Wall of Fame
Class Project: Essay
Why did the four Hogwarts founders choose the location they did for Hogwarts?
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded in the 990s (believed to be 993 CE, but that is not confirmed) and since its very first day of opening, it is one of the places that we know is Unplottable and doesn’t appear on any map to keep the attending students safe.
When looking for a place to start the school, the founders were very fortunate in that most, if not all, nations within the United Kingdom were covered. Godric Gryffindor was English, Helga Hufflepuff was Welsh, Rowena Ravenclaw was Scottish and Salazar Slytherin came from Fen, but we’re not clear if that is referencing Eastern England or if he is actually from Ireland. This meant that they had a pretty good understanding of the geography of the entire country, what conditions were like in each potential location, what the people were like, etc. We also have to remember that back in those times, Northern Ireland didn’t exist as it does today as it only separated from the rest of Ireland in 1920 and remained under British rule.
They would have wanted to search for somewhere remote, somewhere that wasn’t the most accessible place for Muggles to stumble upon even with muggle-repelling charms which could have been ineffective as an overall way to keep people out.
Ireland immediately stood out as a top candidate- lots of space and little interference from Muggle transportation links (as seen in County Fermanagh in modern-day Northern Ireland where it’s rare to find any). However, being placed here would have made travel to the school a little more difficult as they would have had to deal with the Irish Sea. It's likely that the majority of students would come from the mainland so it made sense to keep it there as there were slightly more options to get to the school. Before the Hogwarts Express, students made their way to Hogwarts in different ways including flying on their broomsticks, portkeys and some even tried attempting to apparate there. At least when flying over land and something goes wrong, they could land and get help but that wouldn’t be the same if they had to fly over water for some time.
It’s likely that the founders wanted somewhere quite mountainous as this would be harder for someone to just stumble across it, as mentioned previously. In the past 1000 years or so, the geological structures within the UK wouldn’t have changed that much. With that, we can say that Scotland was chosen due to the fact it has the majority of the highest mountains in the UK. England and Wales barely get a mention at all in these kinds of lists. This would have been the perfect place to stay hidden out of the spotlight.
So in conclusion, with all things considered, we can say that it is highly likely that selecting Scotland as the location of Hogwarts was not only a good one when it was founded, but also turned out to be good when we look at different points throughout history and remains a good choice today too. Let’s just hope that it remains a safe and good place for students to learn how to use their magical abilities in the future!
- Ereshkigan Csintalan, Slytherin (2024)
For this assignment I want to discuss the place of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. In a previous lesson I also shortly mention this location. But this time I want to go a bit deeper into it. As I stated in that lesson, the Ministry of Magic decided on St. Mungo’s location because they couldn’t build it in Diagon Alley nor could they build it underground, because they considered it unhealthy. But how can there be not enough space in Diagon Alley? Or why can’t they build it underground? Let’s consider this: We are talking about WIZARDS who use MAGIC. They can create a bag which has unlimited space, but not a hospital which is bigger on the inside that the outside (where did we hear that one?) Or they CAN build a WORKSPACE underground but not a hospital? Most of the time they are longer at that workspace then that they are in a hospital, but still they decide that it’s unhealthy for them to have it underground. If you look it that way I think that the way that the Ministry of Magic thinks is a bit weird. To put it just easily. Aside that they cause a empty muggle building to put their hospital in. A way where wizards can unnotice go in without Muggles suspecting anything. Because this time there is not a wall where they have to run through (King’s Cross). Or a phonecell they have to go in, just to be able to go to the visitors entry for the Ministry of Magic.
In that way they thought this one out. The Ministry of Magic needed a large building that could host their hospital. And thanks to their magic and a large mugglesized building this location makes it almost perfect. I say almost, because I think it’s not that good located as Diagon Alley. That is the only thing for it.
- Fumei Shirokuro, fu802, Gryffindor (2014)
You mentioned the four founders in the prompt and that intrigued me, so I decided to look into the places they are from.
Godric Gryffindor is from wild moor. A moor is defined as an open wasteland that is often overgrown with shrubs. It is common in high altitudes where there is poor drainage. This suits the characteristics associated with Gryffindor. One needs courage and determination to survive and ultimately thrive in a wild environment. Godric Gryffindor's birthplace is eventually refined and turned into a small Wizarding village, called Godric's Hollow. Gryffindor students reside in Gryffindor tower, which is among one of the three highest towers in the castle.
