J. K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
's
''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a
dwelling, school,
shopping district
A shopping street or shopping district is a designated road or quarter of a city/town that is composed of individual retail establishments (such as stores, boutiques, restaurants, and shopping complexes). Such areas will typically be pedest ...
, 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. Devo ...
, 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'' 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
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
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
Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by wi ...
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
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
Headmaster,
Albus Dumbledore
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is ...
.
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 boot
The Wellington boot was originally a type of leather boot adapted from Hessian boots, a style of military riding boot. They were worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The "Wellington" boot became a staple of pr ...
s 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, Glo ...
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 (disambiguati ...
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 S ...
. It was at this place that their baby son,
Harry
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
, 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 h ...
(after whom the village was named)
and the home of James Potter's family. In ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', 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
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 the Potters.
Albus Dumbledore
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is ...
'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
Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by wi ...
) and
Bathilda Bagshot
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. ...
, 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.
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''. 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
''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 t ...
'', 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
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' ...
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
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. ...
'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 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 ...
, the
Gaunt family. 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, England, located to the south of London.
Alison Lurie noted in the ''
New York Review of Books
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
'' 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
''Petunia'' is genus of 20 species of flowering plants of South American origin. The popular flower of the same name derived its epithet from the French, which took the word ''petun'', meaning "tobacco," from a Tupi–Guarani language. A tende ...
, uncle
Vernon, and cousin
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
. 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
A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes forming small or medium-sized trees, native to Europe, north Africa, Asia, many introduced and nat ...
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
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is ...
to keep an eye on Harry. In ''
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', 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 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 is the home of the aristocratic Malfoy family:
Lucius
Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from '' Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames ('' praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from ...
,
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 G ...
and later
Bellatrix Lestrange
Bellatrix Lestrange () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. ...
(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, 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
Luna Lovegood is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series by J. K. Rowling. She first appears in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', where she is described as having straggly, waist-length dirty-blond hair and a daz ...
,
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
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
,
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 ...
, 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 Eater
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 ...
s 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 ...
, 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 painting, 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, and even the mood of the person. For this r ...
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 exhibi ...
charms, the place is Unplottable, the whole house is under a Fidelius charm and it is disguised from
Muggle
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, a Muggle () is a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born in a magical family. Muggles can also be described as people who do not have any magical blood inside them. It differs fr ...
s 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 after the coup d'état. This is known because
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger ( ) is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. She first appears in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997), as a new student on her way to Hogwarts. After Harry and ...
mentions
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 Ston ...
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 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 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 ...
,
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
Luna commonly refers to:
* Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin
* Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon
Luna may also refer to:
Places Philippines
* Luna, Apayao
* Luna, Isabela
* Luna, La Union
* Luna, San Jose
Roma ...
,
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
Rhyan Clapham, known by his stage name Dobby (stylised as DOBBY), is a Filipino-Aboriginal Australian musician. He describes himself as a "drapper", a contraction of rapper and drummer, although he also plays other instruments and is also a compo ...
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
Freshwater West (also known as ''Fresh West'') is a beach near Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire in West Wales. It lies along the B4319 road and is part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Freshwater West, noted for its strong waves and curren ...
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 b ...
, Wales.
Spinner's End
Spinner's End is a Muggle street, on which sits a house that is the home of
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose sarcastic, controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraf ...
. 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
Bellatrix Lestrange () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. ...
and
Narcissa Malfoy
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 article ...
. 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 ...
. Beauxbâtons is described as a
boarding school 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; 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
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
to take part in the Triwizard Tournament. They arrive in a carriage, brought by winged
Palomino 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'', Beauxbâtons students are all female, while in the books it is
co-educational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
.
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
Muggle
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, a Muggle () is a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born in a magical family. Muggles can also be described as people who do not have any magical blood inside them. It differs fr ...
s (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 ciga ...
. 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 (author of multiple potions books) and João Coelho (captain of a professional
Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by wi ...
team.)
In ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'',
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 ...
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 ...
. 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 in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
. 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 unders ...
. 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 exhib ...
