Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a British wizarding boarding school teaching the magical arts, located in Scotland inside Hogwarts Castle. The castle is in the mountains near a loch. The precise location of the school can never be uncovered because it has been rendered Unplottable.
Established in c. 9th/10th century, Hogwarts is considered to be one of the finest magical institutions in the Wizarding world, though other notable schools include Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, the Durmstrang Institute, and the relatively new Salem Witches Institute of Magic. Children with magical abilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland are enrolled at birth and acceptance is confirmed by Owl post at age eleven. Attendance is not mandatory.
, More exhaustive information about Hogwarts School can be found at the HP wiki and the HP Lexicon.History
Early history
Hogwarts was founded around 990 A.D. by two wizards and two witches: Godric Gryffindor , Helga Hufflepuff , Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin . They each represented an aspect of personality that they wanted to bring out in new students. However, shortly after founding the school, Slytherin had a falling out with the other founders about blood purity. Slytherin wanted to admit only pure-blood students, but the other three founders disagreed. Slytherin left the school, but not before secretly building the Chamber of Secrets. When his own true heir, the Heir of Slytherin, returned to the school, he or she would be able to open the Chamber and unleash a murderous basilisk to purge the school of all Muggle-born students.
Middle history
About three hundred years after the school was founded, the Triwizard Tournament began between the three most prestigious magical schools in Europe: Hogwarts, The Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. This tournament was considered the best way for wizards and witches of different nationalities to meet and socialize. The tournament continued for six centuries, until the death toll became too high, and the tournament was discontinued for a time.
Recent history
Aurors at Hogwarts
From February 1, 2009 to June 2009, there was an increased Auror/Hitwizard presence at Hogwarts due to multiple, shocking breaches in security. Students are not allowed off campus without express permission, and only in the greatest of emergencies.
MLE PROVIDES HOGWARTS SECURITY
Interim Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Head of the Auror Corps Tamis Raynor, has installed round-the-clock sentries from the ranks of the Hitwizards and the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. An Auror on-site supervises the security measures, that include watchful eyes on all entrances to the grounds, including both well-known and rumored secret passages. The Ministry's presence on the grounds and inside the castle will be limited, however.
- Plot Chapter, The Curious Imperius of Ava Grosvenor
As of the start of the 2009 school year, these security measures have lapsed and Aurors are no longer stationed full time at Hogwarts.
TetraWizard Tournament
2009 brings to Hogwarts the TetraWizard Tournament, and with it, changes to the castle, scheduling and curriculum. Follow the article for the most up-to-date information.
Werewolves at Hogwarts
Under Heads McGonagall and Greyfriar, werewolves were permitted to attend Hogwarts, although most did so in secret. Arrangements were made for any werewolf students to transform off-campus each full moon.
In the summer of 2008, under new Headmistress Analiza Snark, werewolves were no longer permitted to attend Hogwarts. Instead, werewolf Olivia Foley was required to receive her education at home, and most considered her to have been expelled. This development spurred the creation of Students Against Werewolf Segregation (SAWS).
Over the summer, because of the peristance of SAWS, Chair of the Hogwarts Board of School Governors and Minister of Magic hopeful Persepolis Zephyr convinced in-coming interim Headmaster Herschel Reid to allow werewolves to attend Hogwarts again. Reid has accommodated three werewolves, though Olivia Foley dropped out not long into the year. After Headmaster Reid's retirement in 2009, McGonagall returned to the Headmaster position and continued Reid's student werewolf policy.
Houses
Hogwarts students are divided into four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
| Coat of Arms | 
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| House | Gryffindor is well known for bravery, daring, nerve, and chivalry. The house colours are deep red and gold, and the house is symbolized by a lion. The entrance to the common room is on the seventh floor hidden behind a portrait of the Fat Lady. In order to get into the common room, Gryffindor students must say the correct password. | Hufflepuff is well known for loyalty, fair play, honesty, and tolerance. The house is symbolized by a badger, and the house colours are yellow and black. Its common room is near the kitchens. To get into the common room, rather than giving a password you must tap a fake barrel in the rhythm "Helga Hufflepuff." It is the only common room to have a way to keep students from other houses out (by dumping vinegar on them). | Ravenclaw values wit, creativity, and wisdom. The house is symbolized by an eagle and the house colours are blue and bronze. The Ravenclaw common room is located in a high tower, and the interior is decorated with blue and bronze. To enter, rather than give a password, one must answer a riddle from an eagle door knocker, such as "Where do vanished objects go?" or "Which came first, the Phoenix or the flame?" | Slytherin values ambition, cleverness, cunning, resourcefulness, and pure blood heritage. The house is symbolized by a serpent, and the house colours are green and silver. Its common room is located in the dungeons, underneath the Black Lake, and hidden behind a stone wall. In order to get into the common room, Slytherin Students must say the correct password. |
| Founded By | Godric Gryffindor
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Helga Hufflepuff
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Rowena Ravenclaw
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Salazar Slytherin
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| House Ghost | Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington , also known as Nearly Headless Nick.
