The Wizarding World Geocache Series
"Upon the signature of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689, wizards went into hiding for good. It was natural, perhaps, that they formed their own small communities within a community."
— The secrecy surrounding the wizarding world
The Wizarding World, also referred to as the magical community, is the society in which wizards and witches live and interact, separate from non-wizarding society. The two communities are kept separate through the use of charms, spells, and secrecy. Wizards and witches are forbidden to reveal anything about magic to Muggle society due to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, but that does not mean that the two worlds live entirely apart.
Portkeys are magical objects enchanted to instantly bring anyone touching it to a specific location. In some instances, portkeys bridge the Muggle world with the Wizarding World. Typically a portkey is an everyday object that would not draw the attention of a Muggle and often a portkey is hidden in plain sight. Multiple portkeys are rumored to have been placed throughout this area and so finding this one will be sure to take you on a magical journey to somewhere important in the Wizarding World!
"Durmstrang once had the darkest reputation of all eleven wizarding schools, though this was never entirely merited. It is true that Durmstrang, which has turned out many truly great witches and wizards, has twice in its history fallen under the stewardship of wizards of dubious allegiance or nefarious intent, and that it has one infamous ex-pupil."
— On the unfortunate reputation of Gellert Grindelwald
Velkommen venner! This portkey has swept you far away to...
The Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning, one of the three largest wizarding schools in Europe and has existed for at least 700 years. Located somewhere in Northern Scandinavia, Durmstrang students wear heavy fur cloaks, fur hats, with blood-red robes. The students of Durmstrang are often Russian and Bulgarian, and while the school is portrayed as an all-boys school, it is in fact co-educational, though very few females have ever attended.
Durmstrang, much like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is a castle, though Durmstrang Castle is not quite as big as Hogwarts Castle. The castle is four stories tall, and fires are only lit for magical purposes. It has very extensive grounds however, larger than Hogwarts, and is surrounded by lakes and mountains. Like all wizarding schools, the school was unplottable; Durmstrang conceals its whereabouts from plain sight.
Durmstrang is known for placing an emphasis on the study of the Dark Arts. While other schools of magic limit the study to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Durmstrang students actually learn them.
The school’s coat of arms features a double headed eagle atop the skull and antlers of a stag, signifying its European heritage and prowess.
