Beyond Hogwarts: Essential World-Building Elements for Modern Magical Schools.
The Stepping Stone to Something Darker
When we think of a magical school, Hogwarts is the default mental blueprint—I can categorically say this since I recently released a dark academia novel set in a UK magical boarding school and so many advanced readers referenced Harry Potter…
That series really set the standard: a secret castle, a forbidden library, and adventures fuelled by curiosity and friendship. And while those elements are foundational, modern magical schools—especially those leaning into Dark Academia—need more.
Today's Young Adult Fantasy readers demand protagonists who are older, not just in years, but in life experience. We are no longer content with simple good vs. evil; we want morally grey characters grappling with real, high-stakes consequences. This shift requires world-building elements that are equally complex and dangerous.
Here is what I think it takes to build a magical school that resonates with modern readers.
1. The Essential Foundation (What Still Works)
Every successful magical academy builds on these three classic pillars, but they must be built with a darker edge:
The Forbidden Repository (AKA The Library) - A magical library is mandatory. It needs a forbidden section—not just for minor disciplinary infractions, but for containing genuinely dangerous, world-altering knowledge. This fuels the pursuit of forbidden knowledge trope essential to Dark Academia.
The Perilous Boundary (The Forest/Grounds) - The grounds surrounding the school must be an active, breathing threat. A dangerous forest symbolises the boundary between the organised safety of the academy and the raw, untamed nature of magic. This facilitates adventure outside of the grounds and highlights the characters' willingness to break rules.
The Necessary Escape (The Local Village/City) - The school needs a nearby, non-magical local village or hidden city (like Hogsmeade) that the students can use for supplies, sanctuary, or, more often in modern fantasy, illicit dealings. This connects the academy to the outside world, providing a counterpoint to the isolated academic life.
2. The Modern Evolution (The Darker Elements)
To elevate your world-building Beyond Hogwarts and fully cross into the Dark Academia aesthetic, you need to integrate elements that reflect the characters' maturity and complex backstories.
Tuition, Privilege, and Social Stratification - Modern magical schools aren't equitable. Introduce steep tuition, legacy admissions, or a rigid social hierarchy (like Houses or Orders) that creates genuine conflict.
Why this works: This adds real-world stakes and reflects the themes of elitism and corruption found in classic Dark Academia novels, showing that the real danger often lies within the structure, not just the monsters.
Flawed Curriculum and Ethical Ambiguity -The curriculum itself must be morally ambiguous. Students shouldn't just learn charms; they should learn arcane magic, with high costs, dark history, or questionable ethics.
Why this works: It tests the morality of the characters. If the best magic requires unethical sacrifice, the pursuit of knowledge becomes a genuinely dark endeavour. This is where characters earn their complex backstories.
Complex Character Backstories and Trauma Integration - This is the most important element for modern YA Fantasy writers: the characters' personal pasts must directly influence their present use of magic and their relationships.
Why this works: Unlike simpler stories where past trauma is a minor catalyst, in modern magical schools, the characters are often fleeing or hiding from bad life experiences. These secrets drive the Dark Academia mystery, forcing them to rely on one another (or betray one another) to survive.
The Magic is in the Mayhem!
The magic school trope will always capture our imagination, but modern Young Adult Fantasy demands that we build academies that are as dangerous and flawed as the characters who attend them.
By laying a foundation of familiar academic settings and topping it with the complex morality and dark history of Dark Academia, you create a world that feels immediate, dangerous, and utterly bingeable.
If you’re ready to trade in simple spells for high-stakes secrets, check out my Dark Academia mystery series, where the atmosphere is thick and the lessons are deadly!
Reading List:
Whether you're looking for more secret societies, forbidden magic, or gothic boarding school settings, these acclaimed series and trilogies have you covered:
The Deighton Academy Series by Samantha B. Cummings (Yes, that’s me!)
Niche: YA Fantasy, Dark Academia Mystery
Why Read It: Blends the atmospheric tension of a gothic boarding school with complex, high-stakes arcane magic and deeply flawed characters.
The Alex Stern / Ninth House Series by Leigh Bardugo
Niche: Adult Fantasy, Dark Academia, Occult Mystery
Why Read It: The definitive modern magical academia series. It focuses on Yale's secret societies, dark rituals, and the murky, high-stakes consequences of power.
The Scholomance Series by Naomi Novik
Niche: YA/NA Fantasy, Magical School, Survival
Why Read It: A dark, brutal take on the magical school trope where the school itself is trying to kill the students. Excellent world-building focused on self-reliance and complex ethics.
The Atlas Six Trilogy by Olivie Blake
Niche: New Adult Fantasy, Dark Academia, Thriller
Why Read It: Centers on six ruthlessly ambitious, morally gray magicians competing for five spots in the world's most powerful secret society. Pure academic rivalry and forbidden knowledge.
The Truly Devious Series by Maureen Johnson
Niche: YA Mystery, Boarding School
Why Read It: While less magical, this series perfectly captures the boarding school setting, historical mystery, and obsessive academic pursuit that forms the Dark Academia aesthetic.
The Foxglove King Trilogy by Hannah Whitten
Niche: Adult Fantasy, Death Magic, Political Intrigue
Why Read It: Features rich, decaying world-building and a secretive, high-society setting where knowledge of death magic is both prized and feared—a strong gothic overlay.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Niche: Literary Fiction, Thriller, Foundational Dark Academia
Why Read It: While a standalone, this is the book that defined the genre. It focuses purely on academic obsession, moral decay, and the consequences of elite intellectualism. Essential reading for anyone interested in the trope.
