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In the novels, Hogwarts is described as acoeducational, 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 theHighlands of Scotland sometime between the9th and10th century byGodric Gryffindor,Helga Hufflepuff,Rowena Ravenclaw andSalazar 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 orphanedHarry 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 bookHow to Be Topp byGeoffrey 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 thehogwort plant.[13][14]
Castle and grounds
Students travel to and from Hogwarts through a steam powered train, known asHogwarts Express.[15]
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 sportQuidditch, and a large wooded area known as the Forbidden Forest. There is also a lake, which is home tomerpeople,grindylows and a giant squid. Wizards cannotApparate (teleport) on Hogwarts grounds, but there are several hidden passages that lead out of the school.[16] InHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), it is explained thatMuggles (non-magical people) cannot see Hogwarts because there are numerous enchantments on it.[17]
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 studentGinny Weasley is forced to open the Chamber by theDark wizardVoldemort. From the Chamber emerges a deadlyBasilisk, which attacks students until Harry kills it. A magical room called theRoom of Requirement is also located in Hogwarts. It only appears when someone needs it, and contains whatever the person requires. InOrder of the Phoenix (2003), Harry holds meetings of his student group Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement. InHalf-Blood Prince (2005),Draco Malfoy uses the room to hide and repair aVanishing Cabinet, which allows him to smuggle Voldemort'sDeath Eaters into Hogwarts.
Houses
When a first-year student arrives at Hogwarts, the magicalSorting Hat is placed on their head. It examines their mind and assigns them to aHouse 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 isMinerva 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 offire.[18]
Hufflepuff values hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty. Hufflepuff's mascot is a badger, and the Head of House isPomona Sprout. Rowling said that Hufflepuff corresponds roughly to the element ofearth.[18]
Ravenclaw values intelligence, learning, wisdom, and wit.[19][20] The house mascot is an eagle in the novels and a raven in theHarry Potter andFantastic Beasts films. In the novels, the Head of Ravenclaw House isFilius Flitwick. The dormitories are in Ravenclaw Tower, and students must solve a riddle to gain entry. Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element ofair.[18]
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 pointHorace 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 ofwater.[18]
Each year, two fifth-year students from each House are selected asprefects. The position grants them certain privileges and the authority to give detentions for infractions. The leaders of the student body, thehead girl and head boy, are chosen from among the seventh-year students. Hogwarts students in their third year or higher are allowed to visit the nearby wizarding village ofHogsmeade.
In film
Hogwarts is featured in theHarry Potter film adaptations. England'sAlnwick 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 ofDurham 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.[21]
Cultural impact
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'sLoretto School.[22]
^Rowling, J. K. (2000). "An interview with J. K. Rowling" (Interview). Interviewed by Lindsey Fraser. London: Mammoth. pp. 20–21.ISBN9780749743949.OCLC59569316.
Inggs, Judith (May 2003). "From Harry to Garri: Strategies for the Transfer of Culture and Ideology in Russian Translations of Two English Fantasy Stories".Meta: Translators' Journal.48 (1–2 Traduction pour les enfants / Translation for children):285–297.doi:10.7202/006975ar.S2CID145173155.
