Hogwarts facts for kids
Studio model of Hogwarts at Leavesden Studios
|
|
| Universe | Wizarding World |
|---|---|
| Type |
|
| First appearance | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997) |
| Most recent appearance | Hogwarts Legacy (2023) |
| Founded | c. 9th/10th century |
| Location | Scotland |
| Owner | Ministry of Magic |
| Purpose | Training for children with magical abilities |
| Motto |
|
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a magical boarding school for young witches and wizards. Students attend from ages eleven to eighteen. It is the main setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's famous Harry Potter series. Hogwarts is a very important place in the entire Wizarding World universe.
Contents
History of Hogwarts
Founding the School
Hogwarts was started around the 9th or 10th century. Four great wizards and witches founded it: Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. They built the school in the Scottish Highlands. Their goal was to teach young magic users and keep them safe from non-magic people, called Muggles.
Legend says Rowena Ravenclaw chose the name "Hogwarts." She dreamed of a warty hog leading her to a cliff by a lake. Since then, Hogwarts has taught most wizarding children from Great Britain and Ireland. Its location is kept secret from Muggles and other magic schools.
Tournaments and Traditions
About 300 years after Hogwarts began, the Triwizard Tournament was created. This was a big competition between Hogwarts and two other famous European magic schools: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The tournament happened for six centuries. It was then stopped because it was too dangerous.
An attempt was made to bring it back in the 1994–1995 school year. However, a student named Cedric Diggory sadly died during the event. This led to the tournament being stopped forever.
Life at Hogwarts
Hogwarts is a school for both boys and girls. It teaches students from ages eleven to eighteen. This is like secondary schools and sixth forms in Britain. Not all wizarding children have to go to Hogwarts. Some are taught at home. J.K. Rowling once said there were about six hundred students at Hogwarts.
Getting into Hogwarts
Children who show magical ability are automatically accepted into Hogwarts. There is no special test to get in. A magical quill at Hogwarts finds magical children when they are born. It writes their names in a big book. Every year, a teacher checks this book. They send a letter to children turning eleven.
The letter lists all the supplies students need. This includes spell books, uniforms, and other items. Students usually buy these things from shops in Diagon Alley. This is a hidden street in London. If a student cannot afford supplies, the school helps them.
For Muggle-born witches and wizards, a Hogwarts teacher delivers the letter in person. This teacher explains the magical world to the parents or guardians. They also answer any questions. Hogwarts accepts students from both Great Britain and Ireland.
Students can bring one pet: an owl, a cat, or a toad. First-year students are not allowed their own broomstick. An exception was made for Harry Potter in his first year. He showed amazing skill as a Seeker in Quidditch.
Arriving at School
Students travel to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. This special train leaves from Platform 9+3⁄4 at King's Cross station in London. The train arrives at Hogsmeade station near Hogwarts after dark.
First-year students then take small boats across a lake to the castle. Older students ride in carriages pulled by creatures called Thestrals. When first-year students arrive, they wait in a small room. Then they enter the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony.
Professor Minerva McGonagall explains that your House will be like your family at Hogwarts. You will have classes, sleep, and spend free time with your House. The Sorting Hat sings a song. Then, it is placed on each student's head. The Hat looks into their mind. It assigns them to one of the four Houses based on their qualities. After the Sorting Ceremony, everyone enjoys a big feast.
The Four Houses
Hogwarts has four main Houses. Each House is named after one of the school's founders: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. Throughout the school year, Houses compete for the House Cup. They earn or lose points for good actions or breaking rules. The House with the most points at the end of the year wins. Each House also has a Quidditch team that competes for the Quidditch Cup. These competitions create friendly rivalries.
Each House has a Head of House, who is a teacher. They guide their students and handle important matters. The dormitories and common rooms for each House are usually secret. Only students from that House can enter. However, students from different Houses share classes.
