Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times

Ferrum College English professor Lana Whited transformed herself into a Hogwarts teacher for history of magic class at a summer camp.

Hogwarts Academy students show off wands they made at Ferrum College's Summer Enrichment Camp, which coincides with the new "Harry Potter" movie opening today.

FERRUM -- Wielding their handmade wands, 12 Hogwarts Academy students listened Tuesday as their professor discussed the history of magic.

No, this isn't Harry Potter with his fellow wizards. It's a group of kids who wish they could be.

Ferrum College English professor Lana Whited created the weeklong academy for Harry Potter fans during this year's annual Summer Enrichment Camp at the school.

The crash course -- modeled after Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the popular series -- coincides with today's movie release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

While many of the scholarly fans anticipate seeing the movie, they're also focused on the learning experience that helps them relate to the adventures they've read about.

Plus, some people who have read the book get disappointed in the movies because of differences in the story lines, Whited said.

Lessons at the camp this week --attended by youth from across Virginia -- include Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Care of Magical Creatures. This week's camp runs through Friday.

A classroom in Britt Hall has been decorated with Harry Potter memorabilia including posters, games, toys and books. Whited spoke to the class in a T-shirt bearing Hogwarts' emblem behind a lectern that held a pair of the signature Harry Potter eyeglasses.

During a break, Alex Wasson, 13, of Martinsville finished re-reading the final book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

"Harry Potter's awesome," he said. "It's like it's poetry in every book."

Like Alex, Sky Wilson of Fredericksburg has read all of the books and enjoys the literary experience.

"It's like you get transported to this totally different world, but you're close to home," the 11-year-old said.

Whited aimed to create a curriculum that would make students feel as though they were actual wizards in training.

The first day they learned about the founding of Hogwarts and even participated in a sorting ceremony -- conducted for all first-year wizards to determine which of the four houses they will belong to.

Alex was assigned to Slytherin, the choice he whispered to a classroom assistant before the announcement was made.

Slytherin -- home to those considered ambitious and achievement-oriented -- was an appropriate choice because "I do whatever I can to get what I want," he said.

Sky, who was placed in Ravenclaw, known for housing Hogwarts' most intelligent residents, said she relates to her house and to the character Luna Lovegood.

"No one understands her," she said. "She's sweet, but everyone likes her."

While it was obvious that most of the class was well-versed in the world of Harry Potter, not every student has read all of the books.

Whited estimated that about 85 percent of the students have read the books, but it wasn't a prerequisite for the class.

She's read all of the books and is the author of "The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon."

And she pointed out that the Potter book series isn't just a good read for children, but for adults as well.

"If adults could read and get this right, we could make the world a better place for you guys," she told her class.

Exclusion and superiority are frequent themes in the book, Whited said, and can be translated to relate to instances in real life including slavery and the Holocaust.

"I'm interested in the realism, not just the magic," Whited said. "Cliques, peer pressure, growing up without parents. These are real ideas."

Throughout the class, Whited sprinkled tidbits about the production of the books that the students may not have known.

When Whited mistakenly called the first book in the series by its European name, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," a student quickly reminded her it was "Sorcerer's Stone."

She then explained how the name was changed for publication in America to ensure interest among American readers.

The students spend 90 minutes a day in Hogwarts Academy before heading to other classes of their choosing, including Web page design, Spanish and Living 1800-style. The camp is offered in two one-week installments and is available to fifth- through seventh-graders.