There may not be any more Harry Potter books coming out, but the magic will continue at Stanford this fall with “Harry Potter and the Arc of Storytelling,” a highly coveted Student Initiated Course (SIC).

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Gus Jewell

Christine O'Connell '08 (left) shows off her painted scar during the first meeting of the new student initiated course, "Harry Potter and the Arc of Storytelling."

A giddy crowd of nearly 100 hopeful students gathered in Building 460 last night for a chance to explore various themes of the best-selling book series. But early in the evening, course leaders Caley Anderson ‘08 and Christine O’Connell ‘08 broke the news that the class would be capped at 20 students. When they said the lucky students would be selected via random lottery — not sorting hat — the crowd broke out in protest.

“We thought there might be 30, 40 people max,” said O’Connell, who sported a lightning bolt on her forehead. “When we saw the number signed up on Coursework, we were shocked.”

The class is the first at Stanford to tackle the entire Harry Potter series in one quarter. Last winter, a similar SIC led by Ari Neumann ‘07 focused on predictions for the seventh book based on clues provided in the first six.

“With the seventh book out, J.K. Rowling has said all she’s going to say, and it’s our turn to discuss what it means,” O’Connell said.

Each week, students will discuss a different overarching theme, such as “Families,” “Foreshadowing” and “Harry as Hero.” To receive credit for the course, each student must complete a six-page paper on a chosen Harry Potter theme.

Motivations for taking the class varied among students. Some freshmen were urged to take the course by O’Connell, who is a Resident Assistant in Cedro, while others wanted a chance to discuss the beloved books in an academic setting.

“We’ve all been Harry Potter fans since childhood, and it’s so cool to talk about it now in the intellectual setting of Stanford,” said Emily Rials ‘11, showing her Potter pride with a pair of signature round black spectacles, taped at the sides. “When you put it in that context, it’s so much more than a children’s book.”

A pack of excited students left the crowded classroom eager to enter the class lottery, but only the lucky 20 will return next Tuesday night to discuss Book 1 and “Beginnings,” the first theme of the course. But if the level of enthusiasm among potential enrollees is any indication, another Harry Potter SIC may be in the works for future quarters.