowned
books by J.K. Rowling, one English professor is working his own
magic with 44 students at North Georgia College & State University.
"This has been the most miraculous number of accidental
occurrences coming together that I've ever experienced in my life,"
Brian Corrigan said.
This summer he is leading an intense literature course called
Harry Potter and the Legion of Night.
In what has proven to be perfect timing, the final book in the
Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows," will
come out next week, and the fifth movie comes out Wednesday.
"The timing's just been absolutely splendid," Corrigan said.
"It's just like it's meant to happen."
About 126 people applied to take the course, and were whittled
down to 44.
The students are divided into the four houses, just like the ones
in the Harry Potter books: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and
Slytherin.
All are working toward an ambitious goal -- creating and
publishing the first Harry Potter encyclopedia.
Through a unique method called immersion learning, Corrigan's
students are eating, sleeping and breathing Harry Potter.
They analyze the books, compare them to the movies and are
compiling illustrations for the encyclopedia.
Corrigan's class is "way intense," student Gena Trust said.
Trust said most students spend at least 30 hours each week
outside of class working on the project.
Fellow classmate Clare Coradazzi agreed.
"It's a lot of work," she said.
But the class isn't all work.
Every Thursday night the houses convene at the college's central
drill field to play an exciting, fast-paced game of quidditch.
Whattich?
Quidditch.
In J.K. Rowling's books, quidditch players fly on broomsticks.
Since his students can't fly, Corrigan tweaked the game and offered
a 50-page instruction guide to go with it.
"We take quidditch very seriously around these parts," Trust
said. "We play rough."
The game is a mix of ultimate Frisbee, keep-away, dodge ball,
soccer, football, basketball and even Trivial Pursuit.
Two houses compete against each other each week and, like the
books, the winner will receive the house cup, a prize that Corrigan
is keeping secret for now.
Corrigan's quidditch incorporates three different types of balls.
The "quaffle," or Frisbee, is moved down the field by a series of
passes. Throwing the quaffle through any of six goal hoops earns
points.
The game is complicated by "bludgers," black foam balls that are
thrown in from the sidelines. If a player is hit by a bludger, he or
she must immediately return it to the sidelines.
Lastly is the "snitch," a small golden ball. If anyone catches it
the game is automatically over.
Thursday was the first time the teams had played when it wasn't
storming outside.
Hufflepuff and Gryffindor played on Thursday, while the other two
houses hung out on the sidelines, keeping time, scoring and throwing
bludgers.
While Slytherin didn't play on Thursday, Coradazzi said her house
gets very competitive when it's their turn to take the field.
"We're the team that draws the most blood," she said, pointing to
several bruises and scars on her legs.
While quidditch is a fun experience for everyone who
participates, it is only a small part of the bigger picture.
Corrigan said the most remarkable thing about this class is the
students themselves.
"They're spectacular," he said.
A renaissance scholar, Corrigan said he is not into modern
literature.
However, "I've been telling people all summer this has every
promise of being the apex of my career," he said.
Coradazzi said that while the houses may talk trash to each other
out on the quidditch field, they're all business inside, and out, of
the classroom.
After all, they've got an encyclopedia to publish.
"At the end of the day we're all working toward a common goal,"
Coradazzi said.
