Mahoutokoro: A Japanese Magic School

Byakko was a strange and beautiful woman who, even young, had glistening white hair. The chill when she looked at you was entrancing, but not cold. It was merely enough to make the hairs stand on your neck. She was well known among the muggles she lived around for her transformations into a glistening white tiger - the symbol and mascot of her house - in which she would leap into the air and disappear before the people's very eyes. Byakko had a close affinity with the season of fall and was one of the founders who believed they were worth the treatment as gods.

Intelligent and beautiful, she recognised the loveliness in the power of magic and was often seen as a serene grace by the people - as when she appeared it sent whispers of greatness in every direction. Those housed in Byakko are closely affiliated with the season of fall. They tend to be closed off from others and heavily focused on their studies, particularly in transformation and showy styles of magic.

The house colours of Byakko are white and purple.

Genbu was a strange and dark man who was slow and large. He was very commanding, and often had a great many underlings responding to his every whim. He had dark hair even in his elderly years and was the man responsible for the idea to create a school at all. He was worshiped by his village as a great commanding general - never having to rush into a battle, but instead being able to slowly take a victory. He more than once transformed himself into a great black tortoise whom attracted serpentine creatures to ride on his back - though muggles could not ascertain the reason behind the attraction.

Always recognising the strength in planning, he was not focused at all on beauty and instead on planning. He was never flashy but he was always determined to see those around him learn from his own victories and failures. Those in his house are generally gifted in subjects like potions and arithmancy, with a gift for greater learning and planning - though they tend to be cold and sometimes antisocial, they make wonderful leaders.

The house colours of Genbu are black and orange.

Suzaku had always been known for her peacefulness and great warmth. She was beautiful and gifted in communication with both muggles and wizards alike. She was very like a bird in her movements and often fluttered between villages to pass messages and bring good tidings and stories of divination. She was always adored as a woman of good learning and was welcomed at temples around the villages even despite her magic. When she aged she learned how to transform her body truly into the form of a beautiful phoenix and would fly between the villages to hand on messages, though only a few had ever seen her do so.

Those in her house are recognised for their warmth and the connection to the summer months. They are experts in divination and astronomy as well as other methods of fortune telling. The people in the house of Suzaku are generally personable with abilities to both lead and follow. They work well in teams and in groups.

The colours of the house of Suzaku are red and yellow.

Seiryuu was always known as a cheeky and intelligent veterinarian by the villages whom he visited. He was often seen caring for animals in a warm and loving way. Never particularly keen to talk to other people, he excelled with plants and animals and when he came to pass by villages people believed him to be a good omen of prosperous crops and healthy animals for the time to pass. Most of all however, he attracted magical creatures to him with his words and was clearly most comfortable around them. His affinity with spring and the blossoms has always been known as a lighthearted one - however his lack of compassion for people was part of why he encouraged the muggles to worship him as a God. Unusually, he was able to use his power as an animagus to transform his body into that of an Eastern dragon.

To be sorted into the house of Seiryuu is to mean that you are a strong connector to the season of spring and of new life. They are believed to have a strength in subjects focused on tending the wild side of magical world. Herbology and the care of magical creatures are two subjects highly worshiped by this house, and those with gifts in these subjects excel particularly among their housemates. They are better left to their own devices.

Seiryuu's house colours are blue and green.

The sorting ceremony at Mahoutokoro is very different to that of Hogwarts. Not only in style but in the fact that the sorting ceremony takes place twice during your schooling, instead of merely once.

In first year, the students are brought into the centre of the dining hall, an enormous room decorated in ancient runes and symbols where the four houses are divided into their four locations - north, south, east and west. They are lined up in front of a great circle decorated in Kanji and other magical symbols, divided into four sections. Once all the students and new first years are assembled, the Headmistress will reactivate the charm cast on the power circle.

Alphabetically and one by one the students enter the circle to the very middle point, and each of the spirits within the circle will evaluate them and see how closely they are aligned with their season and their talents. Once the evaluation is complete, a ghostly image of their selected house will appear.

This is further where the Mahoutokoro sorting differs from that of Hogwarts. Instead of the apparition being the end of sorting, you can see how closely aligned a student is by the reaction of their mascot. If, for example, a student is technically most closely aligned with Byakko, but still has other interests in opposing subjects, the great tiger may appear to be sitting somewhat near the student. Whereas if the student were to be closely aligned with the house, the mascot would roar and leap for the intended, making it known they were in her possession.

Many students are frightened by their apparition in first year but are excited for it when fourth year comes. If they have developed other strengths in their four years of initial learning, they may find that their house has changed and that their mascot is more possessive and interested in them - similarly if they have grown towards their houses' strengths and mentalities, their initial mascot may welcome them more openly.

The second ceremony is much the same, however it is voluntary and takes place on the closing feast of fourth year. Students are encouraged to take part as they are celebrated in their chosen house should they get an appreciative response, but if they are uncomfortable with the limelight may choose to stay in their seats with the remaining student body.