Hogwarts subjects
Template:Spoiler The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fictional magic school that is the main setting of the Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling. There are several teachers (called professors), each specialising in a single subject. Some subjects are compulsory, while others are optional. Students are required to add at least two optional subjects to their syllabus beginning in their third year. After taking their O.W.L. exams at the end of their fifth year, they decide which classes to continue to the N.E.W.T. level for the next two years at Hogwarts.
Compulsory Subjects
These are compulsory subjects that Hogwarts students must take until, but not including N.E.W.T. level.
Transfiguration
The art of metamorphosis, Transfiguration is the changing of the form and appearance of an object, and sometimes, the conjuring and creation of objects. This is generally achieved through concentration, the precise waving of the wand and speaking the appropriate incantation. One of the trickier subjects, it requires great concentration and effort. Transfiguration is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years.
Albus Dumbledore served as Transfiguration teacher before he became headmaster. The most recent Transfiguration teacher was Minerva McGonagall, who was a competent teacher and a stern but fair disciplinarian. After the Battle of Hogwarts, and McGonagall's ascension to the role of Headmistress, either a new teacher will be appointed, or McGonagall will resume her role on the appointment of a new Headteacher. Of these, the former is widely considered to be far more likely.
Defence Against the Dark Arts
The teaching of the various techniques to counteract the Dark Arts, and dark creatures such as the Boggart. Defence Against the Dark Arts is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years. Template:Spoiler When he first came to Hogwarts as a teacher, Severus Snape had applied to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Dumbledore refused, instead offering Snape the Potions master position. As Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers left the school, Snape regularly reapplied for the position, to be constantly denied, possibly due to his prior association with Lord Voldemort; Snape speculated that Dumbledore was afraid he would relapse. When asked about the reason Dumbledore does not let Snape have the job, the author responded that Dumbledore believes that teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts would bring out Snape's worse side.
Voldemort had himself applied for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position twice. He was refused both times. According to Dumbledore, after the second refusal, no Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher stayed at Hogwarts for more than a year. This resulted in an uneven curriculum, as the quality and style of teaching varied widely from teacher to teacher.
By the time Harry Potter came to Hogwarts, belief in a curse had taken hold. Gilderoy Lockhart was said to be the only applicant to replace Professor Quirrell. Three years later, belief in the curse had become so widespread that Dumbledore was unable to find a new teacher, allowing the Ministry of Magic to appoint Dolores Umbridge. After Umbridge was removed, Dumbledore finally gave Snape the position he had long wanted. Snape too fell victim to the curse, as he fled Hogwarts after killing Dumbledore, leaving the Defence Against the Dark Arts position open once again.
In each of the first six books of the series, the current Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher plays a central role in the plot; each is either replaced, forced to resign, killed, or driven insane by the end of the relevant book.
List of Defence Professors
Defence Against the Dark Arts instructors have included:
- Galatea Merrythought
- Employed some fifty years prior to the Harry Potter series. Tom Marvolo Riddle sought unsuccessfully to succeed Professor Merrythought in the post.
- In the year preceding Harry's first year at Hogwarts, Quirrell was on sabbatical from Hogwarts and travelled throughout Europe. Received little respect from students.
- Lockhart's tenure ended when he was hit by a backfiring memory charm and admitted to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries with amnesia. Many were glad to see him go.
- Lupin resigned amid revelations that he was a werewolf. Severus Snape stood in for Lupin for at least one class during the year. Acknowledged as one of the better DADA professors.
- It emerged that this was in fact the impostor Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise, having abducted the real Alastor Moody and used Polyjuice Potion to take on his appearance. Was nonetheless highly effective.
- During Umbridge's tenure, Harry Potter provided clandestine instruction in the subject to his fellow students in Dumbledore's Army, a secret club dedicated to training students in the practical elements of wizarding combat that Umbridge refused to teach. Umbridge insisted on teaching strictly theory.
- Snape assumed the post of the DADA teacher, following the replacement of himself as potions master by Horace Slughorn. He fled the school after the Battle of Hogwarts. It is, at present time, uncertain if there will be a new school year at Hogwarts in the next novel, so Snape may or may not have been the last DADA teacher for the moment.