'', 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 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
''Sturm und Drang'' (, ; usually translated as "storm and stress") was a proto- Romantic movement in German literature and music that occurred between the late 1760s and early 1780s. Within the movement, individual subjectivity and, in particul ...
'' 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 e ...
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
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
's ''
Harry Potter'' 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 New England town, town in northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was ...
, on
Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock is a mountain located in the northwest corner of Massachusetts and is the highest point in the state. Its summit is in the western part of the town of Adams (near its border with Williamstown) in Berkshire County. Geologically ...
, 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
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
, 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
Thunderbird, thunder bird or thunderbirds may refer to:
* Thunderbird (mythology), a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture
* Ford Thunderbird, a car
Birds
* Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds ...
, 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 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
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
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 si ...
, 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
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-ma ...
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
''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the second novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, d ...
'' 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. 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
Rubeus Hagrid () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He is introduced in '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a half-giant and half-human who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of K ...
purchased Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig Hedwig may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Hedwig (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Grzegorz Hedwig (born 1988), Polish slalom canoeist
* Johann Hedwig, (1730–1799), German botanist
* Romanus Adol ...
, 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 ...
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
''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 ...
''. 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
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 ...
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
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 ...
slips Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny's battered old Magic in Harry Potter#Transfiguration, 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'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 si ...
and it is operated primarily by Goblins (Harry Potter), goblins. 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 Magical objects in Harry Potter#Philosopher's stone, Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore sent Hagrid to retrieve it while he escorted Harry. Later that same day, Professor Quirrell 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
Bellatrix Lestrange () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. ...
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 ...
, 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 "nocturnality, 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 ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chamber of Secrets'', when accidentally saying (in the film version) "Diagonally" instead of Diagon Alley (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
Hermione Jean Granger ( ) is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. She first appears in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997), as a new student on her way to Hogwarts. After Harry and ...
who takes them to the Weasleys.
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
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scotland, Scottish boarding school of Magic in Harry Potter, magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Pot ...
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 and inn for wizards, located on the Muggle street of Charing Cross Road in London, offering food, drinks and rooms to rent. It was founded by Daisy Dodderidge (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'' 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, while Hermione buys a cat, Crookshanks.
Ollivanders
Ollivanders is a Magical objects in Harry Potter#Wand, 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).
List of supporting Harry Potter characters#Garrick Ollivander, Ollivander, the pale-eyed, white-haired shopkeeper (played in the film by John Hurt), 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 Magical objects in Harry Potter#Cauldron, cauldrons, including copper, brass, 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 in Harry Potter, broomsticks and Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by wi ...
-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 in Harry Potter, 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 Quidditch#Professional Quidditch teams, Chudley Cannons robes offered at the shop.
Slug and Jiggers Apothecary
The Apothecary sells Weighing scale, scales, 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 horns (for twenty-one Money in Harry Potter, 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 Magic in Harry Potter#Inferius, 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
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 article ...
, 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 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 Subjects at Hogwarts#Defence Against the Dark Arts, Defence Against the Dark Arts 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 store, that "it became a tremendous money-spinner", and that Ron worked for him there after taking Auror 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, 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 Scottish Highlands, 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 from a parent or guardian. Mainly, students frequent a high street in the village which contains the named speciality shops and pubs 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, ''Harry Potter'' film series until 2004's ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film), Prisoner of Azkaban''. The village has since appeared again in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film), Order of the Phoenix'', ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film), Half-Blood Prince'' and ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, 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''.
Hogsmeade Station
Hogsmeade Station is the closest train stop to Hogwarts; the Hogwarts Express stops here after travelling from London King's Cross railway station, King's Cross. Scenes involving Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films were shot at Goathland railway station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, built in 1865 and virtually unchanged, that serves the village of Goathland in the North York Moors.
