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J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a
dwelling In law, a dwelling (also known as a residence or an abode) is a self-contained unit of accommodation used by one or more households as a home - such as a house, apartment, mobile home, houseboat, vehicle, or other "substantial" structure. The ...
, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.


Dwellings


The Burrow

The Weasleys' home, known as the Burrow, is located outside the village of Ottery St Catchpole which is situated alongside the River Otter in
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
, England, also near the home of the Lovegoods, the Diggorys and the Fawcetts. The Burrow was used as the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters, due to the compromised Fidelius Charm placed on 12 Grimmauld Place, in ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
'' until it lost its given protection. The Weasley house has seven floors. It is also quite dilapidated, managing to remain standing only by
magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
. Despite the house's rundown appearance, Harry remarks on his first visit that it was the best house he had ever been in and it becomes his second favourite place in the world (after Hogwarts). The well-hidden orchard nearby doubles as a Quidditch pitch for the Weasley children. A multitude of garden gnomes infests the garden of the Burrow. There is also a small hangar located there that Arthur Weasley uses as a workshop to tinker with muggle items that he brings home (much to Mrs. Weasley's chagrin). In 1997, The Burrow became the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix after the death of the Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. In ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'', the Burrow was described as a pig-sty that had extra rooms added to it. When a new child was born, Molly and Arthur Weasley just added an extra room onto the house. Outside the front door were a jumble of Wellington boots and a rusty old cauldron.


Godric's Hollow

Godric's Hollow is a fictional village, where Lily and James Potter lived with their young son Harry, located in the
West Country The West Country (occasionally Westcountry) is a loosely defined area of South West England, usually taken to include all, some, or parts of the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and, less commonly, Wiltshire, Gloucesters ...
of England. It is noted for being home to a magical community like several other villages such as Ottery St Catchpole and Tinworth. The village was the home and final hiding place of
James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...
and
Lily Potter The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
before being murdered by
Lord Voldemort Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' ...
. It was at this place that their baby son, Harry, was left with his lightning bolt-shaped scar. Godric's Hollow was the home of long-dead Hogwarts founder
Godric Gryffindor The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling. The staff and their positions Teachers and staff members The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
(after whom the village was named) and the home of James Potter's family. In ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
'', Harry returns to Godric's Hollow to visit his parents' graves, finding out that the church graveyard is the resting place for many wizard personalities, including a member of Hannah Abbott's family and, most famously, Ignotus Peverell and the Potters. Albus Dumbledore's mother Kendra moved her family to Godric's Hollow after her husband, Percival, was arrested for attacking three Muggle boys. Other notable residents of the village include Bowman Wright (inventor of the Golden Snitch) and Bathilda Bagshot, author of ''A History of Magic''. At the centre of the village square of Godric's Hollow, there is a war memorial that magically transforms into a monument to the Potter family – James, Lily, and Harry – when approached by witches and/or wizards unaccompanied by Muggles. Invisible to Muggles, the remains of Harry's old home (left just as it was after Voldemort attacked) are found at the end of the main street. After Percival Dumbledore's arrest in Mould-on-the-Wold for cursing two muggles who had bullied his daughter Ariana, the Dumbledore family moved to Godric's Hollow. It was there that Bathilda Bagshot introduced Albus Dumbledore to her great-nephew
Gellert Grindelwald The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
.


Little Hangleton

Little Hangleton is a fictional Muggle village some 200 miles from Little Whinging notable as the place of origin of Voldemort's maternal and paternal ancestors, and as the place where he was restored to bodily form in ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
''. Although the village first appears in ''Goblet of Fire'', the fourth volume in the series, it is not described until '' Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'', the sixth volume. The village occupies the floor of a valley, bounded by steep hills, not far from the larger settlement of Great Hangleton. Above the village on one side of the valley are a church, a cemetery and the Riddle House, the former estate of the aristocratic Riddle family and at one time the finest house in the village. It first appears in the opening of ''Goblet of Fire'' as the location of Frank Bryce's murder; and at this point in the chronology of the ''Harry Potter'' series, it is decrepit and covered in vines. It is believed to be held by a "rich man" for tax purposes, although this is in reality to keep it from being sold or torn down. During his time as a student,
Tom Marvolo Riddle Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' ...
murdered his father and grandparents in the house. On the opposite side of the valley, the only dwelling appears to have been the dilapidated cottage which was the home of the Pure-blooded, anti-social descendants of Salazar Slytherin, the
Gaunt family Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' ...
. The Gaunt cottage is set in a copse alongside a winding road which climbed out of the valley.Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince In ''Goblet of Fire'', Voldemort and Harry fight in the graveyard of Little Hangleton.


Little Whinging

Little Whinging is a fictitious town in
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, England, located to the south of London.
Alison Lurie Alison Stewart Lurie (September 3, 1926December 3, 2020) was an American novelist and academic. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her 1984 novel '' Foreign Affairs''. Although better known as a novelist, she wrote many non-fiction boo ...
noted in the '' New York Review of Books'' that Little Whinging's name is "a joke that American readers may not get: we mericanswould call the place Little Whining". Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, is the Dursleys' home, in which Harry lives with his aunt Petunia, uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley. He has lived there since the age of fifteen months, having previously lived with his parents in Godric's Hollow; however, since he began attending Hogwarts, he spends little time there, though he reluctantly returns during the summer holidays. Number 4 is known to have four bedrooms upstairs, at least one bathroom, a kitchen, a sitting room and a conservatory downstairs (apart from the cupboard under the stairs). The name of the street refers to the privet hedges that enclose many suburban gardens, as Rowling liked the idea of enclosure. In the novels and films, the Dursleys' home is in a respectable and boring neighbourhood where the neighbours ostracise Harry, who despises Little Whinging because of his memories of his cruel treatment there.
Arabella Figg The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the '' Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to th ...
, who lives two streets away from 4 Privet Drive in the novels (but just across the road in the films) knows of Harry's magic, because she is a Squib member of the Order of the Phoenix, placed in Little Whinging by Dumbledore to keep an eye on Harry. In ''
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fifth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witc ...
'', Dumbledore reveals that the reason Harry must return there at least once a year is because of the protection Harry's mother left upon him when she gave her life to save him. That act allowed an "ancient magic" to work, which meant Harry could never be harmed as long as he lived in the care of his mother's blood; in this case, his Aunt Petunia. This charm would not expire until Harry turned 17. Other mentioned places in Little Whinging are Magnolia Crescent somewhat around the corner and a playground at a bit of a distance to Privet Drive which before Harry's fifth year has been partially demolished by Dudley and his gang. Filming for Privet Drive in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone'' took place in a real urban area, 12 Picket Post Close,
Bracknell Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Bracknell Forest, Borough of Bracknell Forest. It l ...
in Berkshire, located 25 miles (40 km) west of London. For all the subsequent film's scenes set in Privet Drive, filming took place on a constructed set in
Leavesden Film Studios Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden is an studio complex in Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire, in South East England. Formerly known as Leavesden Film Studios and still colloquially known as Leavesden Studios or simply Leavesden, it is a film an ...
(replicating 12 Picket Post Close), which proved to be cheaper than filming on location. This standing set, which remained in use throughout the decade-long filming history of the Harry Potter films, remains visible in
Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...
aerial views of the studio. It sits in a location with other ''Harry Potter'' sets and props.


