Dear Students—Welcome to the Magical Creatures Lore (MCL) course! 

This is a two term course of eight months that runs just once  a year, starting with the fall term, and
introduces you to the legendary knowledge about magical creatures—some well known and others not so well known.  While this material certainly helps you understand much that is written about in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, the information is also useful in understanding themes in other pieces of fiction and in recognizing the human behavior traits symbolized by magical creatures.

 Each month, a Lesson is studied and a discussion will be held towards the end of the month—this discussion is basically to clarify points and for students to add their own comments to the lesson.  Then, at the end of the month, I will post the lesson’s homework assignment.  These vary in format, so they are not too boring!  There is no comprehensive “final” exam, so it is important that a student stay current with the lessons and homework assignments--passage of the course is dependent on the successful completion of eighty percent of the homework.

I would like to thank Miss Buffy Potter, a student at Hogwarts Online (HOL), for her assistance in designing the lesson pages and procuring the banner at the lesson site!  I hope that all student of MCL will feel a greater affinity and protectiveness for the rare and lovely magical creatures we study—and a greater appreciation and wariness for the ”terrible” powers that some magical creatures possess!  Learning to recognize both beauty and danger in beings, whether magical or not, is a valuable skill!  Professor Opal Dragonfly (Prof. Epona Phoenix)

Course Syllabus