Helga Hufflepuff hails from valley broad, likely in Wales. A valley is an elongated depression between mountains, usually running alongside a river. In a way, a valley is a collecting area. Similarly, Hufflepuff agreed to take all students that were not Sorted into any other House. Her requirements were quite broad and welcoming. The Hufflepuff Common Room is the nearest the kitchens, much like how a valley is close to the nourishment provided by the river.
Rowena Ravenclaw is from glen, presumably in Scotland. A glen is a small, narrow, secluded valley. Ravenclaw was much more selective than her friend Helga Hufflepuff, idealizing intelligence and wisdom. Interestingly enough, the Ravenclaw Common Room is the only one that does not match the birthplace of its founder, focusing on the connection to air instead. Ravenclaw tower is the highest tower at Hogwarts.
Salazar Slytherin is from fen, which is a low land covered partially or wholly with water. It is also called a bog or a marsh. Slytherin is associated with water in several ways. The Slytherin Common Room is, in fact, completely underwater with its location under the lake. Water is linked to purity and blood purity was one of Slytherin's main criteria for selecting students.
- Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis, pr_sca, Slytherin (2018)
I would like to talk about The Burrow. The home of the Weasley family, outside of Ottery St. Catchpole, it is a place most obviously held together, and perhaps even built, with magic. Rooms hang out over empty space without the structural integrity to keep them there. Hidden spaces and places probably abound within the dwelling. In The Burrow abides a family which includes some of the most powerful witches in existence, the Weasley family. Keep in mind that a lack of ambition does not necessarily mean a lack of magical ability! No, the Weasleys, with husband Arthur Weasley, wife Molly, sons Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron, and daughter Ginny, are a group of witches within the world of witches who are known for doing their own thing, being 'good' and sort of 'looked down upon' by many of the mainstream witches. But the Weasley family, like their home, The Burrow, has qualities which are easily overlooked, like a toughness and soundness which will end up, in the long run, being of higher quality that those of the more spectacular and/or showy families and buildings. In particular, The Burrow, while built with mundane materials, is also built with magic. The magic of the place is in it's walls, floors, roof and structure, in and around the building. It has soaked up the magic qualities of the family living within it, too, so it is doubly magic.
Wizarding homes are important to the well-being of the witches of the world. It is very difficult for a witch to grow up in a Muggle environment; there might even be a tendency to repress natural and normal magical activities if one is in a Muggle environment where one lives. Not only would such activities be frowned upon, or even a source of fright to Muggles, there is also the continual denial of what one is in the very air around the witch. This denial, or suppression, can sometimes result in an outburst of some sort of magical activities which the witch has, therefore, no control over because, after all, magic ... doesn't exist. Having a place to grow up, like The Burrow, which is obviouslyimpossible, can, without any words being said, impress the observer with the fact that magic exists and, in fact, does very well in the world.
- Prof. Tarma Amelia Black, pr_tar, Hufflepuff (2014)
Throughout the Harry Potter series, we are constantly reminded of the secret nature of the Wizarding society and the continued efforts to ensure their safety from prying Muggle eyes. Though the series doesn’t directly expose us to the prejudices and violence exerted by Muggles, incidents such as witch burnings, drownings and general persecution, we do get a glimpse of it indirectly via Professor Binns History of Magic class, as well as in passing comments from older witches and wizards. Furthermore, the prejudice that pureblood witches and wizards exert on Muggle-borns is obviously a by-product of years gone by.
As such, legislature such the signing of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689, protecting Wizards from discrimination at the hands of Muggles is of utmost importance. In many cases this means hiding various locations from Muggles by using special Muggle-repelling charms that discourages them from venturing into a certain area (such as the location of the Quidditch World Cup in 1994), or by using special magical barriers that hide spaces in plain sight (such as Platform 9 and three quarters at King’s Cross Station).
That being said, I think that the most interesting use of magical space is the creation of unplottable locations. These areas simply cannot be added to a map because their location is both undetectable and unplottable by any means. Only an approximation can be identified, and the degree of error is too big to rely on. What is really interesting is that most unplottable locations aren’t necessarily meant to hide the location from Muggles, but rather to hide it from witches and wizards themselves.
While Hogwarts itself isn’t unplottable (it instead has many wards and spells to hide it, but can be placed on a map), both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are unplottable. Hermione herself suggested (in Goblet of Fire, chapter 11) that this is probably to ensure that other wizards can’t find it. It adds an extra layer of security for the young students who may not be able to protect themselves against stronger attackers.
Azkaban is also unplottable. We know it is somewhere off the coast of Britain, and that the weather can be rather rough, but the exact location is unknown. Is the Ministry afraid that Muggles will fall upon it? Probably not. Are they concerned that rogue wizards might attempt to break in and liberate the inmates? That is a distinct possibility.