Malfoy Manor

Malfoy
Manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...
is the home of the aristocratic Malfoy family: Lucius, Narcissa, their son
Draco Malfoy Draco Lucius Malfoy is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is a student in Harry Potter's year belonging in the Slytherin house. He is frequently accompanied by his two cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goy ...
and later Bellatrix Lestrange (sister of Narcissa). It is mentioned in the fifth book that the manor is located somewhere in
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
, England. The Malfoys were previously served by
Dobby the house elf Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
, before Lucius was tricked by Harry into freeing him.. It is considered to be one of the richest properties in the wizarding world. In the ''Chamber of Secrets'', Draco reveals that the manor has its own "chamber of secrets" under the drawing room, which was used to hide valuable dark artefacts when the Ministry raided the manor. Voldemort used Malfoy Manor as headquarters on at least one occasion in ''
Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
''. The three Malfoys seemed quite displeased by this use of their manor as Voldemort himself noted; only Bellatrix appears to be pleased he is there. The Malfoys have become prisoners in their own home and are in very real fear for their lives. During the ''Deathly Hallows'', several prisoners are being kept in the basement on Voldemort's orders, including Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas,
Griphook Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
the Goblin, and
Mr. Ollivander The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
. When Snatchers capture Harry,
Ron Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...
, and
Hermione Hermione may refer to: People * Hermione (given name), a female given name * Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name Arts and literature * ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
, they are brought to Malfoy Manor. They escape with the other prisoners thanks to Dobby's help. The four residents of the manor are then placed under house arrest by Lord Voldemort, until they join with other Death Eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts. Malfoy Manor was partly shot at
Hardwick Hall Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is an architecturally significant country house from the Elizabethan era, a leading example of the Elizabethan prodigy house. Built between 1590 and 1597 for Bess of Hardwick, it was designed by the architect Ro ...
, Derbyshire – a National Trust property.


Number 12, Grimmauld Place

Number 12, Grimmauld Place (a pun on "grim old place"), London is the address and name of reference to the home of the Black family, an ancient and pure-blooded line of wizards. It first appears in the fifth book. The structure of Number 12 Grimmauld Place is a
Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
terraced house. Number 12 houses the Black
family tree A family tree, also called a genealogy or a pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. More detailed family trees, used in medicine and social work, are known as genograms. Representations of ...
on a wall tapestry, and an enchanted
portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...
of
Walburga Black This is a list of characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series. They are all characters who have appeared in a ''Harry Potter''-related book by J. K. Rowling. Characters by surname A * Hannah Abbott – Hufflepuff student in Harry Potter' ...
, Sirius' mother. An ancient and deeply mad
house-elf Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
named
Kreacher Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends en ...
is loyal to the portrait of Mrs. Black. There are other portraits of members of the Black family, including
Phineas Nigellus Black In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhib ...
, one-time Head of the Black family and least-popular Headmaster of Hogwarts. The staircase is lined with the heads of beheaded former house-elves, which are mounted onto the walls. Many security measures are in place at Grimmauld Place: there are anti-
apparation In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibit ...
charms, the place is Unplottable, the whole house is under a Fidelius charm and it is disguised from Muggles and other interlopers. In the seventh book, it is noted that the neighbours had long ago come to terms with the houses on their square running straight from 11 to 13. It is as secure as any magical dwelling can be and can accommodate a large number of people. For this reason, it was chosen as the headquarters of the reconstituted Order of the Phoenix when Sirius offered it to the Order. Only magical people can see it, and only if told the location by the Secret Keeper himself. The house is even immune from the '
Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
' imposed by the
Ministry of Magic The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
after the coup d'état. This is known because Hermione Granger mentions
Voldemort Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a Character (arts), character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Ph ...
by name at least once whilst inside the house. The house fell into disrepair during Sirius' twelve-year imprisonment in
Azkaban J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The Wea ...
. Following his escape, he returned to it in the fifth book to discover that it was now a gloomy and unpleasant ruin teeming with dust, decay, magical creatures, and various dangers. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and various members of the Order gradually restore it to a livable condition over the course of this book. In ''
Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'', Harry learns that he has inherited the property under the terms of Sirius' will, although he donates it to the Order (wanting no connection to the place where Sirius felt trapped and useless before his death). In ''Deathly Hallows'', it becomes a sanctuary for Harry, Ron, and Hermione while hiding from Voldemort. As the three attempt to escape the Ministry of Magic by Disapparating,
Corban Yaxley The Death Eaters are characters featured in the '' Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wi ...
seizes hold of Hermione and is transported along with them to 12 Grimmauld Place. This action breaks the Fidelius Charm on the house, allowing Voldemort's forces to know its location and forcing Harry and his friends to abandon it. The
Claremont Square Claremont Square is a square in the Angel (Pentonville) part of Islington, London. Its central green mound, hiding a reservoir, is dotted with mature trees on all four sides (embankments). On its north side is Pentonville Road. It is lined on ...
area of London was used for the exteriors of Number 12, Grimmauld Place.


Shell Cottage

Shell Cottage is the home of
Bill Weasley The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the '' Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to th ...
and
Fleur Delacour The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
after they get married in ''Deathly Hallows''. It is located overlooking a beach outside the village of Tinworth in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
. The cottage served as a hiding place for Harry,
Ron Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...
,
Hermione Hermione may refer to: People * Hermione (given name), a female given name * Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name Arts and literature * ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
, Luna, Dean Thomas,
Mr. Ollivander The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
and
Griphook Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
after they managed to escape from imprisonment in Malfoy Manor. Dobby the house-elf was buried in the garden after he died with a tombstone reading "Here lies Dobby, a free elf". During the war, Bill himself was the Secret-Keeper for Bill and Fleur. The Shell Cottage scenes were filmed on Freshwater West beach in the
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Pembrokeshire Coast National Park ( cy, Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro) is a national park along the Pembrokeshire coast in west Wales. It was established as a National Park in 1952. It is one of three national parks in Wales, the others bei ...
, Wales.


Spinner's End

Spinner's End is a Muggle street, on which sits a house that is the home of Severus Snape. It is described as one of several streets of identical brick houses. The street is located near a dirty river, the bank of which is strewn with litter. A mill with a tall chimney is close by. From the description of its surroundings it is likely that this is the house Severus Snape grew up in, thus making the place the fictitious town of Cokeworth. Snape's front door opens directly into a sitting room that has the feeling of a dark, padded cell, containing walls filled with books, threadbare furniture, and a dim, candle-filled lamp that hangs from the ceiling. A hidden door leads to a narrow staircase. Spinner's End first appears in ''Half-Blood Prince'', when Snape is visited by Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. In ''Deathly Hallows'', it is revealed that Snape lived at Spinner's End as a young child and that
Lily Potter The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
and
Petunia Dursley The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
lived in the same town.


Schools


Beauxbatons

The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic (french: link=no, Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons) is a magic school first introduced in ''Goblet of Fire''. Beauxbatons has a history that goes back at least 700 years, when it first began participating in the
Triwizard Tournament ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
. Beauxbâtons is described as a
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
located in the Pyrenees mountains of southern France full of ice sculptures and forest nymphs. The phrase ''beaux bâtons'' is intended to translate as "beautiful wands" in French. Beauxbatons has a preponderance of French students, though Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Luxembourgians and Belgians also attend in large numbers. The delegation is led by headmistress Madame Olympe Maxime, a half-
giantess A giantess is a female giant: either a mythical being, such as the Amazons of Greek mythology, resembling a woman of superhuman size and strength or a human woman of exceptional stature, often the result of some medical or genetic abnormality ( ...
; despite her proportions, she is beautiful, graceful, and well-dressed. Also singled out is Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbâtons champion in the Triwizard Tournament, a beautiful girl with silvery hair who is a quarter-
veela Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the '' Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends en ...
. Students of Beauxbâtons are described mainly as beautiful long-haired girls and attractive boys. They have good manners and in general are positive. Students from Beauxbâtons arrive at Hogwarts to take part in the Triwizard Tournament. They arrive in a carriage, brought by winged
Palomino Palomino is a genetic color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail; the degree of whiteness can vary from bright white to yellow. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called t ...
horses. They speak French and stereotypical, heavily accented English. Jean-François Ménard, the translator of ''Harry Potter'' into French, wrote Madame Maxime as arrogant with very correct, aristocratic speech, while Fleur's tone was more distrustful. Ménard made these choices because "you cannot write French with a French accent". In the screen adaptation ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
'', Beauxbâtons students are all female, while in the books it is co-educational. The contrast between Beauxbâtons and Hogwarts can be interpreted as an allusion to the competition between the reasonable and decent Great Britain and the licentious and decadent France.


