The school year at Hogwarts.

The school year at Hogwarts begins on 1 September: at 11 a.m., on the Hogwarts Express. There, they can use magic without breaking wizarding laws. The Hogwarts Express leaves King's Cross Station[5], bringing students to Hogsmeade Station, where the first years traditionally cross the lake in boats with the Gamekeeper, and the second through seventh years ride carriages pulled by Thestrals up to the Hogwarts Castle (the Thestrals are generally invisible to students except those who have witnessed death). The Welcoming Feast takes place in the Great Hall. This feast includes the Sorting ceremony, followed by a few words from the current Headmaster, the banquet starts after this, including large quantities of food and drink. The feast is closed with a few more words from the Headmaster, but it also included the usual "start-of-term notices". Classes start the next day (September 2nd). The class schedules are 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 occur. Classes will proceed normally and the next notable event occurs on the evening of 31 October: the Halloween feast. Decorations include giant jack-o-lanterns and flocks of hundreds of bats flying across the halls. The served foods include pumpkin treats, tarts, cakes and all sorts of magical sweets. The Quidditch season starts usually with the first Quidditch match in the first weeks of November. In the second week of December, the Deputy Head takes names of those who are staying at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays. The first term usually ends about a week before Christmas and most of the students and some of the teachers go home by the school train. In Triwizard Tournament years, the Yule Ball occurs on the evening of Christmas Eve, ending at midnight. On 25 December, a Christmas feast is held in the Great Hall. Shortly after January 1st, the Hogwarts Express returns to Hogsmeade; the second term begins. The exact dates of the beginning of the Easter holidays vary every year. During these holidays, the students may go home. The final exams are held the first week of June and the results come out on the second week. In the evening before the Hogwarts Express goes back to London, the End-of-Term Feast is held. The Hogwarts Express returns to London during the third week of June. All staff and students leave Hogwarts during the summer except for the caretaker and gamekeeper.

Daily routines at Hogwarts.

The day begins at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast in the Great Hall. During breakfast, the mail arrives in a flurry of hundreds of owls. A bell chime signals the start of the first class at 9 a.m. The bell chimes again in one hour to signal the start of the next class. There is a break between this class and the following class, making for three classes and a break before lunch. After lunch, there is another break and two more classes[6]. Supper is served in the Great Hall towards evening, after which the students are expected to be in their House common rooms for studying and socialising. There is an Astronomy class at night on Wednesday every week (usually midnight). The students must be in bed or in the common rooms by a certain time, after which is called after hours. The times are different for different years (for example, fifth years are allowed to be in the halls until 9:00)

First Year: Astronomy Charms Defense Against the Dark Arts Herbology History of Magic Potions Transfiguration

During school term.

Term begins on 1 September. Students usually reach Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express, which leaves from Platform 9 3/4 of London's King's Cross Station at 11 a.m. sharp. There seemed to be other ways of entering the school, such as via brooms or Floo powder, or simply Apparating to a nearby location such as Hogsmeade. Missing the Hogwarts Express for any reason is a very serious problem but will not cost the student points, because the term has not officially started. After the Hogwarts Express arrives, students depart for the school accompanied by chaperones. First year students travel to the castle via small boats. The boats sail from the edge of the Black Lake, under an opening in the rocks upon which Hogwarts is built, through a curtain of ivy, and finally into an underground harbour. Older students travel on the road in carriages pulled by Thestrals. Upon arrival at the Great Hall, new students are sorted into Houses by the Sorting Hat. After all new students have been sorted, a feast begins to welcome everyone to the new school year. After dinner, students are led to their House Common room by a Prefect. This is a special time for new students to get comfortable with their surroundings, because the next day classes begin.

Quidditch
Tryouts for House Quidditch teams happen at the very beginning of the school year. First-years are usually prohibited from joining a Quidditch team, as they are usually inexperienced with brooms and are forbidden to own them in the first place, however exceptions have been made on both counts.

Holidays.
Students may go home for certain holidays such as Christmas. The students who choose to remain are treated to a feast along with some of the faculty. When Christmas holidays end, classes begin again. In Harry Potter's second year, Gilderoy Lockhart organised a Valentine's Day celebration. It was not continued after he left the school. The Easter holidays are not as enjoyable as the Christmas ones, as students are overloaded with homework in preparation for their exams, which are taken at the end of the year. Students are not allowed to use magic over the summer holidays until they turn seventeen.

