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Young wizards find the magic in Harry Potter Club Mistianna Merritt, 10, of Medford, makes a wand during a Harry Potter Club event at the Central Point Library on Saturday. [Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch] Tuesday Jan 23, 2018 at 4:54 PM Jan 23, 2018 at 4:54 PM Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune On what might have been an otherwise ordinary Saturday morning at the Central Point library, a hint of magic filled the air. More than 70 would-be wizards created finger-knitted scarves, crafted their own wands and filled out a questionnaire to determine which house the revered “sorting hat” would decide they should belong to. At the first installment of the Harry Potter Club at the Central Point library, the morning turnout was more lively than the rowdiest of Quidditch matches. Newspaper and Facebook posts promising crafts and activities leading up to a Diagon Alley event and Hogwarts House Party drew Harry Potter fans, with siblings and parents in tow, from as far away as Grants Pass and Yreka, California, for the first part of the six-week series. “I loved painting my wand,” said Central Point resident Beau Fleury, 10, who was careful not to wave it in any intentional, spell-casting direction. “I just love Harry Potter. I love the magic.” Grants Pass resident Jeanine Buckman attended the session with her son and daughter. Jacob Buckman, 10, said he looks forward to finding out — at a future session — what house he will join. “I like the part about waiting to see what house we’ll get to be in. I want to be in Gryffindor,” said Jacob. “I’m just really good at everything you have to be to get into Gryffindor, like being brave and courageous and creative.” Library coordinators said the event was well-timed — offering some winter fun to combat dreary weather during a time of year with not much else happening. After four sessions of Harry Potter Club, a Diagon Alley event on Feb. 17 will sort the wizards into the four now-famous “houses;” Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. A final Hogwarts House Party is set for Feb. 24, and a scavenger hunt themed “Where’s Dobby?” will take place outside the club sessions. Wizards who show up for the Harry Potter Club can expect to receive their much-coveted letters by Feb. 10. White City resident Clarissa Cervantes, who attended Harry Potter Club Saturday with two daughters, ages 6 and 10, said she was excited to see the event offered for local Harry Potter fans. Cervantes, whose older children grew up on Harry Potter books and movies, smiled as her 6-year-old struggled to decide whether she wanted to be part of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Cervantes loved the fun focus on reading and good storytelling. “This is a lot of fun for them. In all the books, they have a moral in them. She’s little, so she's learning, and the stories talk about not being a bully and helping each other,” said the mother. “It has a lot of good lessons mixed in with the magic and adventure.” Intrigued with which house she’d become part of and her creative wand — made of hot glue rivets painted to look like wood — Central Point teen Aja Greenman and her dad discussed Hogwarts trivia. Aja’s dad, Judson, read the Harry Potter books with Aja’s older sisters, and eventually with Aja, in addition to seeing the movies. “Her older sisters started reading them, or having them read, when the books were still being written,” said Judson. “The books really grab their attention. It’s not just a good story. Everybody can relate to being the one that’s left out or the other lessons in the books about friendship or being brave. You add the adventure and magic and all the rest of that, and it’s a really great story. ... Aja and all her sisters really love Harry Potter. This was a great idea.” For details on upcoming sessions of Harry Potter Club at the Central Point library, as well as information about the “Where’s Dobby?” scavenger hunt, see www.facebook.com/events/1763170367311132/ or https://jcls.libcal.com/event/3861023 — Reach freelance writer Buffy Pollock at [email protected].