Castelobruxo

Castelobruxo ( ) is the South American school of magic, based in Brazil. The exact location of the school is unknown as of yet, but is said to appear to Muggles (non-magic folk) as nothing more than ruins. To magic folk, it resembles a golden temple. The school is guarded by small mischievous magical creatures called
Caipora Caipora is an entity of the Tupi- Guarani mythology in Brazil. The word "Caipora" comes from tupi and means "inhabitant of the forest". It is represented as a dark-skinned, small Native American, naked with a very long red mane, smoking a cigar ...
. The school's specialties are
Magizoology Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry Potter (character), ...
and Herbology. The student attire is green robes. Famous alumni of the school include
Libatius Borage The fictional universe, fictional universe of British author J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series of Fantasy literature, fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the Wizarding World and the Muggle world. In the novels, the Muggle wor ...
(author of multiple potions books) and João Coelho (captain of a professional Quidditch team.) In ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
'',
Ron Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...
mentions that his brother
Bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...
had a penfriend at this school.


Durmstrang

The Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning is a magic school that makes its first appearance in ''Goblet of Fire''. The school has existed for at least 700 years, when they began participating in the
Triwizard Tournament ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
. Dumbledore welcomes Durmstrang's students as "our friends from the North", and J. K. Rowling is said to have located the school somewhere in Northern
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
. Durmstrang students wear heavy furs with blood-red robes. The students of Durmstrang mentioned by name are
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
and
Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely understo ...
. Durmstrang is portrayed as an all-boys school in the film, but according to the book, it is co-ed. Several female students are mentioned, though not by name. Durmstrang is known for placing an emphasis on the study of the Dark Arts. While other schools of magic in the series limit the study to ''
Defence Against the Dark Arts In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibit ...
'', Durmstrang students actually learn them. In ''
Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
'', it is revealed that the Dark wizard
Gellert Grindelwald The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
attended Durmstrang. He also carved the symbol of the
Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
onto the school's stone walls. Although Durmstrang teaches the Dark Arts as part of its curriculum, apparently the experiments performed by Grindelwald were considered too extreme even by the school's standards as he was expelled because of them. The name "Durmstrang" is likely to be an allusion to the German phrase '' Sturm und Drang'' meaning ''storm and stress''. The contrast between Durmstrang and Hogwarts can be interpreted as an allusion to the war of the West with the bad from the East, as described in the
gothic fiction Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...
of the fourteenth century.


Hogwarts

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a British school of
magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
for students aged eleven to seventeen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''
Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' series.


Ilvermorny

Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, shortened Ilvermorny, is an American school of magic, which serves as the school for the North American continent. It first appeared in a short story by J. K. Rowling on Pottermore on June 28, 2016, and its first onscreen mention was in ''
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (often referred to as simply ''Fantastic Beasts'') is a 2001 guide book written by British author J. K. Rowling (under the pen name of the fictitious author Newt Scamander) about the magical creat ...
''. The school was founded in the seventeenth century in
Adams, Massachusetts Adams is a town in northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,166 at the 2020 census. History Nathan Jones purchased the township of ...
, on Mount Greylock, the highest natural point in the state. It is concealed from the non-magic world by enchantments which may sometimes appear as a cloud surrounding the peak. Modeled after Hogwarts, the school has four Houses into which the students are sorted upon arrival. Ilvermorny was founded by Isolt Sayre after she travelled from Ireland via England to North America on the ''
Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, r ...
'' in 1620 and named after the cottage in which she had been born. She had not had the opportunity to attend Hogwarts during her childhood, and partially modelled Ilvermorny after what she had heard of Hogwarts, as well as her own imagination. Her first students were her own adopted children, Chadwick and Webster Boot. Ilvermorny is divided into four houses: Thunderbird, Horned Serpent,
Pukwudgie A Pukwudgie, also spelled Puk-Wudjie (another spelling, ''Puck-wudj-ininee'', is translated by Henry Schoolcraft as "little wild man of the woods that vanishes"), is a human-like creature of Wampanoag folklore, found in Delaware and Prince Edward I ...
, and Wampus, each said to represent a different part of the ideal wizard. The names were chosen by Isolt Sayre and her family after their favourite magical creatures. Chadwick being "intelligent but also temperamental" chose the Thunderbird, his brother Webster "argumentative and fiercely loyal" chose the Wampus. Isolt herself was a
Parselmouth In J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibi ...
and chose the Horned Serpent, and her No-Maj (Muggle or non-magical) husband James Steward picked the Pukwudgie, since Isolt's stories about one made him laugh. Ilvermorny has no house colours, but every student wears blue and cranberry robes, fastened by a gold
Gordian Knot The Gordian Knot is an Ancient Greek legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great who is said to have cut the knot in 333 BC. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (untying an impossibly tangled knot) sol ...
. The Sorting process is also different to that of Hogwarts. Unlike Hogwarts, more than one Ilvermorny house can claim a student; when two or more carvings react, the student is entitled to choose their house.


Uagadou

Uagadou is the oldest of several African wizarding schools, and the largest in the entire world. Its address is 'Mountains of the Moon'. Students are informed of their acceptance to the school by Dream Messengers.


Mahoutokoro

Mahoutokoro is the smallest wizarding school, and is situated in Japan. Students wear with enchanted robes, which grow in size with the wearer, and change colour in response to the wearer's increased magic knowledge, from faint pink to gold.


Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley is a high street located in London. It is accessible to the
wizarding world The Wizarding World (previously known as J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World) is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the ''Harry Potter'' novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production since ...
, to which it is something of an economic hub, but hidden from Muggles (non-magical people). However, Muggles are allowed access to it if they need to accompany their Muggle-born magical children. If a wizard or witch needs something, chances are that it can be found in Diagon Alley. One entrance to Diagon Alley can be reached on foot by passing through the Leaky Cauldron (a wizarding pub/inn). The inn, which is invisible to Muggles, lies in between a bookshop and a music shop. To enter Diagon Alley, one must go through the Leaky Cauldron to a rear courtyard and tap a brick in the wall, found by counting three up and two across, three times. In the film, the tapping of five bricks around a hole in the wall opens the doorway to Diagon Alley. Given the busy nature of the area, travelling to and from Diagon Alley is likely typically done by more magical means such as Apparition or by using the Floo Network, which are both ways of wizarding transport. It contains shops that offer a wide range of magical supplies, as well as the goblin-run Gringotts Bank. The DVD of '' Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' includes a video "guided tour" of Diagon Alley, apparently shot on the original film sets. In the first film, the Leaky Cauldron's entrance was filmed in ''Bull's Head Passage'', near
Leadenhall Market Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street but with vehicular access also available via Whittington Avenue to the north and Lime Street to the south and east, and additional pedestrian access via a number of ...
. In the sixth film, it was inserted into the actual Charing Cross Road, between a book store and a surveyors' storefront. The name Diagon Alley is a near
homophone A homophone () is a word that is pronounced the same (to varying extent) as another word but differs in meaning. A ''homophone'' may also differ in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same, for example ''rose'' (flower) and ''rose'' (p ...
of the word "diagonally", which is used as a plot device when Harry mispronounces the phrase near the beginning of the second book.


Eeylops Owl Emporium

Eeylops Owl Emporium sells owls and supplies such as owl treats and cages. Inside, it is dark and full of soft hooting, rustling, and the flickering of "jewel-bright eyes". It is here that Rubeus Hagrid purchased Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig, as a birthday gift in ''The Philosopher's Stone''.


Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, under the management of the owner Florean Fortescue (founder and shopkeeper), sold
ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as str ...
and other treats, which could be enjoyed at outdoor tables. Harry spent pleasant hours there working on homework assignments before his third year at Hogwarts in '' Prisoner of Azkaban''. Mr Fortescue himself helped him with his school essays and supplied him with free sundaes every half-hour. Nearing the end of the summer holidays, Harry meets Ron and Hermione there. In ''the Half-Blood Prince'' the parlour is boarded up and Fortescue has gone missing. Rowling confirmed that Florean was murdered.


Flourish & Blotts

Flourish & Blotts sells a great variety of magic books, including textbooks for Hogwarts courses and other books of general magical interest. In the back there is a corner devoted solely to divination, which includes a small table stacked with titles like ''Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself against Shocks'' and ''Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul''. Another small display contains the book ''Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst is Coming''. Usually, there is a display of gold-embossed spell books the size of paving slabs in the window, but in ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', the front window holds an iron cage filled with hundreds of copies of ''The Monster Book of Monsters''. To deal with the vicious books, set for the third year
Care of Magical Creatures In J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibi ...
class by Hagrid, the harassed manager had to gear up with thick gloves and jab at them with a knobbly walking stick, as the books tended to rip each other apart. The manager says that he had thought he had seen the worst when they bought 200 copies of ''The Invisible Book of Invisibility'', which were promptly misplaced. In ''Chamber of Secrets'', celebrity author Gilderoy Lockhart signs copies of his autobiography, ''Magical Me'', at the shop the day Harry buys his second year school books. The signing drew a huge crowd of fans (mostly middle-aged women). This is also where Lucius Malfoy slips
Tom Riddle's diary Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...
into Ginny's battered old Transfiguration book, thus causing the start of the events in ''Chamber of Secrets''.


Gambol and Japes

Gambol and Japes is a wizarding joke shop. It is briefly mentioned in ''Chamber of Secrets'', where Fred, George and Lee Jordan stock up on "Dr 
Filibuster A filibuster is a political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent decision. It is sometimes referred to as "talking a bill to death" or "talking out ...
's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks".


Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Gringotts Wizarding Bank is the only known bank of the
wizarding world The Wizarding World (previously known as J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World) is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the ''Harry Potter'' novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production since ...
and it is operated primarily by
goblins A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on t ...
. A snowy white building, near the intersection of Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley, Gringotts towers over all neighbouring shops. Customers pass through a set of bronze doors and then silver ones before entering the lobby. The main floor is paved with marble and has a long counter stretching along its length, behind which goblin clerks work at tasks such as counting coins and updating account ledgers. Within, wizards and witches keep their money and other valuables in vaults that are protected by very complex and very strong security measures. The vaults extend for miles under London and are accessible through rough stone passageways navigated by magic carts that travel speedily along their tracks. Gringotts also offers Muggle-Wizarding currency exchange. When Harry first visits Gringotts, he is told by Hagrid that one would have to be mad to try to rob Gringotts. Goblins are extremely possessive and will protect their money and valuables at any cost, making them ideal guardians for the valuables of the wizarding world. In addition, according to Hagrid, apart from Hogwarts, Gringotts is considered "the safest place in the world for anything you want to keep safe". There are a number of methods of opening the vaults. Most vaults, such as Harry's, use small golden keys. Higher-security vaults may have various enchantments or other measures upon the doors. For example, the door to Vault 713, which briefly contained the Philosopher's Stone, must be stroked by a certified Gringotts goblin, whereupon it melts away to allow access to the contents. If anyone other than a certified Gringotts goblin touches the door, that person will be sucked into the vault, which is only checked for trapped thieves about once every 10 years. Dragons guard the maximum-security vaults found in the lowest reaches of the bank, and a subterranean waterfall called the "Thief's Downfall" acts to overturn carts that pass through it and negate spells used by would-be robbers. In ''the Philosopher's Stone'' Gringotts Vault 713 held a small parcel wrapped in paper, inside of which was the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore sent Hagrid to retrieve it while he escorted Harry. Later that same day,
Professor Quirrell The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the '' Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling. The staff and their positions Teachers and staff members The following teachers and staff members do not h ...
broke into the vault under orders from Voldemort. Although he was unsuccessful in obtaining the Philosopher's Stone, the break-in shocked the wizarding world because it was unheard of for Gringotts to be robbed. Griphook claims that the protection had been lessened due to the Vault being emptied. In ''Deathly Hallows'', Harry, Ron, and Hermione, aided by a reluctant Griphook, break into the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange where a Horcrux of Voldemort (Hufflepuff's Cup) is hidden. However, when they enter Bellatrix's vault, which is stocked with all manner of treasures, they discover that the treasure has had Gemino and Flagrante curses placed on it, which, respectively, cause any item to multiply rapidly and go red-hot whenever it is touched. The trio escape with the Horcrux by freeing a half-blind dragon that was part of the security for the vault, and clambering onto its back. While Gringotts is largely staffed by goblins, including
Griphook Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
and Ragnok, it is known that the bank has human employees, though not apparently for banking and accounting services. Bill worked as a curse-breaker for Gringotts in Egypt, retrieving artefacts from ancient Egyptian tombs and pyramids. Fleur took a part-time job with Gringotts after participating in the
Triwizard Tournament ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and W ...
, apparently to improve her English skills, and Wizard guards are mentioned in ''Deathly Hallows'' during the break in.


Knockturn Alley

Knockturn Alley (a play on the word " nocturnally") is a dark and seedy alleyway diagonal to Diagon Alley. It is frequently populated by Dark Wizards. Many of the shops in Knockturn Alley are devoted to the Dark Arts; the best known of which is Borgin & Burkes, which sells sinister and dangerous objects. Harry lands in Knockturn Alley in ''
Chamber of Secrets Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
'', when accidentally saying (in the film version) "Diagonally" instead of
Diagon Alley J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The Wea ...
(the book does not indicate what he pronounced) while using Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley. Here Hagrid finds him (and narrowly rescues him from a witch with mossy teeth who was holding a tray with fingernails in it), while looking for Flesh-eating Slug repellent, for the school's cabbage patch. From there he takes him back to Diagon Alley, where they find Hermione Granger who takes them to the
Weasleys Ronald Bilius Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' fantasy novel series. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', as the best friend of Harry Potter ...
.


Borgin & Burkes

Borgin and Burkes is an antique shop, which specializes in the Dark Arts, located in Knockturn Alley. The shop sells many dangerous and Dark artifacts such as a cursed opal necklace, a Hand of Glory, and half of a vanishing cabinet set which was used by Draco Malfoy to infiltrate Hogwarts in the ''
Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
''. Lord Voldemort worked at Borgin and Burkes briefly after he left Hogwarts during the mid-1940s. It is owned by Caractacus Burke and Mr. Borgin, though Mr. Borgin is the only owner to appear in the series.


The Leaky Cauldron

The Leaky Cauldron is a dark, shabby
pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
and inn for wizards, located on the Muggle street of
Charing Cross Road Charing Cross Road is a street in central London running immediately north of St Martin-in-the-Fields to St Giles Circus (the intersection with Oxford Street) and then becomes Tottenham Court Road. It leads from the north in the direction of ...
in London, offering food, drinks and rooms to rent. It was founded by
Daisy Dodderidge The following are supporting characters in the '' Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles ...
(1467–1555) in 1500 "to serve as a gateway between the non-wizarding world and Diagon Alley". The current barman and innkeeper is a wizard named Tom. On the main floor, the inn has a bar, several private parlour rooms, and a large dining room. On the upper floors, there are a number of rooms available for rent; Harry has stayed in Room 11, which has a talking mirror and windows that allow him to look out onto Charing Cross Road. People often stay at The Leaky Cauldron when they come to London on shopping trips. The pub serves as a way of entering into Diagon Alley from the Muggle world for Muggle-borns and their parents (both of whom, until the first letter from Hogwarts, have no magical knowledge or means of entering). The rear of The Leaky Cauldron opens onto a little courtyard, in which a particular brick must be tapped three times to open a path to Diagon Alley.


Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions

Madam Malkin's is a clothing shop next to Flourish & Blotts. It sells robes and other clothing, including the standard Hogwarts-required plain black work robes, and dress robes. Inside the shop, Madam Malkin and her assistants will tailor the robes to fit. ''
Malkin Malkin as a surname may refer to: * Arthur Malkin (1803–1888), English writer, alpinist and cricketer * Barry Malkin (1938–2019), American film editor * Benjamin Heath Malkin (1769–1842), antiquary and author * Chris Malkin (born 1967), En ...
'' is an archaic term for a crotchety old woman. Harry has two meetings with Draco Malfoy in Madam Malkin's shop. This is where Harry meets the first wizard of his own age, Malfoy, for the first time, in ''Philosopher's Stone''. Harry is rather bewildered by the questions Malfoy asks, because Harry is still unfamiliar with many aspects of the wizarding world. A second meeting occurs just before the beginning of Harry's sixth year, in ''Half-Blood Prince''. This meeting is far more unpleasant, and escalates quickly into a near-duel before Malfoy and his mother leave in disgust.


Magical Menagerie

The Magical Menagerie is a magical creature shop that in addition to selling magical creatures offers advice on animal care and health. The shop is very cramped, noisy and smelly, due to every inch being covered with cages. Among the creatures in the Magical Menagerie are enormous purple toads, a firecrab, poisonous orange snails, a fat white rabbit that can turn into a silk top hat, cats of every colour, ravens, puffskeins, and a cage of sleek black rats that play skipping games with their tails. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit the shop in ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', a witch wearing heavy black spectacles helps them. Ron buys ''Rat Tonic'' for his pet rat,
Scabbers The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wiza ...
, while Hermione buys a cat,
Crookshanks Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the '' Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends en ...
.


Ollivanders

Ollivanders is a wand shop described as "narrow and shabby, with a sign that reads ''Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC'' in peeling gold letters over the door. The only display in the window overlooking Diagon Alley is a single wand lying on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. Within, there are countless narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling and a spindly-legged chair" (which Hagrid breaks when he sits upon it).
Ollivander The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
, the pale-eyed, white-haired shopkeeper (played in the film by
John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in ...
), makes and sells magic wands to witches and wizards as they enter school or break their old wands. He remembers every wand he has ever sold. To determine the best wand for a witch or wizard, Ollivander measures various body parts (including, in Harry's case, between his nostrils) and then checks the reactions of various wands to the buyer, a process to which he refers as "the wand choosing the wizard". The shop closed when Ollivander went missing in ''Half-Blood Prince'', Voldemort having ordered his Death Eaters to kidnap him to attempt to discover more about the link between his own and Harry's wand. Harry rescues Ollivander in ''Deathly Hallows''.


Potage's Cauldron Shop

Potage's Cauldron Shop sells different varieties and sizes of cauldrons, including copper,
brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
, pewter, silver, self-stirring, collapsible, and solid gold, according to a sign outside the shop. Hogwarts requires its students to have a size 2 pewter cauldron (as listed in the Philosopher's Stone book list). The Cauldron Shop is very near to the entrance from The Leaky Cauldron.


Quality Quidditch Supplies

Quality Quidditch Supplies sells broomsticks and Quidditch-related items. The store windows often draw young customers to gaze longingly at the merchandise. Its most famous items on display are the Nimbus 2000 and the Firebolt broomsticks, both of which Harry eventually owns. The Firebolt is a national racing broom that professional leagues use. Harry spends the summer before his third year gazing at the Firebolt in the display window, the price of which is only available upon request, and which Sirius Black purchases for Harry as an anonymous Christmas gift. Ron at one point longs for a full set of Chudley Cannons robes offered at the shop.


Slug and Jiggers Apothecary

The Apothecary sells
scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number w ...
, potions and potion ingredients. The shop is quite fascinating despite its very bad smell (a mixture of bad eggs and rotten cabbage). The inside includes barrels of slimy stuff on the floor, jars of herbs, dried roots and bright powders on the shelves, and bundles of feathers, strings of fangs and snarled claws hanging from the ceiling. Harry regularly buys ingredients, as well as his scales, from the Apothecary. Some of the ingredients available are silver
unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...
horns (for twenty-one Galleons each), glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop), and Dragon liver (seventeen Sickles an ounce).


Stalls

As well as many shops, Diagon Alley also contains small stalls, which sell a wide variety of magical objects, sweets, and trinkets. In ''Half-Blood Prince'', many witches and wizards try to take advantage of the fear created by Voldemort's return. They set up stalls selling amulets and other objects, which supposedly protect you against werewolves, Dementors and Inferi. These "dark magic protection" stalls, however, are illegal, and likely scams. Arthur Weasley is the one in charge of arresting their owners.


Twilfitt and Tatting's

Twilfitt and Tatting's is a wizarding clothing shop located in Diagon Alley, mentioned in ''Half-Blood Prince'' by Narcissa Malfoy, who claims she would shop there rather than shopping in Madam Malkin's due to the presence of Harry, Ron, and Hermione (mostly Hermione, whom the Malfoys look down upon due to her blood status). By the tone in Narcissa's voice, it is implied to be slightly more upscale than Malkin's.


Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment

Sells all sorts of equipment used in the wizard world and is where Harry buys his first telescope.


Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is a popular joke shop that started as a small school business created by Fred and George Weasley in the fourth book. It opened its doors at Number 93
Diagon Alley J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The Wea ...
in the summer of the sixth book, using Harry Potter's Triwizard Tournament Winnings as starting capital. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes sells joke and trick items, useful novelties, sweets, and
Defence Against the Dark Arts In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibit ...
items. The front of the shop is described as a fireworks display against the muffled backdrop of dull shops. Some of their products are U-No-Poo, Skiving Snackboxes, trick wands, spell-checking and Smart Answer Quills, reusable Hangmans, Daydream Charms, muggle magic tricks, Edible Dark Marks, Shield Products, Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, joke cauldrons, Wonderwitch beauty products and 10-second pimple vanishers, Pygmy Puffs, love potions, and more. Fred and George started using the name "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes" in ''Goblet of Fire'' for a mail order business selling merchandise, including sweets to help students fake illness in order to skip classes. After an early departure from Hogwarts in ''Order of the Phoenix'', the two Weasleys set up their shop in Diagon Alley, which quickly became a huge success. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes had to be temporarily shut down in ''Deathly Hallows'', because the Death Eaters were keeping an eye on all the Weasleys, but Fred and George continued to run an Owl-Order service. In interviews post-publication of ''Deathly Hallows,'' Rowling has said that George (after Fred died) reopened the
Diagon Alley J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The Wea ...
store, that "it became a tremendous money-spinner", and that Ron worked for him there after taking
Auror The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
training and going to work for the Ministry of Magic. In the play '' Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'', Ron runs the store nineteen years after the events of the Deathly Hallows.


