While the final novel in the Harry Potter series has been bound and published, and the last movie is now on DVD, the magic lives on at Longwood University. On Sunday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m., students will have the opportunity to participate in the Honor Student Association's (HSA) Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt.
Reminiscent of the beginning of Harry Potter's journey to Hogwarts, the adventure will begin on Platform 9 and 3/4, more commonly known as Stubbs Lawn by muggles. Upon their arrival, participants will receive a letter welcoming them to Hogwarts. From there, the newly proclaimed witches and wizards will continue on to various secret locations from the Harry Potter World.
According to HSA Treasurer Leighan Worden, HSA discovered the idea for the scavenger hunt at an annual conference and decided it was the perfect fit for Longwood. "We know there are tons of Harry Potter fans out there — even closet fans," Worden said. "So we figured we'd put it on here and give it a try."
Worden, who will fill the role as HSA President in the spring 2012 semester, said the event is one of HSA's many efforts this year to "expand on campus and get our name out there." She added that, like HSA's recent Faces for FACES event, the scavenger hunt is open to the entire campus. "We try to be really inclusive," she said.
Worden added, "It's a great opportunity because we don't always get a lot of time to just have fun and do something we enjoy." The scavenger hunt will be HSA's first official fundraising event this semester.
The scavenger hunt will take place at various campus locations renamed and transformed to resemble Harry Potter landmarks fans will recognize. Each site will feature different Harry Potter-related trivia questions and activities attendees must participate in to reveal the next location. The event's planners will be the coordinators of each place's activities.
While the trivia questions will be easiest for dedicated fans, participants with knowledge about the books or movies have a chance to succeed. Worden added, "It's book and movie friendly, so even if you've only watched the movies, you'll still be able to participate."
HSA believes the activity will bring a variety of people from the Longwood community together. "It will tell [the campus] what a big Harry Potter fan base there is here," said HSA Freshman Class Representative Paige Rollins. "It will draw from all over campus."
No scavenger hunt is complete without prizes, which is why every participant will receive a reward. The top three winners, however, will win a baked good straight from the wizarding world.
Worden and Rollins are self-proclaimed Harry Potter fans and hope to see fellow fans at the event. "They can let out their inner nerd," said Rollins.
Interested students can sign up at Dorrill Dining Hall on Nov. 17 and 18 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Once participants have formed teams of two to five people and pay the $2 per person fee, they can officially sign up for the event.
Fans hoping to get a head start are encouraged to dress up as a Harry Potter character or wear Harry Potter-themed clothing to jumpstart the competition. Be there, or be a muggle!