Another example of an unplottable area that is hidden so as to avoid wizarding interference is the Room of Requirements. This room is inside Hogwarts itself, so it is safe to assume that it is not hidden as an extra measure against Muggles. Rather, the room is hidden to protect the contents from curious wizards as well as those who may wish Hogwarts harm.
As these unplottable spaces suggest, I believe that their existence isn’t so much to protect wizards from Muggles, but rather to protect them from themselves. They are meant to protect the essence of wizarding society from greedy and evil individuals, as well as those with selfish intentions. If wizarding society didn’t need to protect itself in such a way, regular Muggle-repelling charms as well as secret barriers would be sufficient methods of protecting what needs to be hidden.
- Rosanna Gullveig, ro837, Ravenclaw (2014)
The places and locations in the Wizarding World are so important. Some places, like all quidditch pitches for instance, need to be away from muggle eyes and/or have enchantments in place in order to hide them. Really, everything in the Wizarding world and wizarding communities have to be placed and run perfectly mainly by the Ministry of Magic so we aren't found out by Muggles. I guess that's what the Magic Reversal Squad and memory charms are for. There needs to be a backup plan for every mishap that could happen that involves being discovered by muggles. Like we learned in this class, some places aren't on any maps to make it less likely for muggles to find us. There's of course the enchantment of Hogwarts. To a muggles, Hogwarts just looks like old ruins with a danger sign. The Ministry of Magic itself is also unplottable for obvious reasons. They don't want muggles to find their way in. So the visitors entrance is a telephone booth that the visitor needs to enter a code. The ministry workers flush themselves into an underground toilet. I know that some forests and other places with magical creatures are also unplottable to keep the creatures safe. Places that house magical creatures, like Dragon Reserves for an example, would be made unplottable to keep muggles and the dragons safe from harm. If muggles found out that there really are dragons in the world, they might try to hunt them down. There are some wizarding folk that live in muggle neighborhoods. They would have to be careful not to expose their magic, but all actual wizarding villages would need to be unplottable with enchantments put into place in my opinion.
- Skylar Peyton, Hufflepuff (2024)
For my topic I've chosen the location of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. Obviously creating these Horcruxes is just the first step to immortality, Voldemort had to ensure that they cannot be located to prevent them from being destroyed, as that would take away his immortality. Hence, location, or rather space, players in big role here. I would like to go over through the Horcruxes before continuing.
Tom Riddle's Diary --- The 1st Horcrux, created by killing Moaning Myrtle, and was in the possession of Lucius Malfoy, hidden in the Malfoy Manor.
Marvolo Gaunt's Ring --- The 2nd one, created by killing his own father, in the Riddle's House in Little Hangleton. The ring was hidden in Gaunt's Shack, just outside the village of Little Hangleton.
Salazar Slytherin's Locket --- The 3rd one, created by killing a muggle tramp, was hidden in the Crystal Cave in England, protected with various enchantments and traps.
Helga Hufflepuff's Cup --- The 4th one, created by killing Hepzibah Smith in her own home. The Horcrux was then hidden the Lestranges family vault at Gringotts the Wizarding Bank.
Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem --- The 5th one, created in Albania by killing a peasant, was hidden in Hogwarts Castle in the Room of Requirements.
Part of Harry Potter's Soul --- The 6th one, created inadvertently in Godric's Hollow after killing James and Lily Potter and attempting to kill Harry Potter.
Nagini -- -The 7th one, created by killing Bertha Jorkins in Albania. The snake was always in the presence of Lord Voldemort so that he can protect it.
The list of these locations, their properties and power which were chosen to ensure the safety of these items, proves the importance of space. Whether it is an inaccessible space like the Crystal Cave, or a tricky Room of Requirement, Lord Voldemort was well aware of how space, places, and locations work, and used their full potential to ensure the safety of his Horcruxes. He didn't just use any location, he used locations which meant something, whether places of power or places from his past, which sadly made some of these locations traceable. But he did know the different laws space has in the wizarding world and used it to his advantage. The security and enchantments at the Gringotts Bank made it almost impossible to obtain Helga's Cup, especially because it had a multiplication charm cast on it --- once touched the whole vault filled up with copies of the same, and if the trio were not lucky they could not have located the true cup.
Yet, due to the possibilities that magic has, even hiding or keeping close all of these Horcruxes was not sufficient enough for Lord Voldemort to prevent the finding and destruction of these items. Because as easy as it is to send something into "nonexistence" (making it vanish), it is as easily to retrieve that and bring it back to existence. Space in itself players a very huge role in Harry Potter when looked at from a far away point of view like this.
