Hogwarts Grounds

The grounds of the school consist of a large area encompassing the castle, and contain a number of buildings and features belonging to the school. The land itself is, depending on whether you believe the films of The Philosopher’s Stone/Chamber of Secrets or the film of Prisoner of Azkaban, a series of rolling lawns, or the inhospitable side of a rather craggy mountain.

Descriptions in the books favour the Philosopher’s Stone/Chamber of Secrets angle, but either way, all of the following are contained within the Hogwarts Grounds:

Main Buildings/Structures

Quidditch Pitch
The Quidditch Pitch is said in Philosopher’s Stone to be on the opposite side of the castle than the forest. It is regularly used for practice by the house teams, and has enough terracing and/or seating to accommodate much of the school when a game is played.

Hagrid’s Hut
Hagrid’s Hut is situated on the edge of both the Forbidden Forest and also the cliff-top on which Hogwarts rests. It is a single-room wooden structure with a big fire and a Hagrid-sized bed in one corner.

The Front Gates
The main gates to the Hogwarts castle are located to the west of the lake. This is the opposite side of the castle to the Forbidden Forest. The gates themselves have statues of winged boars which sit on top of them.

Natural Features

The Forbidden Forest
This is located to the east of the castle. The forest forms a great barrier on this side of the castle which extends as far as the grounds do.

The Lake
The Lake is situated to the south of the castle and to the east of the main gates. The castle itself stands on a cliff overlooking the lake, and rolling lawns lead across the grounds, past Hagrid’s hut, and towards the forest. A giant squid, amongst other things, lives in the lake, and it is said that the school toilets flush into it, which may not be a very good idea.

Land/Plants

Grass
This is a prominent terrain of the grounds of the castle. In all probability the lawns are indeed sloping rather than mountainous.

Flowers
There are a number of flowerbeds within the grounds, and also bushes just right for snogging behind. Beware though, as Professor Snape might not approve.

Greenhouses
There are a number of greenhouses belonging to the Herbology department.

Vegetable Patches
There are various types of vegetables grown within the grounds, including some cabbages which may or may not have been consumed by flesh-eating slugs (depending on whether you believe Hagrid’s excuse for being in Knockturn Alley).

The Whomping Willow
This is to the south of the castle, next to the Forbidden Forest. It was planted when Remus Lupin attended the school, to cover for his lycanthropy. It is a particularly dangerous plant, and will attack anyone who comes near it, especially if they crash their car into it. According to Professor Snape, it is also rather valuable.

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