In the early days, the founders chose students for their Houses. Later, they put their knowledge into Godric Gryffindor's hat. This became the Sorting Hat. It chooses students by judging their qualities. A student's own choice can also affect the decision. For example, Harry asked not to be put in Slytherin.
Gryffindor House
Gryffindor students are known for their courage, bravery, and chivalry. The House mascot is the lion. Its colors are scarlet red and gold. Professor Minerva McGonagall is the Head of Gryffindor. The House ghost is Nearly Headless Nick. Gryffindor is linked to the element of fire.
The Gryffindor common room is in one of the castle's highest towers. You enter through a painting of The Fat Lady. She only lets you in if you know the secret password.
Hufflepuff House
Hufflepuff students value hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty. The House mascot is the badger. Its colors are canary yellow and black. Professor Pomona Sprout is the Head of Hufflepuff. The House ghost is the Fat Friar. Hufflepuff is linked to the element of earth.
The entrance to the Hufflepuff common room is hidden behind a pile of barrels near the kitchen. You have to tap a specific barrel in a special rhythm to get in. If you tap the wrong one, you get sprayed with vinegar! The common room is cozy, with yellow hangings and comfy armchairs.
Ravenclaw House
Ravenclaw students are known for their intelligence, learning, wisdom, and wit. The House mascot is an eagle. Its colors are blue and bronze. Professor Filius Flitwick is the Head of Ravenclaw. The House ghost is the Grey Lady. Ravenclaw is linked to the element of air.
The Ravenclaw common room is in Ravenclaw Tower. It is a round room with blue hangings and armchairs. To enter, you must solve a logical riddle. This is different from other Houses that use a password. The common room offers amazing views of the mountains.
Slytherin House
Slytherin students value ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness. The Sorting Hat said Slytherins will do anything to get their way. The House mascot is the serpent. Its colors are green and silver. Professor Severus Snape was the Head of Slytherin for most of the books. Later, Professor Horace Slughorn took over. The House ghost is the Bloody Baron. Slytherin is linked to the element of water.
The Slytherin common room is in the dungeons, under the Hogwarts Lake. You say a password to a bare stone wall, and a hidden door opens. The room has a greenish glow, with green lamps and carved armchairs. While the Sorting Hat mentioned a preference for pure-blood students, half-bloods like Snape and Tom Riddle (Voldemort) were also in Slytherin. Harry himself could have been in Slytherin but asked not to be.
Classes and Teachers
Hogwarts teaches many unique magical subjects. These are different from regular school subjects. Some subjects, like History of Magic, are similar to Muggle studies. Others, like Charms and Apparition, are only for wizards. There are twelve named teachers, called Professors. Each teaches a specific subject.
Compulsory subjects for the first five years include Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, Astronomy, History of Magic, Herbology, and flying lessons. At the end of their second year, students choose at least two more subjects. These choices include Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures. Sometimes, very special subjects like Alchemy are offered in the final two years.
At the end of their fifth year, students take their Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) exams. These exams test their knowledge and skills. If students get good enough O.W.L. grades, they can take advanced courses. These courses prepare them for the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.T.s) at the end of their seventh year.
A Day at Hogwarts
The school day starts with breakfast in the Great Hall. Students sit at their House tables. They can eat, talk, or finish homework. Owls deliver mail, like newspapers or letters from home. A bell rings at 9 am for the first class.
There are two long morning classes with a short break. After lunch, classes start again at 1 pm. There is another break before the last class. Classes usually last about an hour. Sometimes, there are double periods that last two hours. Classes end around five o'clock. First-year students have Friday afternoons off. Older students have more free time during the week. Astronomy classes happen late at night in the Astronomy Tower.
Each House has secret dormitories and a common room. The common rooms have comfy chairs and tables for studying. There are fireplaces to keep the rooms warm. Students relax or do homework here in the evenings. The dormitories have separate rooms for boys and girls. Each student has a four-poster bed with curtains in their House colors.