- Zoki Phantom, zo808, Hufflepuff (2014)
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded in the 990s (believed to be 993 CE, but that is not confirmed) and since its very first day of opening, it is one of the places that we know is Unplottable and doesn’t appear on any map to keep the attending students safe.
When looking for a place to start the school, the founders were very fortunate in that most, if not all, nations within the United Kingdom were covered. Godric Gryffindor was English, Helga Hufflepuff was Welsh, Rowena Ravenclaw was Scottish and Salazar Slytherin came from Fen, but we’re not clear if that is referencing Eastern England or if he is actually from Ireland. This meant that they had a pretty good understanding of the geography of the entire country, what conditions were like in each potential location, what the people were like, etc. We also have to remember that back in those times, Northern Ireland didn’t exist as it does today as it only separated from the rest of Ireland in 1920 and remained under British rule.
They would have wanted to search for somewhere remote, somewhere that wasn’t the most accessible place for Muggles to stumble upon even with muggle-repelling charms which could have been ineffective as an overall way to keep people out.
Ireland immediately stood out as a top candidate- lots of space and little interference from Muggle transportation links (as seen in County Fermanagh in modern-day Northern Ireland where it’s rare to find any). However, being placed here would have made travel to the school a little more difficult as they would have had to deal with the Irish Sea. It's likely that the majority of students would come from the mainland so it made sense to keep it there as there were slightly more options to get to the school. Before the Hogwarts Express, students made their way to Hogwarts in different ways including flying on their broomsticks, portkeys and some even tried attempting to apparate there. At least when flying over land and something goes wrong, they could land and get help but that wouldn’t be the same if they had to fly over water for some time.
It’s likely that the founders wanted somewhere quite mountainous as this would be harder for someone to just stumble across it, as mentioned previously. In the past 1000 years or so, the geological structures within the UK wouldn’t have changed that much. With that, we can say that Scotland was chosen due to the fact it has the majority of the highest mountains in the UK. England and Wales barely get a mention at all in these kinds of lists. This would have been the perfect place to stay hidden out of the spotlight.
So in conclusion, with all things considered, we can say that it is highly likely that selecting Scotland as the location of Hogwarts was not only a good one when it was founded, but also turned out to be good when we look at different points throughout history and remains a good choice today too. Let’s just hope that it remains a safe and good place for students to learn how to use their magical abilities in the future!
- Ereshkigan Csintalan, Slytherin (2024)
For this assignment I want to discuss the place of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. In a previous lesson I also shortly mention this location. But this time I want to go a bit deeper into it. As I stated in that lesson, the Ministry of Magic decided on St. Mungo’s location because they couldn’t build it in Diagon Alley nor could they build it underground, because they considered it unhealthy. But how can there be not enough space in Diagon Alley? Or why can’t they build it underground? Let’s consider this: We are talking about WIZARDS who use MAGIC. They can create a bag which has unlimited space, but not a hospital which is bigger on the inside that the outside (where did we hear that one?) Or they CAN build a WORKSPACE underground but not a hospital? Most of the time they are longer at that workspace then that they are in a hospital, but still they decide that it’s unhealthy for them to have it underground. If you look it that way I think that the way that the Ministry of Magic thinks is a bit weird. To put it just easily. Aside that they cause a empty muggle building to put their hospital in. A way where wizards can unnotice go in without Muggles suspecting anything. Because this time there is not a wall where they have to run through (King’s Cross). Or a phonecell they have to go in, just to be able to go to the visitors entry for the Ministry of Magic.
In that way they thought this one out. The Ministry of Magic needed a large building that could host their hospital. And thanks to their magic and a large mugglesized building this location makes it almost perfect. I say almost, because I think it’s not that good located as Diagon Alley. That is the only thing for it.
- Fumei Shirokuro, fu802, Gryffindor (2014)
You mentioned the four founders in the prompt and that intrigued me, so I decided to look into the places they are from.
Godric Gryffindor is from wild moor. A moor is defined as an open wasteland that is often overgrown with shrubs. It is common in high altitudes where there is poor drainage. This suits the characteristics associated with Gryffindor. One needs courage and determination to survive and ultimately thrive in a wild environment. Godric Gryffindor's birthplace is eventually refined and turned into a small Wizarding village, called Godric's Hollow. Gryffindor students reside in Gryffindor tower, which is among one of the three highest towers in the castle.
Helga Hufflepuff hails from valley broad, likely in Wales. A valley is an elongated depression between mountains, usually running alongside a river. In a way, a valley is a collecting area. Similarly, Hufflepuff agreed to take all students that were not Sorted into any other House. Her requirements were quite broad and welcoming. The Hufflepuff Common Room is the nearest the kitchens, much like how a valley is close to the nourishment provided by the river.