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Fat Friar
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Helena Ravenclaw , also known as the Grey Lady.
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The Bloody Baron
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| Current and Former Members | Current Gryffindors | Current Hufflepuffs | Current Ravenclaws | Current Slytherins |
House Cups
| House Cup | |
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| 2008 - 2009 | 2007 - 2008 |
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House Points
Hogwarts school staff are able to give and take away house points. (House points are recorded in the Hogwarts Records [1]) Below is a chart to show the approximate scale of how house points should be awarded or deducted. Exceptions can, of course, be made - Hogwarts professors are notoriously biased and eccentric.
- Attendance to Class || +/- 5
- Disruptive behavior in class || -1 to -3 points
- Answering a question correctly || +1 to +3 points
- Severely disruptive behavior || up to -10 points
- Exceptional demonstration || up to +10 points
- Completed Homework || up to +15 points
+/- 20 points or greater are reserved for especially grevious rules infractions or especially stunning service to the school or achievement.
School Rules
See Hogwarts Rules
School spirit
Hogwarts' motto is: "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus". The translation is: Never tickle a sleeping dragon. Quidditch is the most popular sport at the school, with most of the student body turning out to watch each match. Hogwarts also has a Frog Choir which sings at special occasions.
School song
There is an official school song, though this is only sung when the headmaster is in a particularly good mood and deems it appropriate.
- "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
- Teach us something please,
- Whether we be old and bald,
- Or young with scabby knees,
- Our heads could do with filling,
- With some interesting stuff,
- For now they're bare and full of air,
- Dead flies and bits of fluff,
- So teach us things worth knowing,
- Bring back what we've forgot,
- Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
- And learn until our brains all rot."
Administration
The highest position of staff at Hogwarts is the Headmaster or Headmistress. There is also a Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, who will take over responsibilities of the Headmaster should the circumstances demand it.
School Year
Term begins on September 1st. Students usually reach Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express, which leaves from Platform 9¾ of London's King's Cross Station at 11 a.m. sharp.
There are other ways of entering the school, such as via brooms or Floo powder, or simply Apparating to a nearby location such as Hogsmeade. Missing the Hogwarts Express for any reason is a very serious problem but will not cost the student points as long as they get there before the term has officially started.
The Hogwarts Express brings the students to Hogsmeade Station, where the first years traditionally cross the Black Lake in boats with the gamekeeper, and go under an opening in the rocks upon which Hogwarts is built, through a curtain of ivy, and finally into an underground harbour.
Older students travel on the road in carriages pulled by thestrals to the castle. The Welcoming Feast takes place in the Great Hall. This feast includes the Sorting ceremony, followed by a few words from the current Headmaster, the banquet starts after this, including large quantities of food and drink. The feast is closed with a few more words from the Headmaster, but it also includes the usual "start-of-term notices".
After dinner, students are led to their House common room by a prefect. This is a special time for new students to get comfortable with their surroundings, because the next day classes begin, September 2nd. The class schedules are handed out during breakfast by the Heads of House. After two weeks of classes, the Quidditch team trials and flying lessons for the first years usually occur.
Hogwarts' school year is structured with a three-term year punctuated by holidays at Christmas and Easter and bounded by the long summer holiday of nine weeks. Students have the option of staying at Hogwarts for the winter and spring holidays. Those who choose to stay at the castle do not have lessons and attend a feast on Christmas Day. Students also do not have classes the week of Easter, but this is much less enjoyable due to the large amount of work that the teachers assign students at this time in preparation for final exams.
Other than the breaks and weekends, students do not receive holidays. However, students third year and above may visit Hogsmeade, the local village, occasionally. There are normally four feasts per year: the start-of-term feast at the beginning of the school year, end-of-term feast at the end of the school year, and feasts at Halloween and Christmas. Feasts are also called to mark special occasions.
Classes will proceed normally and the next notable event occurs on the evening of October 31st: the Halloween feast. Decorations include giant pumpkins and flocks of hundreds of bats flying across the halls. The served foods include pumpkin treats, tarts, cakes and all sorts of magical sweets. The Quidditch season starts usually with the first Quidditch match in the first weeks of November. In the second week of December, the Deputy Head takes names of those who are staying at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays. The first term usually ends about a week before Christmas and most of the students and some of the teachers go home by the school train.
Shortly after January 1st, the Hogwarts Express returns to Hogsmeade; the second term begins. The exact dates of the beginning of the Easter holidays vary every year. During these holidays, the students may go home. The final exams are held the first week of June and the results come out on the second week. In the evening before the Hogwarts Express goes back to London, the End-of-Term Feast is held. The Hogwarts Express returns to London during the third week of June. Generally all staff and students leave Hogwarts during the summer except for the caretaker and gamekeeper.