On certain weekends, students in their third year or higher can visit Hogsmeade. This is a nearby wizarding village. They need a signed permission slip to go. Students can enjoy the pubs, restaurants, and shops there. Popular places include Honeydukes Sweetshop, Zonko's Joke Shop, and The Three Broomsticks pub.
Food at Hogwarts
The house-elves at Hogwarts cook all the food for students and staff. They prepare many different dishes, especially for feasts. The kitchens are right below the Great Hall. Food is magically sent up to the House tables during meal times.
School Rules and Discipline
Students can lose House points for misbehavior. Each House has a glass hourglass filled with jewels. When a student loses points, jewels are taken from their House's hourglass. When points are gained, jewels are added.
For serious misdeeds, students get detention. This usually means helping staff with tasks. For example, Harry once had to sort through many old files. For very serious offenses, students might be suspended or even expelled. Harry and Ron Weasley were threatened with expulsion for crashing a car into the Whomping Willow. Harry was also nearly expelled for using magic near Muggles. The Headmaster and Board of Governors have the power to expel students.
In the summer before their fifth year, two students from each House are chosen as prefects. Prefects have special duties and can give detentions. The Head Boy and Head Girl are student leaders chosen from the seventh-year students.
Hogwarts Castle and Grounds
J. K. Rowling describes Hogwarts as a "huge, rambling, quite scary-looking castle, with a jumble of towers and battlements." It is supported by magic, so Muggles could not build it. Hogwarts is located somewhere in Scotland. Many charms and spells hide it from Muggles. Muggles only see ruins and warnings of danger.
The castle grounds are very large. They have sloping lawns, flowerbeds, and vegetable patches. There is a big lake called The Black Lake. A dense forest, known as the Forbidden Forest, is also on the grounds. There are also greenhouses, other buildings, and a Quidditch pitch. An owlery houses all the owls. Some rooms and stairs in the castle move around. Wizards cannot Apparate or Disapparate on Hogwarts grounds. This makes the school safer. Electricity and electronic devices do not work at Hogwarts because of all the magic. Radios are an exception, as they are powered by magic.
The Black Lake is home to merpeople, Grindylows, and a giant squid. The giant squid is friendly and sometimes helps students in the lake. The castle and its grounds have many secret areas.
The Philosopher's Stone's Hiding Place
In the first book, the Philosopher's Stone was hidden deep within Hogwarts. It was protected by seven magical challenges set by the teachers. These challenges included a giant three-headed dog, a dangerous plant called Devil's Snare, and a room with flying keys. There was also a life-sized wizard chess game. Finally, a series of potions and the Mirror of Erised guarded the Stone.
The Chamber of Secrets
The Chamber of Secrets is hidden deep beneath the school. It was built by Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders. The Chamber was home to a giant snake called a Basilisk. This creature was meant to remove Muggle-born students from the school.
The entrance to the Chamber is in a girls' bathroom on the second floor. One of the sink taps has a snake scratched on it. When someone speaks Parseltongue (snake language), it opens. A dark slide leads down to a stone tunnel. This tunnel goes to a wall with two entwined serpents. Speaking Parseltongue again opens the wall. Inside is a long corridor with huge snake statues. A giant statue of Salazar Slytherin stands in the center. The Basilisk lived inside this statue.
In his second year, Harry used Parseltongue to open the Chamber. He destroyed a magical diary and defeated the Basilisk. Later, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger entered the Chamber. Ron opened the door by copying the Parseltongue sounds Harry made. They used a Basilisk fang to destroy another magical object.
The bathroom where the Chamber entrance is located is haunted by List of Harry Potter supporting characters#Moaning Myrtle. She died there when the Chamber was first opened.
Secret Passages
Hogwarts has several secret passages in and out of the school. The caretaker, Argus Filch, knows about some of them. However, the Marauders (Harry's father and his friends) and the Weasley twins knew about all of them.