Rowena Ravenclaw is from glen, presumably in Scotland. A glen is a small, narrow, secluded valley. Ravenclaw was much more selective than her friend Helga Hufflepuff, idealizing intelligence and wisdom. Interestingly enough, the Ravenclaw Common Room is the only one that does not match the birthplace of its founder, focusing on the connection to air instead. Ravenclaw tower is the highest tower at Hogwarts.
Salazar Slytherin is from fen, which is a low land covered partially or wholly with water. It is also called a bog or a marsh. Slytherin is associated with water in several ways. The Slytherin Common Room is, in fact, completely underwater with its location under the lake. Water is linked to purity and blood purity was one of Slytherin's main criteria for selecting students.
- Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis, pr_sca, Slytherin (2018)
I would like to talk about The Burrow. The home of the Weasley family, outside of Ottery St. Catchpole, it is a place most obviously held together, and perhaps even built, with magic. Rooms hang out over empty space without the structural integrity to keep them there. Hidden spaces and places probably abound within the dwelling. In The Burrow abides a family which includes some of the most powerful witches in existence, the Weasley family. Keep in mind that a lack of ambition does not necessarily mean a lack of magical ability! No, the Weasleys, with husband Arthur Weasley, wife Molly, sons Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron, and daughter Ginny, are a group of witches within the world of witches who are known for doing their own thing, being 'good' and sort of 'looked down upon' by many of the mainstream witches. But the Weasley family, like their home, The Burrow, has qualities which are easily overlooked, like a toughness and soundness which will end up, in the long run, being of higher quality that those of the more spectacular and/or showy families and buildings. In particular, The Burrow, while built with mundane materials, is also built with magic. The magic of the place is in it's walls, floors, roof and structure, in and around the building. It has soaked up the magic qualities of the family living within it, too, so it is doubly magic.
Wizarding homes are important to the well-being of the witches of the world. It is very difficult for a witch to grow up in a Muggle environment; there might even be a tendency to repress natural and normal magical activities if one is in a Muggle environment where one lives. Not only would such activities be frowned upon, or even a source of fright to Muggles, there is also the continual denial of what one is in the very air around the witch. This denial, or suppression, can sometimes result in an outburst of some sort of magical activities which the witch has, therefore, no control over because, after all, magic ... doesn't exist. Having a place to grow up, like The Burrow, which is obviouslyimpossible, can, without any words being said, impress the observer with the fact that magic exists and, in fact, does very well in the world.
- Prof. Tarma Amelia Black, pr_tar, Hufflepuff (2014)
Throughout the Harry Potter series, we are constantly reminded of the secret nature of the Wizarding society and the continued efforts to ensure their safety from prying Muggle eyes. Though the series doesn’t directly expose us to the prejudices and violence exerted by Muggles, incidents such as witch burnings, drownings and general persecution, we do get a glimpse of it indirectly via Professor Binns History of Magic class, as well as in passing comments from older witches and wizards. Furthermore, the prejudice that pureblood witches and wizards exert on Muggle-borns is obviously a by-product of years gone by.
As such, legislature such the signing of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689, protecting Wizards from discrimination at the hands of Muggles is of utmost importance. In many cases this means hiding various locations from Muggles by using special Muggle-repelling charms that discourages them from venturing into a certain area (such as the location of the Quidditch World Cup in 1994), or by using special magical barriers that hide spaces in plain sight (such as Platform 9 and three quarters at King’s Cross Station).
That being said, I think that the most interesting use of magical space is the creation of unplottable locations. These areas simply cannot be added to a map because their location is both undetectable and unplottable by any means. Only an approximation can be identified, and the degree of error is too big to rely on. What is really interesting is that most unplottable locations aren’t necessarily meant to hide the location from Muggles, but rather to hide it from witches and wizards themselves.
While Hogwarts itself isn’t unplottable (it instead has many wards and spells to hide it, but can be placed on a map), both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are unplottable. Hermione herself suggested (in Goblet of Fire, chapter 11) that this is probably to ensure that other wizards can’t find it. It adds an extra layer of security for the young students who may not be able to protect themselves against stronger attackers.
Azkaban is also unplottable. We know it is somewhere off the coast of Britain, and that the weather can be rather rough, but the exact location is unknown. Is the Ministry afraid that Muggles will fall upon it? Probably not. Are they concerned that rogue wizards might attempt to break in and liberate the inmates? That is a distinct possibility.
