Harry Potter and the Caecilian Floor

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive… wait that sounds too familiar, let me start again. Diana Maqque, of fourth floor, Caecilian Hall was proud to say that she was perfectly normal, thank you very much. No… That still sounds too familiar… If that is familiar to you, it is likely because that is the opening line of the much loved Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Diana Maqque, ‘20,  is the Resident Advisor of the Gryffindor Tower LLC. 

Maqque has been living on the floor for three years. “I’ve always liked Harry Potter,” said Maqque. “I started reading the books in middle school and watched the movies multiple times. It's been a constant in my life throughout all the new places I have been. Potterheads are everywhere. So as soon as I saw "Gryffindor" I knew I wanted to live there.” 

The floor is similar to a regular dorm, except for the Harry Potter decorations everywhere. Instead of the event posters on the wall being called announcements, they are labeled “the Daily Prophet.” There are cardboard cutouts of Harry, Ron and Hermione, a Nagini statue, a firebolt and posters of the house crests. In the kitchen, there are potion ingredients including bezoars under the microwave. 

There is a separate lounge above the rooms with even more Harry Potter themed decorations. The windows are covered to look like the windows from the Hogwarts castle. There is a fireplace (which is purely decorative) that has the Hogwarts crest on it, and all seven Harry Potter books are on the mantel  alongside other required reading for a good Hogwarts student. The couch is usually occupied by a giant five foot tall teddy bear named Beary Potter. There's even a couch under the stairs so that you can read or relax while feeling like Harry; the boy who lived under the stairs. 

Overall, the floor feels magical, like you could open the door to your room by saying “alohomora”. 

Aside from the obvious difference in decor, Maqque said the Gryffindor Tower LLC stands out from other dorms because “you get to know people better. I think having something in common makes it easier to reach out and connect with people.” There are also floor events that revolve around the series, such as game night, or a Harry Potter movie marathon (which was unfortunately cancelled due to the extended spring break).

 Maqque became an RA because she wanted to connect more with the community. She said, “I went to several of the events done by my RA in the first year I lived in Gryffindor Tower and talked with her. She really enjoyed her job and relating everyday things back to Harry Potter. I think talking with her was the push I needed.” She had previously thought about applying for the job, but found the process daunting. 

Rin Kilde ‘23 (Education), has decided to move to the floor next year and will also be the new RA as Diana is graduating in the spring. Kilde said she chose to become an RA because “it is an opportunity to help a lot of people in a meaningful way. I have had great experiences with my own RAs, and I want to do that for other people. With Gryffindor Tower specifically, it also gives me the excuse to nerd out about Harry Potter in a productive way.” She expects that there will be a lot of work involved with being a RA and said, “The floor is very vibrant, and I want to work to maintain and increase that. As a member of the LLC, I expect that Harry Potter will become an even bigger part of my life.” 

Kilde wanted to live on the LLC floor because some of her earliest memories are of listening to the Jim Dale narrated audiobooks. She said “ although my loyalty to the series has been tested, it has always been a safe haven for me. The chance to be part of an immersive community centered around Harry Potter is one that I leapt at. I have also become very fond of the space in the time I have spent there with friends.” Kilde said that she is most excited to be surrounded by people who share a love of Harry Potter. “I’ve found that I really enjoy getting to know Harry Potter fans because there is already a lot of information that we share and can talk about. Even just knowing someone’s house is a great start to getting to know them,” said Kilde, who happens to be a proud Hufflepuff. 

Gryffindor Tower residents can expect fun Harry Potter themed events next year. The Harry Potter books are rich in world building so Kilde pans to incorporate that into activities. “I would like to replicate some of Hogwarts’ events, such as the Yule Ball, Nearly-Headless Nick’s deathday party, and Hogsmeade weekends, which we could do in Highland Park. I also have insider information that there are a number of Harry Potter themed games in Gryffindor Tower, and I would love to continue and build on the tradition of game nights,” said Kilde.

If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, consider joining the Gryffindor Tower LLC next year.