There were broomsticks everywhere, people wearing glasses who should not be wearing glasses and vice-versa, people hanging up their invisibility cloaks and then not being able to find them again - the return to school yesterday was chaos.
Columba College pupils returned from their term holidays to find the school gymnasium had been transformed into the Hogwarts School dining hall and everyone - staff included - was dressed as a character from Harry Potter.
The transformation was part of Columba College's centenary celebrations.
The entire school had lunch, seated at long house tables, just as Harry Potter and his friends did at JK Rowling's Hogwarts School.
And in true Dumbledore style, Columba College principal Juliette Hayes gave a welcome speech and reminded the pupils there was ''a little bit of magic in them all'', urging them to use it kindly to help each other, aim high, and do good in the world.
Special effects were put to good use, with moving faces in picture frames, a puff of magic smoke at dinner time, a mysterious smoky atmosphere, fire torches lighting the room and white candles floating above.
The pupils also enjoyed a Hogwarts quiz and several musical performances from fellow pupils, and entered a knitted scarf competition.
A game of quidditch (an outdoors game played by Harry Potter, which was slightly amended because the school does not have broomsticks that fly) and a glass of butterbeer (a butterscotch-flavoured beverage) had to be postponed because no-one seemed to have a spell capable of clearing yesterday's drizzly weather.
''It was an enjoyable return from the holidays and an opportunity for current pupils, staff and parents to have a little magical fun to celebrate the school's centenary year,'' Mrs Hayes said.