Another example of an unplottable area that is hidden so as to avoid wizarding interference is the Room of Requirements. This room is inside Hogwarts itself, so it is safe to assume that it is not hidden as an extra measure against Muggles. Rather, the room is hidden to protect the contents from curious wizards as well as those who may wish Hogwarts harm.
As these unplottable spaces suggest, I believe that their existence isn’t so much to protect wizards from Muggles, but rather to protect them from themselves. They are meant to protect the essence of wizarding society from greedy and evil individuals, as well as those with selfish intentions. If wizarding society didn’t need to protect itself in such a way, regular Muggle-repelling charms as well as secret barriers would be sufficient methods of protecting what needs to be hidden.
- Rosanna Gullveig, ro837, Ravenclaw (2014)
The places and locations in the Wizarding World are so important. Some places, like all quidditch pitches for instance, need to be away from muggle eyes and/or have enchantments in place in order to hide them. Really, everything in the Wizarding world and wizarding communities have to be placed and run perfectly mainly by the Ministry of Magic so we aren't found out by Muggles. I guess that's what the Magic Reversal Squad and memory charms are for. There needs to be a backup plan for every mishap that could happen that involves being discovered by muggles. Like we learned in this class, some places aren't on any maps to make it less likely for muggles to find us. There's of course the enchantment of Hogwarts. To a muggles, Hogwarts just looks like old ruins with a danger sign. The Ministry of Magic itself is also unplottable for obvious reasons. They don't want muggles to find their way in. So the visitors entrance is a telephone booth that the visitor needs to enter a code. The ministry workers flush themselves into an underground toilet. I know that some forests and other places with magical creatures are also unplottable to keep the creatures safe. Places that house magical creatures, like Dragon Reserves for an example, would be made unplottable to keep muggles and the dragons safe from harm. If muggles found out that there really are dragons in the world, they might try to hunt them down. There are some wizarding folk that live in muggle neighborhoods. They would have to be careful not to expose their magic, but all actual wizarding villages would need to be unplottable with enchantments put into place in my opinion.
- Skylar Peyton, Hufflepuff (2024)
For my topic I've chosen the location of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. Obviously creating these Horcruxes is just the first step to immortality, Voldemort had to ensure that they cannot be located to prevent them from being destroyed, as that would take away his immortality. Hence, location, or rather space, players in big role here. I would like to go over through the Horcruxes before continuing.
Tom Riddle's Diary --- The 1st Horcrux, created by killing Moaning Myrtle, and was in the possession of Lucius Malfoy, hidden in the Malfoy Manor.
Marvolo Gaunt's Ring --- The 2nd one, created by killing his own father, in the Riddle's House in Little Hangleton. The ring was hidden in Gaunt's Shack, just outside the village of Little Hangleton.
Salazar Slytherin's Locket --- The 3rd one, created by killing a muggle tramp, was hidden in the Crystal Cave in England, protected with various enchantments and traps.
Helga Hufflepuff's Cup --- The 4th one, created by killing Hepzibah Smith in her own home. The Horcrux was then hidden the Lestranges family vault at Gringotts the Wizarding Bank.
Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem --- The 5th one, created in Albania by killing a peasant, was hidden in Hogwarts Castle in the Room of Requirements.
Part of Harry Potter's Soul --- The 6th one, created inadvertently in Godric's Hollow after killing James and Lily Potter and attempting to kill Harry Potter.
Nagini -- -The 7th one, created by killing Bertha Jorkins in Albania. The snake was always in the presence of Lord Voldemort so that he can protect it.
The list of these locations, their properties and power which were chosen to ensure the safety of these items, proves the importance of space. Whether it is an inaccessible space like the Crystal Cave, or a tricky Room of Requirement, Lord Voldemort was well aware of how space, places, and locations work, and used their full potential to ensure the safety of his Horcruxes. He didn't just use any location, he used locations which meant something, whether places of power or places from his past, which sadly made some of these locations traceable. But he did know the different laws space has in the wizarding world and used it to his advantage. The security and enchantments at the Gringotts Bank made it almost impossible to obtain Helga's Cup, especially because it had a multiplication charm cast on it --- once touched the whole vault filled up with copies of the same, and if the trio were not lucky they could not have located the true cup.
Yet, due to the possibilities that magic has, even hiding or keeping close all of these Horcruxes was not sufficient enough for Lord Voldemort to prevent the finding and destruction of these items. Because as easy as it is to send something into "nonexistence" (making it vanish), it is as easily to retrieve that and bring it back to existence. Space in itself players a very huge role in Harry Potter when looked at from a far away point of view like this.