Three passages Filch did not know about are:
- A passage under the Whomping Willow leading to the Shrieking Shack.
- A caved-in passage behind a mirror on the fourth floor, leading to Hogsmeade.
- A passage under a one-eyed witch statue, leading to the cellar of Honeydukes sweet shop. You say 'Dissendium' to open it.
There are also many shortcuts inside the castle. These are often hidden behind tapestries or in walls.
The Room of Requirement
The Room of Requirement is a magical room on the seventh floor. It only appears when someone truly needs it. To make it appear, you walk past its hidden entrance three times. You must concentrate on what you need. The room then appears, filled with whatever is required. The Hogwarts house-elves call it the Come and Go Room.
Professor Albus Dumbledore once found it filled with chamber pots when he needed a toilet. Dobby the house-elf knew a lot about the room. He used it often. Filch found cleaning supplies there when he ran out. The Weasley twins used it to hide.
Harry learned about the room from Dobby. He used it for his Dumbledore's Army meetings. The room would appear with bookshelves, Dark Detectors, and cushions for practicing spells. Later, Harry used it to hide a book. He found it was a huge room filled with abandoned objects from centuries of Hogwarts students. Draco Malfoy also used this room to fix a magical cabinet.
In Deathly Hallows, students used the room to hide from dark wizards. The room can change even when people are inside. It can also create passages, like one to the Hog's Head pub. A valuable item, Ravenclaw's diadem, was found hidden in the Room of Hidden Things. It was later destroyed by a powerful magical fire. The Room of Requirement does not appear on the Marauder's Map because it is not in a fixed location.
The Forbidden Forest
The Forbidden Forest is a large, dark, and enchanted forest. It is located on the school grounds. Students are not allowed to enter it. The only exceptions are during Care of Magical Creatures lessons or for detentions.
The forest has many types of trees and thick undergrowth. There are a few paths and clearings, mostly made by Rubeus Hagrid. The Forbidden Forest is home to many creatures, some of which are dangerous.
The Hogwarts Express
The Hogwarts Express is a special train. It takes students directly from Platform 9+3⁄4 at King's Cross station in London to Hogsmeade Station. Hogsmeade Station is very close to Hogwarts. Prefects ride in a separate carriage at the front of the train.
The train started being used in the 1850s. Before that, students traveled to Hogwarts on broomsticks or in enchanted carriages. The steam engine used in the Harry Potter films is the GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall. Filming locations for the train scenes include Goathland and the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland.
-
The GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall, the steam engine used in the film series as the Hogwarts Express
-
Crowds of people around 5972 in York, which had worked an enthusiast special from Manchester in June 2014
Creating Hogwarts
J.K. Rowling may have gotten the name "Hogwarts" from a plant called hogwort. She saw it at Kew Gardens. The name "Hogwart" also appeared in older books and films.
Many outdoor scenes for the films were shot at Alnwick Castle. Views of the entire school were created using shots of Durham Cathedral. A digital spire was added to its towers. A large scale model of the entire school was also built. It took a team of 86 artists and crew members 74 years of work to complete the model.
Popularity of Hogwarts
In 2008, Hogwarts was voted the 36th-best Scottish educational place in an online ranking. It even ranked higher than some real schools. It was added to the list "for fun" and then voted on by many people.
Hogwarts in Other Languages
Most translations of the Harry Potter books keep the name 'Hogwarts'. They just write it using their own alphabet. For example, in Arabic it is Hūghwūrts, and in Japanese it is Hoguwātsu.
However, some translations changed the name. In French, it's Poudlard, which means "bacon". In Latvian, it's Cūkkārpas, meaning "pig warts". The Finnish name Tylypahka also means "wart". The Hungarian name Roxfort sounds like Oxford. The Ancient Greek translation means "Hogwizard's School of Wizardry and Magic".
See also
In Spanish: Colegio Hogwarts de Magia y Hechicería para niños