Hogsmeade

Hogsmeade Village, or simply Hogsmeade, is the only settlement in Britain inhabited solely by wizards, witches, and other magical beings, and is located to the northwest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was founded by medieval wizard Hengist of Woodcroft who fled to Scotland to escape Muggle persecution of wizards in Northumberland. Much of Hogsmeade's architecture reflects its medieval origin; the village is known for its leaning medieval houses the most famous of which being the Three Broomsticks, an ancient inn built on the site of Woodcroft's home, and the backdrop for such dramatic wizarding events as the 1612 rebellion of Britain's goblins (the upper rooms of the inn served as the headquarters for the Ministry of Magic in its attempts to put down the insurrection in the Highlands). Hogsmeade primarily consists of a single thoroughfare, called High Street, on which most shops and other magical venues reside; however, unnamed alleyways branching off from the main road are also home to such historic places as the Hog's Head Inn and Madame Puddifoot's Teashop. Students of Hogwarts who are in their third year and above are permitted to visit Hogsmeade during scheduled visits, to shop and mingle with friends un-chaperoned, as long as they have a signed
permission slip A permission slip is a form that a school or other organization sends home with a student to a parent in which the parent provides authorization for minors to travel under the auspices of the school or organization for an event, such as a field tri ...
from a parent or guardian. Mainly, students frequent a high street in the village which contains the named speciality shops and
pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
s in the series. Otherwise, they wander on to observe the infamous Shrieking Shack. Hogsmeade gives its name to the train station which serves as one end of the route traveled by the Hogwarts Express to transport students to and from London. Students must walk or take a carriage to travel between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Hogsmeade remained unseen in the ''Harry Potter'' film series until 2004's '' Prisoner of Azkaban''. The village has since appeared again in '' Order of the Phoenix'', ''
Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'' and '' Deathly Hallows – Part 2''. In all of these, the village is seen under heavy caps of snow.


Dervish & Banges

A shop that sells and repairs magical equipment, Dervish & Banges is located near the end of the High Street.


Gladrags Wizardwear

Gladrags Wizardwear sells clothing. There are other branches in London and Paris. It is full of quirky merchandise, and appears to specialise in strange and unusual socks, where Harry buys Dobby a selection of wacky socks, in thanks for helping him in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament.


Honeydukes

Honeydukes is a popular sweets shop located in Hogsmeade that is usually crowded with Hogwarts students and occasionally even the professors of Hogwarts. The shop is filled with many different kinds of wonderful and wild sweets, such as Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Blood-Flavoured Lollipops, Acid Pops, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Wands, Exploding Bonbons, Skeletal Sweets, and so much more. There is also a secret passageway in the cellar of Honeydukes that leads to the third floor corridor of Hogwarts, behind the large stone statue of Gunhilda of Gorsemoor. Harry used this entrance to sneak into Hogsmeade in ''
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of W ...
''.


Hogsmeade Station

Hogsmeade Station is the closest train stop to Hogwarts; the
Hogwarts Express Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
stops here after travelling from King's Cross. Scenes involving Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films were shot at
Goathland railway station Goathland railway station is a station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and serves the village of Goathland in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. It has also been used in numerous television and film productions ( ...
on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, built in 1865 and virtually unchanged, that serves the village of
Goathland Goathland is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, it is in the North York Moors national park due north of Pickering, off the A169 to Whitby. I ...
in the
North York Moors The North York Moors is an upland area in north-eastern Yorkshire, England. It contains one of the largest expanses of Calluna, heather moorland in the United Kingdom. The area was designated as a national parks of England and Wales, National P ...
. According to Rowling's illustrations, Hogsmeade station is not in Hogsmeade, but on the opposite side of the lake.


The Hog's Head

The Hog's Head is another
pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
, which often attracts a more disreputable clientele than the Three Broomsticks, and many of the customers hide their faces out of a desire not to be recognised. The hanging sign in front of the pub has a severed boar's head, leaking blood onto the white cloth around it. The pub itself is filthy, with the floor covered with layers of dirt and the windows smeared with so much grime that little light gets through. The main floor is a single room, but there are additional rooms on the upper floors. Harry notes that the pub smells strongly of goats. The barman and owner is
Aberforth Dumbledore The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
, the brother of Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, although this is not revealed until the final book. Despite its seedy reputation, the Hog's Head has been host to several important events in the world of Harry Potter. The inn was the headquarters of the 1612 Goblin Rebellion. A few months before Harry was born, it was here that the
Seer In the United States, the efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) which is defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, a trade association, in its 2008 standard AHRI ...
Sybill Trelawney The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling. The staff and their positions Teachers and staff members The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
revealed the prophecy connecting Voldemort and Harry during an interview with Dumbledore for the position of
Divination Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...
teacher at Hogwarts, while Professor Severus Snape listens to the first part of the prophecy. It is also where Hagrid wins an illegal
dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
egg (
Norbert Norbert is a Germanic given name, from ''north, nord'' "north" and ''berht'' "bright". Norbert is also occasionally found as a surname. People with the given name Academia * Norbert Angermann (born 1936), German historian * Norbert A’Campo (bor ...
) while gambling with a disguised servant of Voldemort. In ''Order of the Phoenix'', the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army is secretly held at the Hog's Head. During ''Deathly Hallows'', Aberforth reveals a secret passage that leads into Hogwarts' Room of Requirement, where Dumbledore's Army has set up headquarters. The Hog's Head entrance is hidden behind a portrait of Ariana Dumbledore, the younger sister of Albus and Aberforth. Before the Battle of Hogwarts begins, the passage is used to evacuate underage students from the school. The remaining members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix gather at the Hog's Head before entering the castle through this passage to fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The name of the tavern refers to an archaic unit of liquid measurement, the
hogshead A hogshead (abbreviated "hhd", plural "hhds") is a large cask of liquid (or, less often, of a food commodity). More specifically, it refers to a specified volume, measured in either imperial or US customary measures, primarily applied to alcoho ...
. It may also be an
allusion Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated (as ...
to the "Boar's Head Tavern" from the play ''
Henry IV, Part 1 ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...
'' by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. Much like The Hog's Head, Shakespeare's tavern is the haunt of some less-than-reputable characters. It should also be noted that there is a second hand music shop by the name of "The Hog's Head" less than a mile from JK Rowling's residence in Edinburgh, Scotland. The shop was established four years before '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' was released.


Madam Puddifoot's

Located on a little side street off the main High Street, Madam Puddifoot's is a small teashop favourite among Hogwarts couples out on dates. It's described as a cramped, steamy place where everything is adorned with bows or frills. The small, circular tables are set for two. On
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
Madam Puddifoot hires floating golden cherubs to throw pink confetti on visiting couples. It was at Madam Puddifoot's that Harry celebrated his Valentine's Day with
Cho Chang Dumbledore's Army (or D.A. for short) is a fictional student organisation in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series that is founded by the main characters, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, to stand up against the regime of Hogwa ...
, in the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix.


Post Office

The Post Office is filled with at least two to three hundred owls, ranging from great grey owls to tiny scops (the latter for "local deliveries only"), hooting down from colour-coded shelves. These owls deliver mail to people in the wizarding world. The shelves are colour-coded based on how quickly they will arrive at their destination.


Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop

Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop sells a range of wizarding stationery like quills, ink, parchment, envelopes, seals, etc. Hermione buys a new quill here in ''
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fifth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witc ...
''.


Shrieking Shack

The Shrieking Shack stands on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, just a little way above the rest of the village, with boarded-up windows and an overgrown garden. It's described to be slightly creepy even in daylight. Connected to Hogwarts by a secret tunnel underneath the
Whomping Willow This list of fictional plants describes invented plants that appear in works of fiction. In fiction *Audrey Jr.: a man-eating plant in the 1960 film ''The Little Shop of Horrors'' **Audrey II: a singing, fast-talking alien plant with a taste for ...
, which was planted specifically to conceal the tunnel, the Shrieking Shack was built so Remus Lupin could hide in it during his monthly transformations into a
werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
, to avoid harming fellow students or other innocents. The villagers heard Lupin's howls while he resided there, and mistook it for violent spirits. This rumour, further encouraged by Dumbledore to discourage anyone from investigating, led to the Shrieking Shack being officially regarded as the most haunted building in Britain. Apparently, the tunnel through the Whomping Willow is the only way to get in to the Shrieking Shack. In ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', the Shrieking Shack becomes part of the dramatic conclusion of the book when Sirius returns to the school. He drags Ron and his pet rat, Scabbers, there intending to kill Scabbers. Scabbers is revealed to be the Animagus
Peter Pettigrew Peter Pettigrew (born 9 September 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia se ...
, Black's former friend who had betrayed the Potters to Voldemort, a crime for which Black had been blamed and sentenced to lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban. In the book ''Deathly Hallows'', Snape is killed in the Shrieking Shack by Voldemort's snake, Nagini.