- Zoki Phantom, zo808, Hufflepuff (2014)
Class Project: Map Activity - A Magical Journey
The image shows the route taken by Harry, Ron and Hermione to get tp the Phiolopher’s Stone. First, on the third floor, they had to face Fluffy, the three-headed dog. Making it through the trapdoor, they encountered a Devil’s Snare. They passed through a corridor to the Winged Keys which led to the next chamber with the wizarding chess set. Upon checkmate, the trio came face-to-face with some knocked out trolls before putting logic to the test with the Potion Challenge. Finally, Harry encountered the Mirror of Erised which placed the Philosopher’s Stone in his possession.
- Ereshkigal Csintalan, Slytherin (2024)
- Ereshkigal Csintalan, Slytherin (2024)
Oh look it’s a pretty weird looking map! Can you see what kind of magical journey this is? YES? Amazing! and yes you were right, it’s a map that let us travel to all different places that have a famous Quidditch team. Of course we will start this journey at Hogwarts, were witches and wizards meet quidditch on a young age and are to play real games (and serious ones) against one and another. It will also tell you the history of each of the teams and its origins. This journey is for a witch or a wizards who is a real Quidditch fan (maybe someone like Ron) but it won’t be a journey that Fumei would take (she would probably fall asleep at the beginning)
- Fumei Shirokuro, fu802, Gryffindor (2014)
Unfortunately, Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis' image entry is not accessible for me anymore. But below is the writeup for the image.
This maps the journey of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. Since the diadem is incredibly unique and one of a kind, it is likely a family heirloom. Rowena Ravenclaw probably received the diadem from a family member in her home in Scotland. Later on, a falling out with her daughter, Helena Ravenclaw, led to Helena stealing the diadem from Rowena. Helena hid the diadem in a hollow tree in a forest in Albania, while the rest of the world believed the diadem to be lost. A young Tom Riddle was able to get Helena to tell him where to find the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. He ventured to Albania to retrieve the diadem and turned it into a Horcrux. He hid the diadem in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts, where it stayed until it was destroyed by Fiendfyre.
- Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis, pr_sca, Slytherin (2018)
- Fumei Shirokuro, fu802, Gryffindor (2014)
Unfortunately, Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis' image entry is not accessible for me anymore. But below is the writeup for the image.
This maps the journey of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. Since the diadem is incredibly unique and one of a kind, it is likely a family heirloom. Rowena Ravenclaw probably received the diadem from a family member in her home in Scotland. Later on, a falling out with her daughter, Helena Ravenclaw, led to Helena stealing the diadem from Rowena. Helena hid the diadem in a hollow tree in a forest in Albania, while the rest of the world believed the diadem to be lost. A young Tom Riddle was able to get Helena to tell him where to find the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. He ventured to Albania to retrieve the diadem and turned it into a Horcrux. He hid the diadem in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts, where it stayed until it was destroyed by Fiendfyre.
- Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis, pr_sca, Slytherin (2018)
The first significant journey Harry Potter takes on his own is the journey to the Hogwarts Library on the 4th floor (5th floor American) from the Gryffindor Common room, on the 7th floor (8th floor American). He goes in his invisibility cloak and goes down the stairways to the library, and to the Restricted Section of the library. Attempting to avoid being caught by Mrs. Norris the cat and Argus Filch, Harry finds the room where the Mirror of Erised is hidden (down a narrow corridor). He then makes his way back to the Gryffindor Common Room and his dormitory.
Admittedly, I could find no source of specifically where the Gryffindor Common Room was located in the castle howerver, by process of elimination (see below) I figure there is a good chance it is on the SouthEast corner of the castle.
- Prof. Tarma Amelia Black, pr_tar, Hufflepuff (2014)
Admittedly, I could find no source of specifically where the Gryffindor Common Room was located in the castle howerver, by process of elimination (see below) I figure there is a good chance it is on the SouthEast corner of the castle.
- Prof. Tarma Amelia Black, pr_tar, Hufflepuff (2014)
I have chosen to map out Harry’s first trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. I chose this journey because it was Harry’s first foray into the magical world, and as such marks the beginning of it all.