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, 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 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 Goblins (Harry Potter), Goblin Rebellion. A few months before Harry was born, it was here that the Clairvoyance, Seer Sybill Trelawney revealed the prophecy connecting Voldemort and Harry during an interview with Dumbledore for the position of Magic in Harry Potter#Divination, Divination teacher at Hogwarts, while Professor Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose sarcastic, controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraf ...
listens to the first part of the prophecy. It is also where Hagrid wins an illegal dragon egg (Rubeus Hagrid#Norberta, Norbert) 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. It may also be an allusion to the "Boar's Head Tavern" from the play ''Henry IV, Part 1'' by William Shakespeare. 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 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, 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 owl, 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''.
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, 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 Magical creatures (Harry Potter)#Werewolves, werewolf, 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 (character), Peter Pettigrew, 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 (Harry Potter), 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 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 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 Weasley, 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 si ...
are sent. Only one other such prison, #Nurmengard, Nurmengard, is mentioned in the books. According to ''Half-Blood Prince'', Azkaban is "in the middle of the North Sea". 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 List of supporting Harry Potter characters#Dudley Dursley, his cousin Dudley from a Dementor attack. Performing any of the Unforgivable Curses on a human is punishable by a mandatory whole life tariff, 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 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 – 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
Bellatrix Lestrange () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. ...
. 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 Muggle, 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 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. This is the hospital where Arthur Weasley is sent after he was attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini (Harry Potter), Nagini, in the Ministry of Magic and Minerva McGonagall is hospitalised from severe stunning when Hagrid is forced out of Hogwarts. During one visit, Harry and company happen across Dumbledore's Army#Neville Longbottom, Neville Longbottom, who has come with his grandmother Augusta Longbottom to visit his Order of the Phoenix (fictional organisation)#Original, parents in the long-term care ward. They also find former professor Gilderoy Lockhart
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 ...
there, still suffering from the effects of a backfired Memory Charm.
Nurmengard
Nurmengard is the prison that Gellert Grindelwald built to keep his enemies and Muggles in. The entrance is marked with the symbol of the Deathly Hallows (objects), Deathly Hallows, 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. 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 starts from London King's Cross railway station, King's Cross railway station railway platform, 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 London King's Cross railway station, King's Cross with that of Euston railway station, Euston station, 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, which is part of St Pancras railway station, 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, 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. Soon after Alan Rickman'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. to film the fictional locations in the Harry Potter film series, ''Harry Potter'' film series.
*Ashridge, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire (Forbidden Forest and various woodland scenes in all films)
*Burnham Beeches, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, 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, Oxford (Hogwarts interiors)
*Borough Market, London (Diagon Alley)
*12 Picket Post Close, Winkfield Row, Bracknell, Berkshire (4 Privet Drive).
*Christ Church, Oxford (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. Sirius Black family residence, and location of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film), Order of the Phoenix).
*Divinity School, Oxford (Hogwarts hospital wing)
*Durham Cathedral (Hogwarts interiors)
*Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland (Viaduct used in the Hogwarts Express scenes)
*Gloucester Cathedral (Hogwarts corridors)
*Goathland railway station, 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, (Professor Flitwick's classroom)
*London King's Cross railway station, King's Cross Station, London (King's Cross interior)
*Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire (Hogwarts interiors)
* Leadenhall Market, London (Diagon Alley & Leaky Cauldron)
*London Zoo (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 (London), Millennium Bridge, London (Death Eater attack at start of ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film), Half-Blood Prince'')
*New College, Oxford (Hogwarts cloisters)
*Freshwater West
Freshwater West (also known as ''Fresh West'') is a beach near Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire in West Wales. It lies along the B4319 road and is part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Freshwater West, noted for its strong waves and curren ...
beach, Pembrokeshire, 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, London (King's Cross exterior).
*St Paul's Cathedral, London (Spiral staircase in Hogwarts).
*St Cyriac's Church, Saint Cyriac's, Church of England, Church Street, Lacock, Wiltshire, and village of Lacock. (Godric's Hollow Parish Church and Godric's Hollow).
*Scottish Highlands, Scotland (Outdoor scenes in ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film), Prisoner of Azkaban'' and ''Half-Blood Prince'')
*Surbiton railway station, South London (Railway and cafe scene at the start of Half-Blood Prince'')
*Virginia Beach, 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