July sometime in July - O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. results are posted to the students by the Wizarding Examinations Authority third week - Quidditch World Cup (every four years, most recently in 1994) 27 - (1997) The Battle of the Seven Potters 30 - (1980) Neville Longbottom born (OP37, JKR) 31 - (1980) Harry Potter born August 11 - (1981) Ginny Weasley born 22 - (1976) Percy Weasley born last week of the month - many students can be found in Diagon Alley buying supplies for Hogwarts September 1 - Hogwarts Express travels from King's Cross, London, to Hogsmeade Station start of the school year at Hogwarts evening: Welcoming Feast, the Sorting 2 - classes begin (this is often a Monday, regardless of the year) second week - Quidditch tryouts (PS7) 19 - (1979) Hermione Granger born October 4 - (c. 1925) Minerva McGonagall born 17 - (?) Filius Flitwick born third week - (1977) Angelina Johnson's birthday (GF16) 30 - (c. 1950?) Molly Weasley born 31 - Halloween Halloween Feast at Hogwarts - 7 pm (1981) - near midnight - the first defeat of Voldemort by Harry Potter (1992) - first attack of the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets (Mrs. Norris) November Hogwarts Quidditch season begins (see Hogwarts Quidditch Teams page for a detailed discussion of the schedule) 8 - (1992) - second attack by the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets (Colin Creevey) 24 - (1994) - First Task of the Triwizard Tournament 29 - (1970) - Bill Weasley born

December first week - McGonagall takes names of students staying over Christmas holidays 6 - (1928) - Rubeus Hagrid born 12 - (1972) - Charlie Weasley born 17 - (1992) - first attempt at a Duelling Club at Hogwarts, led by Lockhart and Snape 18 - (1992) - third attack of the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets (Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick) third week - end of fall term, Hogwarts Express takes kids back to London 25 - Christmas Day 25 - (1994) - Yule Ball 26 - Boxing Day January first week - Hogwarts Express comes back to school from London winter term starts at Hogwarts 9 - (1960) Severus Snape born 30 - (1960) Lily Evans is born February 14 - Valentine's Day - celebrated memorably in 1993 and 1996 24 - (1995) - Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament March 1 - (1980) - Ron Weasley born 27 - (1960) - James Potter born April 1 - (1978) - Weasley twins born Easter holidays - two weeks, Hogwarts Express transports kids back and forth start of summer term at Hogwarts ? - (1998) Teddy Lupin born May 8 - (1993) - fourth attack of the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets (Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater) 26 - (1992) - Harry Potter encounters Quirrell/Voldemort in the forest 29 - (1993) - Harry Potter defeats Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets (1998) - The Battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of Voldemort by Harry Potter June

first week - final exams; N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s begin 4 - (1992) - Harry Potter defeats Quirrell/Voldemort in the chamber of the Philosopher's Stone second week - N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s conclude 23 - (1980) Dudley Dursley born 24 - (1995) - Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament (1995) beginning of Voldemort's second rise to power mid-month - (1997) - Battle of the Tower and the death of Albus Dumbledore third or fourth week - end of summer term Leaving Feast - awarding of points and House Cup Hogwarts Express travels back to London

Quidditch
Quidditch is big at Hogwarts. Each House fields a team, which includes the seven players and often one or two reserve players as well. The teams have a team captain who not only plays but also acts as coach. The captain leads practices, devises strategies, and sees to the induction of new players into the team. Quidditch tryouts are typicallyduring the second week of the school year, although the exact day and time are up to the captain to determine; students who wish to play for their Houses are asked to talk to Madam Hooch. The Quidditch season at Hogwarts starts in October, with the first games early in November. Madam Hooch is the resident Quidditch expert. The Bludgers, Quaffles, and Snitch are stored securely in her office between games and she acts as referee for the matches. Team practices are scheduled by individual captains (they "book the field" to reserve it for their own team to practice.) Most teams practice almost every day, after school or in the evenings. The matches themselves are well attended by almost everyone in the school. Until he left school, the commentary was provided by Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor boy who occasionally found it difficult to remain objective when Gryffindor was playing. The raised stands can hold hundreds of fans, and it would seem that the matches are sometimes attended by Quidditch fans from the surrounding area as well. After Lee left, commentary was provided by Zacharias Smith and Luna Lovegood. The team which accumulates the most points over the course of the school year is awarded the Quidditch Cup, a great honor. Special awards are given to the best players as well (PS/f). Each year, the various House teams play each other once. This results in six games of Quidditch: Gryffindor v. Slytherin The first match of the year, normally held in November (PS, CS, PA, OP), but moved to the end of the season in PA (see below). Hufflepuff v. Ravenclaw Held at the end of November (PA10). Ravenclaw v. Slytherin January (PA12). Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff Normally held shortly after St. Valentine's Day (CS14, OP26).

 Hufflepuff v. Slytherin Early May (OP30). Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw The last match of the season, held in late May, usually before final exams (PS17, OP30) In Prisoner of Azkaban, Slytherin requested a change in schedule on the basis of Draco Malfoy's injuries, so the usual playing order was not followed, with all Gryffindor's other matches moving up one time slot and Gryffindor - Slytherin moving to the end of the schedule. On the normal schedule shown above, the games are grouped into three pairs, such that for each pair of games, all four teams play, with no team playing two matches back-to-back without a break. The Christmas break falls between Hufflepuff's first two matches, and the Easter break falls between Slytherin's last two.