Upon first arriving at the Leaky Cauldron (1), Hagrid ushered Harry in and tapped on the bricks on the wall in order to open the passageway to Diagon Alley. Hagrid had already determined that their first stop should be Gringotts, but on their way there they passed by the cauldron shop (2) as well as Eeylops Owl Emporium (3/11) where Harry spotted a group of boys his age huddled in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies (4). While Harry was distracted by the young wizards and the sounds of the alley, Hagrid led him to Gringotts (5) where they embarked on a wild cart ride within the bank. Following this, Hagrid excused himself, leading Harry to explore Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions (6) by himself. There, not only did Harry purchase his robes, he also made the acquaintance of a certain Draco Malfoy. By the time Hagrid returned with ice cream, probably purchased at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor (7), Harry was full of questions regarding the magical world. While they talked, and Harry learned more about this new world he was entering, they stopped at Flourish and Blotts (8) and purchased the school books Harry would be needing. They then visited the Magical Instruments shop (9) where they purchased various potions instruments, and then the Apothecary (10) where they found fascinating ingredients Harry would need for Potions. Having remembered that he still needed to get Harry a birthday present, Hagrid suggested they stop at Eeylops Owl Emporium (3/11) to get him a pet owl. Their last stop of the day was Olivander’s (12) wand shop, where Harry got his wand. After all their shopping was completed, the pair left Diagon Alley via the Leaky Cauldron (13) and returned Harry to the Dursleys.
- Rosanna Gullveig, ro837, Ravenclaw (2014)
Upon first arriving at the Leaky Cauldron (1), Hagrid ushered Harry in and tapped on the bricks on the wall in order to open the passageway to Diagon Alley. Hagrid had already determined that their first stop should be Gringotts, but on their way there they passed by the cauldron shop (2) as well as Eeylops Owl Emporium (3/11) where Harry spotted a group of boys his age huddled in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies (4). While Harry was distracted by the young wizards and the sounds of the alley, Hagrid led him to Gringotts (5) where they embarked on a wild cart ride within the bank. Following this, Hagrid excused himself, leading Harry to explore Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions (6) by himself. There, not only did Harry purchase his robes, he also made the acquaintance of a certain Draco Malfoy. By the time Hagrid returned with ice cream, probably purchased at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor (7), Harry was full of questions regarding the magical world. While they talked, and Harry learned more about this new world he was entering, they stopped at Flourish and Blotts (8) and purchased the school books Harry would be needing. They then visited the Magical Instruments shop (9) where they purchased various potions instruments, and then the Apothecary (10) where they found fascinating ingredients Harry would need for Potions. Having remembered that he still needed to get Harry a birthday present, Hagrid suggested they stop at Eeylops Owl Emporium (3/11) to get him a pet owl. Their last stop of the day was Olivander’s (12) wand shop, where Harry got his wand. After all their shopping was completed, the pair left Diagon Alley via the Leaky Cauldron (13) and returned Harry to the Dursleys.
- Rosanna Gullveig, ro837, Ravenclaw (2014)
Gellert Grindelwald is one of the most famous wizards, known to be among the most powerful Dark Wizards, second only to Lord Voldemort. His journey starts in his country of Origin, Hungary. He spends his early childhood years there, after which he moves to Durmstrang for his education of magic. However, as great student as he is, he soon reveals his uncanny interest in dark arts and is found indulging in 'twisting experiments', which leads to his expulsion from the Durmstrang Institute. From there, he leaves for Godric's Hollow to Bathilda Bagshot's place, his great-aunt. During his time there he befriends Albus Dumbledore, who grows affectionate of him, and Gellert persuades Dumbledore that together they can find the Deathly Hallows and put a stop to the necessity and laws for hiding of wizards and witches from the muggle world.
Unfortunately, an argument at one point leads to a duel in which Dumbledore's sister loses her life, which ends the friendship. Gellert moved to Switzerland where he located Gregorovitch's Wand Shop, from where he stole the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hollows. Thus began his individual realization of the plans he made with Dumbledore. He set himself up in Germany, in a fortress known as Nurmengard, where he gathered his follows and made his headquarters from where he planned on leading a revolutionary wizard war. However, after many years of ignoring him, Dumbledore hears the pleas from the other wizards and witches, and goes out on a duel with Grindelwald, besting him and locking him up in his own fortress. With that end the madness of Grindelwald.
- Zoki Phantom, zo808, Hufflepuff (2014)
Unfortunately, an argument at one point leads to a duel in which Dumbledore's sister loses her life, which ends the friendship. Gellert moved to Switzerland where he located Gregorovitch's Wand Shop, from where he stole the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hollows. Thus began his individual realization of the plans he made with Dumbledore. He set himself up in Germany, in a fortress known as Nurmengard, where he gathered his follows and made his headquarters from where he planned on leading a revolutionary wizard war. However, after many years of ignoring him, Dumbledore hears the pleas from the other wizards and witches, and goes out on a duel with Grindelwald, besting him and locking him up in his own fortress. With that end the madness of Grindelwald.
- Zoki Phantom, zo808, Hufflepuff (2014)