Earlier this year, J.K. Rowling released information on Wizarding Schools around the world on the Pottermore website. These included in-depth info on schools in Japan, Africa, South America, Europe, but suspiciously the North American school was only given a name and nothing else. Rather fishy, right? Well, not really. It makes sense to wait since two of the major characters in this fall’s "Fantastic Beasts" movie are graduates of this school. Oh yeah, you want to know the school’s name? Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This all changed recently, though, when Rowling released a boat load of information on Ilvermorny.

Well, first off, the school an Irish witch by the name of Isolt Sayre. She was raised by her aunt, Gormlaith Gaunt, who believed in blood purity and wanted to teach Isolt to become a powerful and evil witch. (It’s worth noting that Isolt was a descendant of both Salazar Slytherin and a powerful Irish witch known as Morrigan.) Well, Isolt didn’t want what her aunt was teaching. Isolt stole Gormlaith’s wand (as she was denied of having her own) and fled to America on the Mayflower.

Once in America, Isolt fled to the mountains, Mount Greylock to be specific, away from the Puritan people. She began to live there and eventually saved a Pukwudgie who became her friend (sort of). After adventuring with this Pukwudgie (which are short, grey creatures distantly related to Goblins) she found and saved two brothers, Chadwick and Webster Boot. In addition, she also soon found James Steward, a No-Maj (or Muggle), who gradually learned about the magical world. She and James eventually married and adopted Chadwick and Webster into their family. Their stone cottage became their school, which Isolt dubbed Ilvermorny, in homage to her old home in Ireland.

The story then goes on to say that they gradually got more and more students from the Puritan villages as well as the local Native American tribes and their small cottage was built into a school rivaling the likes of Hogwarts. Gormlaith eventually came and found Isolt, but thankfully she was defeated by the family, and Ilvermorny was allowed to grow and prosper. Houses, similar to those of Hogwarts were even added, with each member of the family naming their favorite magical creature for a house.

Chadwick chose the Thunderbird for his favorite magical creature. The Thunderbird house is said to represent the soul and favors adventurers. Webster chose the Wampus cat as his favorite magical creature. The Wampus house is said to represent the body and favors warriors. James, despite being a No-Maj, chose the Pukwudgie as his favorite due to the stories his wife told him. The Pukwudgie house is said to represent the heart and favors healers. Finally, Isolt chose the Horned Serpent as her favorite magical creature, as she had formed a close bond with one. The Horned Serpent house is said to represent the mind and favors scholars. (Note: If you join Pottermore, you can be sorted into your house, similar to Hogwarts!)

Now with all of this information, you think people would be thrilled and ecstatic. Most people are, but at the same time, there are many people who are not. Countless people have accused J.K. Rowling of cultural appropriation, which is when aspects of a culture are used by others without permission or invitation. So, when a British author uses creatures of Native American it can be seen as cultural appropriation. I understand the anger, though I’m not angry. The creatures are not being mocked or being turned into caricatures of their mythological descriptions, they are simply being added to the universe of Harry Potter. In a sense, they were always there, just never explicitly said so.

There also is the fact that a whole series of books isn’t being written about Ilvermorny (sadly). As of right now, it and the creatures that Rowling has received flak over exist solely in a short story on Pottermore. Whether the school will be seen in one of the future "Fantastic Beasts" movies is unknown, but it will most likely be mentioned.

All in all, though, what is being said is fiction. Rowling means no harm in her fictional stories about a magical world, so please take mentions of Native American creatures with a grain of salt. If these creatures were ever to become caricatures of their actual selves, though, I will be right on board with you.