The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks is a well known inn and pub located on High Street in the village of Hogsmeade. It is known for its delicious
butterbeer The fictional universe of British author J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series of fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the Wizarding World and the Muggle world. In the novels, the Muggle world is the world inhabited by the non-mag ...
and its beautiful owner Madam Rosmerta, who lives above the pub. The Three Broomsticks is a favoured destination among Hogwarts students and staff, although in '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', Hagrid mentions visiting the Hog's Head. It is the site of important events in the series, including Harry's interview with
Rita Skeeter The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
in his fifth year. It is described as being warm, smoky, crowded, and noisy. As well as butterbeer, it serves firewhisky (although seemingly not to students, as mentioned by Ron in the Hog's Head in the fifth year), gillywater, Rosmerta's oak-matured mead, and many muggle drinks. Madam Rosmerta usually works at the bar, in the front or the side of the room. There is a fireplace in the back of the pub and an inn above.


Zonko's Joke Shop

Zonko's Joke Shop has jokes and tricks that can "fulfil even Fred and George's wildest dreams". Some of these include Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and Nose-Biting Teacups. It closes down in ''Half-Blood Prince''. Fred and George later buy the shop.


Government-affiliated locales


Azkaban

Azkaban is a prison where wizards who violate the laws of the British
wizarding world The Wizarding World (previously known as J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World) is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the ''Harry Potter'' novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production since ...
are sent. Only one other such prison,
Nurmengard J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The We ...
, is mentioned in the books. According to ''Half-Blood Prince'', Azkaban is "in the middle of the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
". Sirius Black says that when he escaped from Azkaban while in his animagus form as a dog, he swam to Britain and then travelled northwards to get to Hogwarts. This implies that Azkaban is at a lower latitude than Hogwarts, which is in Scotland. Although Azkaban's appearance is not described in detail in the books, it is mentioned to have grounds outside the prison where prisoners who have died are buried. In the film adaptations it appears to be a tall triangular building, somewhat hollow in the middle. Many of the prisoners were supporters of Voldemort (known as Death Eaters), though some misunderstandings have resulted in others' imprisonment. For instance, Sirius Black was imprisoned without trial after Peter Pettigrew killed a dozen Muggles, faked his own death, and framed Sirius for these crimes; Sirius escapes after serving 12 years. Two years later, Harry is threatened with a term in Azkaban after he performs a Patronus Charm that saves both him and his cousin Dudley from a Dementor attack. Performing any of the Unforgivable Curses on a human is punishable by a mandatory whole life sentence in Azkaban, but that ban has been lifted for Aurors during wartime. Several characters throughout the series have performed the curses and not been punished accordingly. Other crimes which merit imprisonment here include assaulting the Ministry (for example, the Death Eaters detained in ''Order of the Phoenix''), trespassing in the Ministry (Sturgis Podmore in ''Order of the Phoenix''), being an unregistered Animagus, and impersonating an Inferius. Azkaban has a reputation of evil and fear throughout the series. As mentioned at the start of the series, Azkaban is guarded by the Dementors, working under the
Ministry of Magic The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
. The large presence of Dementors renders the inmates incapable of happiness and forces them to relive their worst memories, as they become gradually helpless and often severely insane. According to Sirius, many inmates simply stop eating and eventually die of starvation. Sirius' reasoning for this is that "They simply lose their will to live". As Dementors are extremely difficult to injure – the only spell effective against them is the
Patronus Charm The fictional universe of British author J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series of fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the Wizarding World and the Muggle world. In the novels, the Muggle world is the world inhabited by the non-mag ...
 – Azkaban was long considered impossible to escape from, until Sirius escaped (although Barty Crouch Jr had previously broken out with the help of his parents); however, Dumbledore claimed he could break out of Azkaban if he wished to do so. In ''Order of the Phoenix'', ten of Voldemort's most dangerous and loyal followers escaped, including Bellatrix Lestrange. Dumbledore was always vocal in declaring that it was a mistake to guard Voldemort's greatest supporters with Dementors, who have the most to gain if Voldemort returned to power. He is proven right, as the Dementors leave their posts at Azkaban and join ranks with Voldemort. The prison is still in use, but greatly weakened by the revolt of its most effective wardens. Azkaban also had various wizard guards, who kept the Dementors mostly in check and managed the rare prison visits. By the start of ''Deathly Hallows'', there had been another mass break-out of Death Eaters from Azkaban. Upon Voldemort's takeover of the Ministry, many political prisoners are sent to Azkaban by Ministry traitor Dolores Umbridge, including Xenophilius Lovegood and Muggle-borns persecuted under Voldemort's implementation of anti-Muggle legislation. Such victims are released following Voldemort's downfall, and Umbridge is imprisoned there, along with whichever Death Eaters survived the Battle of Hogwarts. Following Voldemort's ultimate demise, Kingsley Shacklebolt ends the use of Dementors at Azkaban, their presence having always been a mark of the underlying corruption of the Ministry.


Magical Congress of the United States of America

The Magical Congress of the United States of America (shortened MACUSA) is the magical body in charge of governing the wizarding population of the United States of America. It is led by the President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Unlike the No-Maj United States Congress, which is divided into a House of Representatives and a Senate, the MACUSA is unicameral. The MACUSA is located within the
Woolworth Building The Woolworth Building is an early skyscraper, early American skyscraper designed by architect Cass Gilbert located at 233 Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the tallest building in ...
in downtown New York City and spans hundreds of stories. Newt Scamander visited the building in the film ''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'', when he was brought in by Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein for threatening the Statute of Secrecy by using magic in front of Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj.


Ministry of Magic

The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain. The "Ministry of Magic" was first mentioned in "The Philosopher's Stone".


St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries is a hospital within the ''Harry Potter'' universe. Medics at the hospital are not called doctors, but are known as Healers and wear lime-green robes. Founded by famous wizard Healer Mungo Bonham, St Mungo's is located in London. It was established to treat magical maladies, injuries or illnesses endemic to the Wizarding World. To enter the premises, one has to step through the window of what appears to be a derelict department store called Purge & Dowse Ltd. The exteriors of the hospital are red-bricked and dirty, which is the complete opposite of the interiors. Inside, everything is very neat and looks exactly as a hospital should. There are six floors. The emblem of St Mungo's is a magic wand crossed with a
bone A bone is a Stiffness, rigid Organ (biology), organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red blood cell, red and white blood cells, store minerals, provid ...
. This is the hospital where Arthur Weasley is sent after he was attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini, in the
Ministry of Magic The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
and
Minerva McGonagall Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguratio ...
is hospitalised from severe stunning when Hagrid is forced out of Hogwarts. During one visit, Harry and company happen across Neville Longbottom, who has come with his grandmother
Augusta Longbottom The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
to visit his
parents A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A ''biological parent'' is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male t ...
in the long-term care ward. They also find former professor Gilderoy Lockhart there, still suffering from the effects of a backfired Memory Charm.