Charms
The motion and manipulation of objects and creation of phenomena by means of the precise waving of the wand and speaking the appropriate incantation. This class is one of the noisier ones; a group of students practising how to make objects move towards them or how to cause people to laugh makes a lot of hubbub even when they're doing well, never mind when they misfire a lot. Charms is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years.
Filius Flitwick is the current Charms teacher. J. K. Rowling has said that if she were to teach at Hogwarts, she would teach Charms.
Potions
The art of creating potions with magical effects. The process is delicate and instructions must be followed exactly in order to achieve the desired result. Potions is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years.
Severus Snape was the Potions master from books one to five, although he coveted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job all that time. Though an exceptional teacher, he was not the fairest disciplinarian, taking pleasure in humiliating students such as Neville Longbottom (for his incompetence in potion-making) and Harry Potter (for personal reasons regarding Potter's father) at every opportunity he gets. Students of his house (Slytherin) often like his classes, while those of other houses end up intimidated or angry.
One Potions master before Snape was Horace Slughorn. Slughorn had held that position for a long time; his students included Tom Riddle, Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Snape himself. When Snape became the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Slughorn was persuaded to come out of retirement and take up his old position. Slughorn shows favoritism to those who are famous or show potential for fame, or who are connected to famous people; however, he tends to distance himself from anyone who is related to Death Eaters, as he has shown much less favouritism to quite a few famous sons/daughters of Death Eaters, including Draco Malfoy. Post-Half-Blood Prince, it seems most probable that Slughorn will retain his role as Potions master, and most likely resume that of Head of Slytherin. McGonagall temporarily re-appointed him to his old position in the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts.
Minerva McGonagall tells Harry in Order of the Phoenix that Potions is an important subject to take at N.E.W.T. level if he wishes to be an Auror.
Astronomy at Hogwarts appears to be mostly concerned with nomenclature, which makes it similar to astrology. Known student activities include learning the names of stars, constellations, and planets, as well as their location and movements. Astronomy classes take place in the tallest tower and occur every Wednesday. Astronomy is a compulsory subject taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years. For example, in his first year, Harry Potter has to memorize the names of Jupiter's moons. By their fifth year, students are expected to be able to make a star chart.
Professor Sinistra is the current Astronomy teacher.
History of Magic
The study of magical history. History of Magic is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years.
The current History of Magic teacher, Professor Binns, isn't very effective. He is the only ghost teacher, extremely set in his ways; some say he didn't even notice he was dead, he just got up one day in the staff room, leaving his body behind.
Binns spends his class droning on and on, and does not seem to mind (or notice) that the class is never paying any attention.
Herbology
The study of magical plants (such as mandrakes or Bubotubers), and how to take care of, utilise and/or combat them. Herbology is set in greenhouses on the grounds. First Years only work in Greenhouse One, as Greenhouse Three contains more dangerous plants. Classes start using Greenhouse Three in their second year. Herbology is taught from the first year to the fifth, with the option of an N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years.
Pomona Sprout is the current Herbology teacher.
Herbology is also the only subject in which Neville Longbottom excels.
Optional Subjects
A student must select at least two optional subjects in their third year. These subjects may then be either continued or dropped at O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. level.
It can also be noted that none of the current incumbents of these positions occupy any other significant (i.e. pastoral) roles in the school.
A branch of magic that's concerned with the magical properties of numbers. This class is not taken by Harry Potter, nor by Ron Weasley. It is however the favourite subject of Hermione Granger. Arithmancy is the use of names and numbers to tell about a person's character. Arithmancy is also known as Numerology. The only information given is that the subject is quite hard — therefore attractive to Hermione — and running parallel to Divination lessons at Hogwarts. An optional subject, taught from the third year to the seventh.
Professor Vector, a witch, is the current Arithmancy professor.
Ancient Runes
A mostly theoretical subject that studies the ancient runic scripts and languages of magic. It is studied by Hermione Granger for both O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts.
We know thus far two words and their English translations that Hermione has learned in this class:
- ehwaz, which means 'partnership'
- eihwaz, which means 'defense'
Hermione mixes these two words up on her Ancient Runes O.W.L..
