Science  People  Locations  Timeline
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Hogwarts subjects


 Contents
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 are required, others electives. Pupils get a chance to sign up for the latter kind towards end of their second year, and start them at the beginning of their third year. It seems that some can be dropped at the end of the fifth.

1 Transfiguration

The art of metamorphosis, turning something into something else by means of waving one's wand and saying magic words. One of the trickier subjects, it requires great concentration and effort. Transfiguration is taught from the first year to the seventh.

Before Albus Dumbledore became headmaster, he served as Transfiguration teacher. The current Transfiguration teacher is Minerva McGonagall, who's a competent teacher and a stern but fair disciplinarian.

2 Defence Against the Dark Arts

The use of spells, potions and other techniques to counteract the Dark Arts, demons and evil creatures such as the Boggart. Defence Against the Dark Arts is taught from the first year to the seventh.

The position of teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts is coveted by Hogwarts' Potions master Severus Snape, although he has yet to receive it, possibly due to his prior association with Lord Voldemort. 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(!).

In each of the first five 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. The quality of teaching varies widely from teacher to teacher.

2.1 List of Defence Professors

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
Defence Against the Dark Arts Instructors have included:



Read more »

Non User