Toilets

There are two sets of toilets which are mentioned specifically in the books. These are Moaning Myrtle’s toilets (out-of-order girls’ toilets on the second floor), and the toilets where Harry, Ron and Hermione take on the troll (also girls’ toilets, although the location is never specified).

Myrtle’s toilets do, in fact, move round rather a lot, often alternating between the first and second floors. The second floor is their usual location, though, so that’s what it’s listed as here.

The troll toilets are on either the first or second floor as well. We know this because the whole school were in the Great Hall when Professor Quirrell burst in with news of the troll, and as everyone was evacuated, they had already gone up at least one flight of stairs before Harry and Ron made off to find Hermione (who was hiding in the toilets at the time). On the way they ran into Professor Snape, who was on his way up to the third floor and the forbidden corridor. Hence they were either on the first or the second floor at the time.

Given that Myrtle’s toilets alternate between these two floors, and there is unlikely to be a need for more than one set of toilets per floor, it is reasonable to assume that the troll toilets also alternate, but in the opposite direction. This must be very irritating for the students, as Myrtle’s toilets are out of order, and they’ll never know when they’ve switched places with the working ones.

The only other thing which is known about the toilets at Hogwarts is that they empty into the lake. This must be something of an irritation to the giant squid and the Merpeople, and also makes it rather inadvisable to have incorporated swimming in the lake as one of the tasks in the Triwizard Tournament. However, if Dumbledore has decided he wants a giant cesspool outside his school then we’re sure he knows best.