Hogwarts: Foundation and History
written by Atharva Bikram Shah
About Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
13
Reads
1,206
Typical School Year
Chapter 7
Term began on 1 September. Students usually reached Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express, which left Platform 9¾ of London's King's Cross Station at 11 a.m. sharp.[1] There seemed to be other ways of entering the school, such as via broomsticks or Floo Powder, or simply Apparating to a nearby location such as Hogsmeade. Missing the Hogwarts Express for any reason was a very serious problem, but would not cost the student points as long as they got there before the term had officially started.[16] The Hogwarts Express brought the students to Hogsmeade station. First years traditionally crossed the Black Lake in boats with the gamekeeper, travelling under an opening in the rocks upon which Hogwarts was built, through a curtain of ivy, and finally into an underground harbour.[1]
Older students travelled on the road in carriages pulled by Thestrals (invisible to any that haven't witnessed death) to the castle.[33] The Welcoming Feast took place in the Great Hall. This feast included the Sorting ceremony, followed by a few words from the current Headmaster or Headmistress. The banquet started after this, including large quantities of food and drink. The feast was closed with a few more words from the Headmaster or headmistress, including the usual "start-of-term notices".[1]
Gryffindor Common Room
After dinner, students were led to their house common room by a prefect. This was a special time for new students to get comfortable with their surroundings, because the next day classes would begin. The class schedules were handed out during breakfast by the Heads of House. After two weeks of classes, the Quidditch team trials and flying lessons for the first years usually occured.[1]
Homework was usually assigned to students at the end of classes or at the end of the school term. It was usually completed by students in the: Study Hall, Study Area, Library, Gryffindor Tower reading room or another common room. A homework planner could be used to help students to keep track of all their homework assignments. Some magical planners also told the students to complete the homework when it was opened. If a student failed to complete the homework or was late in handing it in, they could be given a detention as a punishment.[1]
Hogwarts' school year was structured in a similar way to other non-magical schools and colleges in the UK, with a three-term year punctuated by holidays at Christmas and Easter and bounded by the long summer holiday of nine weeks. Students had the option of staying at Hogwarts for the winter and spring holidays. Those who chose to stay at the castle during the Christmas holidays did not have lessons and attended a feast on Christmas Day. Students also did not have classes the week of Easter, but this was much less enjoyable due to the large amount of work the teachers usually assigned students at this time in preparation for final exams.[1]
Hogsmeade village during Christmas
Other than the breaks and weekends, students did not receive holidays. However, students third year and above were allowed to visit Hogsmeade, the local village, occasionally.[32] There were normally four feasts per year: the start-of-term feast at the beginning of the school year, end-of-term feast at the end of the school year, and feasts at Hallowe'en and Christmas.[1] Feasts were also called to mark special occasions, as was seen in the Goblet of Fire book, when there was a feast to celebrate the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament.[12]
Halloween feast
Classes would proceed normally and the next notable event occurs on the evening of 31 October: the Hallowe'en feast. Decorations included giant pumpkins and flocks of hundreds of bats flying across the halls. The served foods included pumpkin treats, tarts, cakes and all sorts of magical sweets. The Quidditch season started usually with the first Quidditch match in the first weeks of November. In the second week of December, the Deputy Head would take names of those who would stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays. The first term usually ended about a week before Christmas, and most of the students and some of the teachers went home by the school train.[1]
In the Triwizard Tournament years, the Yule Ball occurred on the evening of Christmas Day, ending at midnight.[12] On the 25th of December, a Christmas Feast was held in the Great Hall. Shortly after the 6th January (Epiphany aka Twelfth Night), the Hogwarts Express returned to Hogsmeade; the second term would begin. The exact dates of the beginning of the Easter holidays varied every year. During these holidays, the students could go home. The final exams were held the first week of June and the results came out on the second week. In the evening before the Hogwarts Express went back to London, the End-of-Term Feast was held. The Hogwarts Express returned to London during the third week of June. Some staff and all of the students left Hogwarts for summer holidays.
Older students travelled on the road in carriages pulled by Thestrals (invisible to any that haven't witnessed death) to the castle.[33] The Welcoming Feast took place in the Great Hall. This feast included the Sorting ceremony, followed by a few words from the current Headmaster or Headmistress. The banquet started after this, including large quantities of food and drink. The feast was closed with a few more words from the Headmaster or headmistress, including the usual "start-of-term notices".[1]
Gryffindor Common Room
After dinner, students were led to their house common room by a prefect. This was a special time for new students to get comfortable with their surroundings, because the next day classes would begin. The class schedules were handed out during breakfast by the Heads of House. After two weeks of classes, the Quidditch team trials and flying lessons for the first years usually occured.[1]
Homework was usually assigned to students at the end of classes or at the end of the school term. It was usually completed by students in the: Study Hall, Study Area, Library, Gryffindor Tower reading room or another common room. A homework planner could be used to help students to keep track of all their homework assignments. Some magical planners also told the students to complete the homework when it was opened. If a student failed to complete the homework or was late in handing it in, they could be given a detention as a punishment.[1]
Hogwarts' school year was structured in a similar way to other non-magical schools and colleges in the UK, with a three-term year punctuated by holidays at Christmas and Easter and bounded by the long summer holiday of nine weeks. Students had the option of staying at Hogwarts for the winter and spring holidays. Those who chose to stay at the castle during the Christmas holidays did not have lessons and attended a feast on Christmas Day. Students also did not have classes the week of Easter, but this was much less enjoyable due to the large amount of work the teachers usually assigned students at this time in preparation for final exams.[1]
Hogsmeade village during Christmas
Other than the breaks and weekends, students did not receive holidays. However, students third year and above were allowed to visit Hogsmeade, the local village, occasionally.[32] There were normally four feasts per year: the start-of-term feast at the beginning of the school year, end-of-term feast at the end of the school year, and feasts at Hallowe'en and Christmas.[1] Feasts were also called to mark special occasions, as was seen in the Goblet of Fire book, when there was a feast to celebrate the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament.[12]
Halloween feast
Classes would proceed normally and the next notable event occurs on the evening of 31 October: the Hallowe'en feast. Decorations included giant pumpkins and flocks of hundreds of bats flying across the halls. The served foods included pumpkin treats, tarts, cakes and all sorts of magical sweets. The Quidditch season started usually with the first Quidditch match in the first weeks of November. In the second week of December, the Deputy Head would take names of those who would stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays. The first term usually ended about a week before Christmas, and most of the students and some of the teachers went home by the school train.[1]
In the Triwizard Tournament years, the Yule Ball occurred on the evening of Christmas Day, ending at midnight.[12] On the 25th of December, a Christmas Feast was held in the Great Hall. Shortly after the 6th January (Epiphany aka Twelfth Night), the Hogwarts Express returned to Hogsmeade; the second term would begin. The exact dates of the beginning of the Easter holidays varied every year. During these holidays, the students could go home. The final exams were held the first week of June and the results came out on the second week. In the evening before the Hogwarts Express went back to London, the End-of-Term Feast was held. The Hogwarts Express returned to London during the third week of June. Some staff and all of the students left Hogwarts for summer holidays.
