A fundraiser that temporarily converted the Veterans Memorial Building into Hogwarts Castle, enabling children to experience the magical world of Harry Potter, raised $15,000 for a planned Chubbuck children’s museum.

For a second year, planners of the future My World Discovery Museum hosted the A Day at Hogwarts fundraiser from Jan. 24-25.

Nearly 200 volunteers, including several local National Honor Society high school students, helped the planners of the future museum give area children a realistic day in the life of the famed boy wizard and his friends from the novels by J.K. Rowling.

Rooms in the memorial building, located in Pocatello at 300 N. Johnson Ave., were transformed based on scenes from the series of novels. The community’s aspiring wizards were fitted with their own wands, got to compete in the wizard sport of Quidditch, fought evil creatures known as dementors, cast a spell to make a feather levitate, learned about magical herbs and honed other magical skills.

Melody Daniels, co-executive director of the My World Discovery Museum, said 900 tickets were sold, up from 650 tickets last year.

“Our goal was to make it better than last year and we definitely achieved that,” Daniels said. “Everybody had a great time.”

Daniels said her organization may look to lease a smaller space to launch the museum and save up in the longer term to buy a bigger building.

“The City of Chubbuck has been working with us on trying to help us find some locations,” Daniels said. “They have come up with ideas. They have been really great to work with.”

Volunteers dressed as characters from Harry Potter wandered the facility, leading activities and interacting with children. Daniels said one of her board members who volunteered sent her a meaningful text message thanking her for “letting me be a part of something that makes lasting memories for kids.”

Daniels said the goal is to also make the museum a place where children will experience lasting memories.