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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (/ˈhɒɡwɔːrts/) is a fictional boarding school of magic for young wizards. It is the primary setting for the first six novels in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, and also serves as a major setting in the Wizarding World media franchise.[2]
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| Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry | |
|---|---|
 Model of Hogwarts at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter | |
| Universe | Harry Potter |
| First appearance | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997) |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | |
| Founded | c. 9th/10th century |
| Location | Scotland |
| Owner | Ministry of Magic |
| Motto | Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus[a] |
In the novels, Hogwarts is described as a coeducational, secondary boarding school that enrolls children from ages eleven to eighteen.[3] According to Rowling, any child in Britain who shows magical ability is invited to attend the school.[4][5] The Wizarding World website states that Hogwarts was founded in the Highlands of Scotland sometime between the 9th and 10th century by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin.[6][7] Rowling has offered varying accounts of how many students are enrolled at Hogwarts at any given time.[8][9]
In a 1999 interview, Rowling said she envisioned Hogwarts as a place that offers security to the orphaned Harry Potter. She said that she made Hogwarts a boarding school because many important plot events occur at night.[10] Several writers have suggested that Rowling took the name "Hogwarts" from the 1954 book How to Be Topp by Geoffrey Willans. The book describes a fictional play titled "The Hogwarts" and a fictional school headmaster named "Hoggwart".[11][12] Rowling, however, said she may have unknowingly derived the name "Hogwarts" from the name of the hogwort plant.[13][14]
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Rowling has described Hogwarts as a "huge, rambling, quite scary-looking castle, with a jumble of towers and battlements". She said the castle is supported by magic.[4] The school grounds have sloping lawns, vegetable gardens and greenhouses. There is a pitch for playing the wizard sport Quidditch, and a large wooded area known as the Forbidden Forest. There is also a lake, which is home to merpeople, grindylows and a giant squid. Wizards cannot Apparate (teleport) on Hogwarts grounds, but there are several hidden passages that lead out of the school.[15] In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), it is explained that Muggles (non-magical people) cannot see Hogwarts because there are numerous enchantments on it.[16]
A subterranean area of the castle known as the Chamber of Secrets is introduced in the second novel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998). In the novel, the young student Ginny Weasley is forced to open the Chamber by the Dark wizard Voldemort. From the Chamber emerges a deadly Basilisk, which attacks students until Harry kills it. A magical room called the Room of Requirement is also located in Hogwarts. It only appears when someone needs it, and contains whatever the person requires. In Order of the Phoenix (2003), Harry holds meetings of his student group Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement. In Half-Blood Prince (2005), Draco Malfoy uses the room to hide and repair a Vanishing Cabinet, which allows him to smuggle Voldemort's Death Eaters into Hogwarts.
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When a first-year student arrives at Hogwarts, the magical Sorting Hat is placed on their head. It examines their mind and assigns them to a House based on their abilities, personality, and preferences. Hogwarts has four Houses, each named after one of the founders of the school. Throughout the school year, the Houses compete for the House Cup, gaining and losing points based on actions such as performance in class and rule violations. The House with the highest end-of-year total wins and has its colours displayed in the Great Hall during the following school year. Each House also has its own Quidditch team that competes for the Quidditch Cup. Each House is under the authority of one of the Hogwarts professors. The four Houses are described below.
- Gryffindor values courage, nerve, and chivalry. Gryffindor's mascot is a lion, and the Head of House is Minerva McGonagall. The Gryffindor dormitories are in a high tower, and students must use a password to gain entry. According to Rowling, Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire.[17]
- Hufflepuff values hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty. Hufflepuff's mascot is a badger, and the Head of House is Pomona Sprout. Rowling said that Hufflepuff corresponds roughly to the element of earth.[17]
- Ravenclaw values intelligence, learning, wisdom, and wit.[18][19] The house mascot is an eagle in the novels and a raven in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. In the novels, the Head of Ravenclaw House is Filius Flitwick. The dormitories are in Ravenclaw Tower, and students must solve a riddle to gain entry. Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air.[17]
- Slytherin values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness. The mascot of Slytherin is a serpent. Severus Snape is the Head of Slytherin House until he becomes headmaster, at which point Horace Slughorn assumes the position. The Slytherin dormitories are accessed by speaking a password in front of a stone wall in the dungeons, which causes a hidden door to open. Slytherin corresponds roughly to the element of water.[17]
Each year, two fifth-year students from each House are selected as prefects. The position grants them certain privileges and the authority to give detentions for infractions. The leaders of the student body, the Head Boy and Head Girl, are chosen from among the seventh-year students. Hogwarts students in their third year or higher are allowed to visit the nearby wizarding village of Hogsmeade.
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The novels mention twelve subjects which are taught at Hogwarts. Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration are required subjects for the first five years. At the start of their third year, students must choose at least two additional subjects. The five elective subjects are Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination and Muggle Studies. Students must also take flying lessons during their first year, and may take Apparition lessons during their sixth year.