Divination
Divination is the art of predicting the future. Various methods are involved, including crystal balls, palmistry, tea leaves, Cartomancy (which encompasses the reading of playing cards and the Tarot) and the interpretation of dreams.
The supporters of the subject claim that it is a fairly inexact science that needs innate gifts more than bookwormish tendencies. Those opposed to the subject claim that the subject is irrelevant and fraudulent. Critics of the subject include Minerva McGonagall and Hermione Granger. Professor Dumbledore even considered dropping Divination from the curriculum altogether, but changed his mind after interviewing Sibyll Trelawney. An optional subject, it is taught from the third year to the seventh.
The current Divination teachers are Sibyll Trelawney and Firenze. When Dolores Umbridge fires Trelawney in Order of the Phoenix, she is replaced with Firenze the centaur. In the sixth book, Dumbledore allows both Firenze and Trelawney to work at Hogwarts, sharing classes, an idea which Trelawney is very upset about.
Care of Magical Creatures
Learning about and how to care for magical beasts. Classes are held outside the castle. An optional subject, taught from the third year to the seventh.
Between Harry's second and third years of school, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Professor Kettleburn, retires as to enjoy some time with his remaining limbs. Since groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid has been cleared of opening the Chamber of Secrets in the previous school year, Dumbledore gives him the Care of Magical Creatures job. During Hagrid's two absences, one after Rita Skeeter revealed his giant heritage, the other when he was on a special mission, Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank taught the class in his place. Hagrid is rather inexperienced, but is learning quickly — his main problem is an inability to grasp the concept of a "terribly dangerous monster".
Class topics have included Hippogriffs, Nifflers and Flobberworms.
Harry, Ron and Hermoine drop this subject in their sixth year, for reasons unrelated to Hagrids teaching methods.
Muggle Studies
The study of muggles, non-magical people, which involves writing essays such as Why Muggles Need Electricity. Muggle Studies is considered a soft option, but Percy Weasley thinks it is important for a wizard to have an understanding of the non-magical community, especially if he works closely with them. Hermione Granger tried it, though she already knows plenty about Muggles since her entire family is non-magical (she said she wanted to see how wizards view Muggles) but stopped in the third year when she found her schedule too demanding. An optional subject, taught from the third year to the seventh.
6th Optional Subject
There must be at least one more optional subject that is not mentioned because Hermione received eleven O.W.L.s yet she had dropped two of the five known optional subjects. However, this discrepancy may be attributable to J. K. Rowling's (self-admitted) questional abilities in math.
The art of shielding the mind against external penetration, and not a part of the usual curriculum. Template:Spoilers In Harry's fifth year, Dumbledore arranged for Harry to take one-on-one occlumency lessons with Professor Snape, though Snape told his students that Harry was taking remedial Potions lessons.
Flying
The use of enchanted broomsticks. Flying lessons are presumably only given to first-year students.
Madam Hooch is currently teaching flight. She also acts as referee for many of the Quidditch matches described in the books, although other staff occasionally take on this role instead, for instance Severus Snape, who refereed a Slytherin-Gryffindor match in Harry Potter's first year.
This subject is optional and lessons cost 12 galleons. Apparition is the art of magically disappearing from one place and reappearing in another. It requires a licence and can only be done legally by people over 17 years of age. It is dangerous if done improperly: body parts can be left behind, an unfortunate side-effect known as "Splinching". Ron Weasley failed his first Apparition test after leaving behind half of one eyebrow. A more serious incident occurred previously when fellow student Susan Bones splinched during Apparition lessons, losing a leg, although this was quickly reattached by Hogwarts staff.
Students at Hogwarts who are 17 years old, or turn 17 during the school year, may take a twelve-week-long course starting shortly after the Christmas holidays. Ron, Hermione, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Neville Longbottom all took the class in their sixth year, which was taught by Ministry-approved instructor Wilkie Twycross. While Ron failed his initial test for a minor splinch, Hermione passed flawlessly. Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, and Ernie Macmillan are some of the sixth-year students who had to wait longer to take their apparition test because of their late birthdays.