HISTORY OF HOGWARTS
The school of Hogwarts was founded by four magic-folk: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Each witch and wizard had a specific set of ideals and characteristics they were looking for in potential students. These four pioneers opened the school around 990 A.D. Salazar Slytherin had a discrepancy with the other founders. He was only looking for pure blood students to attend their school. Gryffindor and the other two founders disagreed with Slytherin completely. Shortly after their falling out, Slytherin left the school with a secret. He created the Chamber of Secrets and only his own heir would be able to open the chamber. This secret hides a snake-like monster that would be able to fulfill Slytherin's wish by hunting all those who were not of pure-blood throughout the school.
Around 1300 A.D. the Triwizard Tournament took place for the first time. This tradition would be known for many hundreds of years as a competition between the three magical schools in Europe. Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang would meet, compete, and socialize with one another on the grounds of keeping peace between the schools.
In the 1920s, a treacherous wizard was wreaking havoc across the magical and muggle world. Gellert Grindelwald was such a threat Hogwarts had to increase security and extra measures were taken to reassure parents and students of their safety.
Salazar Slytherin's one true heir arrived to Hogwarts during the 1942-43 school year. Tom Marvolo Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets letting out the basilisk into the school. One student, Myrtle Warren, was killed and still haunts the bathroom to this day. After the death of a "mud-blood" student, the Ministry of Magic threatened to shut down the school. Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort in the later years of his life, spent his time outside of Hogwarts at an orphanage. Riddle did not want to the school to close and instead of giving himself up for the crime he committed, another man named Rubeus Hagrid was framed for the death of Moaning Myrtle. Despite the outcome of the case, Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster at the time, had a suspicion about Tom Riddle's involvement.
During the 1970's, when Voldemort's reign was high, extra bodies patrolled the school to keep people save. It was imperative that the idea of Voldemort attacking Hogwarts was an issue in most of the wizarding world's mind during the time. As the battles raged on, and sometimes got closer to Hogwarts for comfort, more bodies were put in. While this was true of the 1970's, as the reign started to dwindle during the 1980's, that extra security were pulled out of Hogwarts and back to the Ministry of Magic. They had decided that it was the best if they moved on with their life, now that Voldemort wasn't a threat.
When Hogwarts fell in December of 1989, the student body was rearranged, classes were changed, and the order of Death Eaters took establishment. It went from a sanctuary for wizards to a prison, without much of a blink. While authorities have tried, the sheer amount of Death Eaters present took hold, and Hogwarts was surrendered to Voldemort's army. Even now, more than a handful of Death Eaters roam the school's halls and corridors, constantly reminding students of their place. It's still their little cozy home, of course; it's just not filled with as many muggleborns or old professors anymore.
SORTING AND HOUSES
Hogwarts accepts students from the age of eleven to eighteen, through seven years of study. Eleven to twelve year olds who first step into Hogwarts from the Hogwarts Express are ushered into the Great Hall where they are sorted alphabetically by last name first. Students sit in the front of the Great Hall on a stool where the current headmaster or headmistress places the
Sorting Hat on the student's head.
The Sorting Hat is a special item in Hogwarts, as it studies the student for their best and worst qualities, and sorts the students into four houses:
Gryffindor, for the brave and loyal at heart;
Hufflepuff, for those just and loyal;
Ravenclaw, for the studious and curious; and
Slytherin, for the ambitious and cunning. The four houses compete for the
House Cup which includes gaining and losing house points through various academic activities, as well as Quidditch.
LAYOUT OF THE SCHOOL
Hogwarts is one of the largest Wizarding Schools in the world, set upon acres of land. The castle itself is seven floors, not including towers, and hosts rooms big enough for classes and recreation. There are several towers on the grounds, including
Gryffindor Tower and
Ravenclaw Tower. The
Great Hall is a hub-bub of movement during the year, especially during meal time. The
Hufflepuff Dormitory is located on the same floor as the kitchens, and the
Slytherin Dormitory is located on the floor of the dungeons.
The land itself is a sprawling land of hills, grass and trees, for the most part. Hogwarts has a gorgeous view of the
Black Lake which separates it from the town of
Hogsmeade, and the
Forbidden Forest also does this. The grounds is also home to to the
Quidditch Pitch and several small alcoves of trees. Several courtyards are scattered around the school, both in the castle and on the outskirts of the castle, and students are able to wander and explore as they please.
CLASSES AND ACTIVITIES
Students in first and second year are only required to take the basic courses at Hogwarts: Charms, Dark Arts, Death Eater Physical Regiments*, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration. Once a student reaches the end of second year, they may choose to take optional elective courses: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Divination**, History of Magic, and Muggle Born and Beast Enslavement.
While dropping classes is frowned upon, if a student is not interested, or cannot handle the work load, they may drop out of an elective at any time, deemed necessary by both student and professor. Students must continue to take all seven basic courses, plus any electives, up until fifth year, where students take their OWL exams. Students may continue to study onto sixth and seventh year any passed OWL class. Alchemy is offered only in demand for sixth and seventh years.
At the end of seventh year, students are required to sit their NEWTS. These will help guide students to their future jobs.
*Students are required to take the new course, Death Eater Physical Regiments, every year, for seven years. This class is a physical based test both on land and in the air, and students are divided into classes based on physical skill sets. Students who excel at this are often the ones who get chosen for baby death eaters. Students who fail to pass the year end exams (held individually throughout the last two months of school) are often required to redo the whole year's worth of regiment during the summer months, seven days a week, until they are on par with the rest of the students in their year.
**Students who have seer abilities are more likely able to take Divination and Arithmancy, as long as the headmaster gets a written note. The Death Eaters want to hone and abuse harness this power to tailor it to their own decisions.
HOUSE POINTS AND THE HOUSE CUP
House points are points given to each house in Hogwarts based on good behavior, participation, or outcomes for Quidditch Matches against houses. Misbehaving or rule breaking are guarantees for any house to lose house points. Each house is represented by different by color and the totals for each house is shown through hourglasses. Teachers and other staff members at Hogwarts can give and take away points to any of the four houses. Prefects, Head Boy, and Head Girl can also give or take points too.
At the end of the year, whichever house has the most house points will be rewarded with The House Cup.
THE TOWN OF HOGSMEADE
Hogsmeade is a town outside of Hogwarts. Students may access this town by using the Hogwarts Express. The town is full of wizards and there are plenty of shops that appeal to any Hogwarts student. Zonko's Joke Shop is a popular shop for students who are looking for a gag or a laugh. Honeydukes is a tavern that has a warm atmosphere in the winter and serves the delicious drink, Butter Beer. Students with an itch for adventure will chose to seek out the Shrieking Shack, at their own risk.