- Ancient Runes is a generally theoretical subject that studies ancient runic scripts. It is taught by Bathsheda Babbling.
- Arithmancy (also known as numerology) is a branch of magic concerned with the magical properties of numbers. It is a favourite subject of Hermione Granger. Arithmancy is taught by Septima Vector.
- Astronomy classes are held in the Astronomy tower and are taught by Aurora Sinistra. Lessons involve observation of the night sky with telescopes.
- Care of Magical Creatures teaches students how to care for magical beasts. During Harry's first two years at Hogwarts, the class is taught by Silvanus Kettleburn. Starting in Harry's third year, Rubeus Hagrid is the professor. When Hagrid is absent, the class is taught by Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank.
- Charms is the class that teaches incantations for bewitchment. Rowling has described Charms as a type of magic concerned with giving objects new properties.[20] Charms lessons are described in the novels as frequently noisy and chaotic.[21] The subject is taught by Filius Flitwick.
- Defence Against the Dark Arts teaches practical techniques to defend against the magical Dark Arts. Throughout the series, the class is taught at various points by Quirinus Quirrell, Gilderoy Lockhart, Remus Lupin, Barty Crouch Jr (impersonating Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody), Dolores Umbridge, Severus Snape, and Amycus Carrow. Due to the fact that no professor remains in the position for more than a year, the Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore suggests that Voldemort jinxed the subject because his application to teach it was rejected.[22] The existence of this jinx was eventually confirmed by Rowling. She said in an interview that after Voldemort dies, the jinx is lifted and a new professor teaches the subject for many years.[23] In Deathly Hallows, Defence Against the Dark Arts is renamed "Dark Arts" when the Death Eaters take control of Hogwarts.[24]
- Divination is the art of predicting the future. The various methods of divination described in the novels include astrology, cartomancy, crystal ball consultation, dream interpretation, fire omens, palmistry, and reading tea leaves. Divination is described by Minerva McGonagall as "one of the most imprecise branches of magic".[25] Some wizards claim that the practice is fraudulent. Divination is taught by Sybill Trelawney.
- Herbology is the study of magical plants and how to utilise, care for and combat them. The novels describe at least three Hogwarts greenhouses, which contain a variety of magical plants. The course is taught by Pomona Sprout.
- History of Magic is the study of magical and wizarding history. The subject is taught by the ghost professor Cuthbert Binns, whose lessons are depicted as some of the most boring at Hogwarts. His lectures cover topics such as goblin rebellions, giant wars and the origins of wizarding secrecy.
- Muggle Studies is a class that involves the study of Muggle culture from a wizarding point of view. Charity Burbage teaches Muggle Studies until she is murdered by Voldemort in Deathly Hallows. When the Death Eaters take control of Hogwarts, Alecto Carrow teaches the class. Her compulsory lessons describe Muggles and Muggle-borns as subhuman and worthy of persecution.
- Potions is the art of creating mixtures with magical effects. It requires correct mixing and stirring of ingredients in the proper sequence and at the proper temperature. The subject is taught by Severus Snape during the first five novels and by Horace Slughorn in the final two books.
- Transfiguration is the art of changing the properties of an object or being.[20] Transfiguration can alter an entire object or only part of the object. It can make objects vanish and it can conjure them out of thin air.[26] Transfiguration can also change inanimate objects into animate ones and vice versa.[27] The subject is taught by Minerva McGonagall.
- Flying is the class that teaches students how to fly on broomsticks.
- Apparition is a form of teleportation which allows a wizard to disappear ("Disapparate") from one location and reappear ("Apparate") in another. A wizard must be at least 17 years old to Apparate. Students at Hogwarts may take Apparition lessons during their sixth year. For further information, see Magic in Harry Potter.
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The Hogwarts Express is described as a steam train that transports students to and from Hogwarts. At the beginning of each school year, the train departs from the fictional Platform 9¾ at London's King's Cross station and delivers students to Hogsmeade Station.[28] A functioning full-scale replica of the Hogwarts Express was created for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area at Universal Orlando Resort. The train transports visitors from a life-size replica of Hogsmeade Village to a replica of Diagon Alley.[29]
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Hogwarts is featured in the Harry Potter film adaptations. England's Alnwick Castle was used for many scenes depicting exterior parts of the school. Shots of the entire school were created by adding a digital spire to images of Durham Cathedral, which also served as a set for the interior of Hogwarts. A detailed scale model of Hogwarts was also used during production of the films.[30]
In 2008, the Independent Schools Network Rankings website featured Hogwarts on a list of the best schools in Scotland. Frank Tiarks, the managing director of the website, said Hogwarts was included on the list for fun. Rowling's fictional school was ranked as the 36th-best school, surpassing Edinburgh's Loretto School.[31]
- The motto translates from Latin as "Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon"[1]
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