Nurmengard

Nurmengard is the prison that
Gellert Grindelwald The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
built to keep his enemies and Muggles in. The entrance is marked with the symbol of the
Deathly Hallows ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
, along with the legend ''"For the greater good"''. After Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, the prisoners were released and Grindelwald himself was imprisoned in the top-most cell. Nurmengard is depicted in the final book when Voldemort arrives at the prison looking for Grindelwald and information about the
Elder Wand An elder is someone with a degree of seniority or authority. Elder or elders may refer to: Positions Administrative * Elder (administrative title), a position of authority Cultural * North American Indigenous elder, a person who has and tr ...
. After Grindelwald refuses to give him any information, Voldemort kills him in his own prison.


Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

The ride on the
Hogwarts Express Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
starts from King's Cross railway station platform , which is hidden from view, and reached by walking through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Rowling discovered after the books were published that she had confused the layout of King's Cross with that of
Euston station Euston railway station ( ; also known as London Euston) is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden, managed by Network Rail. It is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line, the UK's busiest inter-city railw ...
, and that platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross were not the ones between which she had meant her magical platform to be placed. There is no platform between lines 9 and 10 at King's Cross. To solve this, the filmmakers re-numbered platforms 4 and 5 for the duration of filming. In reality, at both King's Cross and Euston, platforms 9 and 10 are separated by railway lines. The exterior shots in the film are of the
St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel The St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel forms the frontispiece of St Pancras railway station in St Pancras, London. The station is one of the main rail termini in London and the final stop for international trains departing to Paris, Brussels, ...
, which is part of St Pancras station, adjacent to King's Cross station. From the outside St Pancras is much more visually dramatic than King's Cross. A plaque depicting the supposed location was placed on the wall in the building containing platforms 9 to 11, along with a luggage trolley 'stuck' halfway through the wall. During the station's extensive renovation works, it was moved temporarily to an exterior wall on the
Euston Road Euston Road is a road in Central London that runs from Marylebone Road to King's Cross. The route is part of the London Inner Ring Road and forms part of the London congestion charge zone boundary. It is named after Euston Hall, the family ...
, and then in 2012 to the new western departures concourse. A wrought iron 'Platform ' gate used as part of the film set is preserved at the
National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the Science Museum Group. The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant r ...
. Soon after
Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his deep, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and became a member of the Royal Shakespe ...
's death in 2016, ''Harry Potter'' fans created a memorial to the actor at platform . A ''Harry Potter''-themed store is also located in the station near the plaque.


Filming locations

The following are locations used by
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...
to film the fictional locations in the ''Harry Potter'' film series. *
Ashridge Ashridge is a country estate and stately home in Hertfordshire, England in the United Kingdom. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about north of Berkhamsted and north west of London. The estate com ...
, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire (Forbidden Forest and various woodland scenes in all films) *
Burnham Beeches Burnham Beeches is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest situated west of Farnham Common in the village of Burnham, Buckinghamshire. The southern half is owned by the Corporation of London and is open to the public. It is also a Na ...
,
Burnham Burnham may refer to: Places Canada *Burnham, Saskatchewan England *Burnham, Buckinghamshire ** Burnham railway station ** Burnham Grammar School *Burnham Green, Hertfordshire, location of The White Horse * Burnham, Lincolnshire **High Burnham, ...
, Buckinghamshire (woodland scenes in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'') * Australia House, The Strand, London (Gringotts Bank) * Alnwick Castle, Northumberland (Hogwarts exterior) *
Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford, and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second- ...
, Oxford (Hogwarts interiors) * Borough Market, London (Diagon Alley) *12 Picket Post Close, Winkfield Row, Bracknell, Berkshire (
4 Privet Drive J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe, ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, List of leading shopping streets and districts by city, shop ...
). *
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...
(Hogwarts interiors) *
Claremont Square Claremont Square is a square in the Angel (Pentonville) part of Islington, London. Its central green mound, hiding a reservoir, is dotted with mature trees on all four sides (embankments). On its north side is Pentonville Road. It is lined on ...
, near Amwell St., Islington, London Borough of Islington, London. (
12 Grimmauld Place J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale. Dwellings The Burrow The Wea ...
. Sirius Black family residence, and location of the Order of the Phoenix). *
Divinity School, Oxford The Divinity School is a medieval building and room in the Perpendicular style in Oxford, England, part of the University of Oxford. Built between 1427 and 1483, it is the oldest surviving purpose-built building for university use, specifically f ...
(Hogwarts hospital wing) *
Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...
(Hogwarts interiors) * Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland (Viaduct used in the Hogwarts Express scenes) *
Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishment of a minster dedicated to S ...
(Hogwarts corridors) *
Goathland railway station Goathland railway station is a station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and serves the village of Goathland in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. It has also been used in numerous television and film productions ( ...
, Yorkshire (Hogsmeade Station) * Great Scotland Yard, (Harry and Mr Weasley enter a phone box in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' enter into the Ministry of Magic) *
Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...
, (Professor Flitwick's classroom) *
King's Cross Station King's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, is a passenger railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden, on the edge of Central London. It is in the London station group, one of the busiest stations in the United King ...
, London (King's Cross interior) * Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire (Hogwarts interiors) *
Leadenhall Market Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street but with vehicular access also available via Whittington Avenue to the north and Lime Street to the south and east, and additional pedestrian access via a number of ...
, London (Diagon Alley & Leaky Cauldron) *
London Zoo London Zoo, also known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for science, scientific study. In 1831 o ...
(Reptile House) * Malham Cove, North Yorkshire (Camping location, atop limestone pavement) * Queensway Tunnel (Merseyside), (Chase sequence in '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'') *
Millennium Bridge Several bridges are known as the Millennium Bridge: * in the United Kingdom **Gateshead Millennium Bridge ** Lune Millennium Bridge, Lancaster ** Millennium Bridge, Glasgow ** Millennium Bridge, London ** Millennium Bridge (Salford Quays) ** Teesqua ...
, London (Death Eater attack at start of ''
Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'') *
New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...
(Hogwarts cloisters) * Freshwater West beach,
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...
, Wales (Shell Cottage)“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows mystery cottage on beach in Wales”
''The Telegraph''. Retrieved 3 November 2020
* Piccadilly Circus, exterior shots where we see Harry, Hermione and Ron rushing through London's West End *
St Pancras railway station St Pancras railway station (), also known as London St Pancras or St Pancras International and officially since 2007 as London St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus on Euston Road in the London Borough of Camden. It is ...
, London (King's Cross exterior). *
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...
, London (Spiral staircase in Hogwarts). * Saint Cyriac's, Church of England, Church Street,
Lacock Lacock is a village and civil parish in the county of Wiltshire, England, about 3 miles (5 km) south of the town of Chippenham, and about outside the Cotswolds area. The village is owned almost in its entirety by the National Trust a ...
, Wiltshire, and village of Lacock. (Godric's Hollow Parish Church and Godric's Hollow). *
Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...
, Scotland (Outdoor scenes in '' Prisoner of Azkaban'' and ''Half-Blood Prince'') *
Surbiton railway station Surbiton is a suburban neighbourhood in South West London, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK). It is next to the River Thames, southwest of Charing Cross. Surbiton was in the Historic counties of England, historic county of ...
, South London (Railway and cafe scene at the start of Half-Blood Prince'') *
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, Virginia (stock footage for extras ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film), Philosopher's Stone'' and ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film), Chamber of Secrets'') *Virginia Water Lake, Surrey (Lakeside scenes in ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film), Goblet of Fire'' and ''Half-Blood Prince'') *Westminster Hall (Hogwarts Great Hall ceiling) * Cliffs of Moher (cave scene from ''
Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'')


See also

* The Shambles


References


External links


Gazetteer of the Wizarding World
at Harry Potter Lexicon {{DEFAULTSORT:Places in Harry Potter Fictional elements introduced in 1997 Fictional universe of Harry Potter, Lists of fictional locations, Harry Potter Fictional locations by series, Harry Potter Fictional populated places in Scotland Fictional locations in Scotland Harry Potter lists