Hogwarts Subjects

A collection of guides and handbooks on lore that is significant to our universe, and in cases where it expands and/or differs from the official Harry Potter canon.
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Hogwarts Subjects

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Hogwarts Subjects

Alchemy
Ancient Runes
Ancient Studies
Arithmancy
Art
Astronomy
Care of Magical Creatures
Charms
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Divination
Flying
Herbology
History of Magic
Magical Theory
Muggle Studies
Music
Potions
Transfiguration


Core Classes
Students in Years 1-5 must complete all seven core classes.
Students in Years 6-7 have the option to drop any of the core classes as they choose.


Astronomy
In this class, students meet at midnight at the top of the Astronomy Tower once a week in order to study the motions of the stars and planets through the heavens. They learn how to use telescopes, observe the night skies through them, make star charts, and the names of stars, constellations and planets, and their locations, movements, and environments.

Charms
Charms teaches students how to alter the qualities or capabilities of a target, as opposed to altering the target itself. The classroom is notoriously noisy and chaotic on account of the largely practical application of magic during the lessons.

Defence Against the Dark Arts
The curriculum of DADA varies from teaching students how to detect if an object has been tainted by Dark Magic, reverse the effects of unfriendly spells, repel Dark magical creatures, use spells of protection and concealment, and how to duel.

Herbology
Taught in the greenhouses, Herbology is the study of magical plants and fungi, including their care and uses. The class involves many hands-on activities, including pruning, re-potting, and flora harvesting.

History of Magic
History of Magic is an endless series of lectures regarding the 'History of Wizards and the Magical World', with an emphasis on remembering notable dates, names and events. Topics include Goblin Rebellions, Giant wars, and the origins of wizarding secrecy. As 'history occurs outside the classroom', the professors have been known to bring the students along on tours around the castle to introduce students to famous individuals or events depicted on portraits, tapestries and other pieces of artwork, or other artefacts of historical significance.

Potions
Potions class involves memorizing the properties of various potion ingredients, the composition of specific potions, and the practice of preparing them. Seventh-years learn to reverse-engineer various concoctions to determine the ingredients it is composed of. Homework typically involves essays on the properties of potion ingredients or analyzing how a student's practical assignment went wrong and how to correct it.

Transfiguration
Transfiguration deals with the art of changing the form or appearance of an object or animal into something else. As this is some of the most complex and dangerous magic taught at the school, Transfiguration is a theory-based subject and includes topics such as:
  • Transubstantial Transfiguration (changing one inanimate object into another)
  • Cross-Species Switches (changing one organism into another)
  • Vanishing Spells (causing an object to completely disappear)
  • Conjuring Spells (creating objects out of thin air).
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Elective Classes, Years 3-7
These classes are only offered to students in the third year and above.
Students in Years 3-5 are required to take at least two elective classes.
Students in Years 6-7 have the option to drop any of the elective classes as they choose.


Ancient Runes
Ancient Runes is a difficult class that focuses on reading and understanding ancient runic scripts of magic dating back hundreds of years. The homework entails a large amount of translation of runes into modern English. Most notably, aspiring Curse-Breakers have been known to take this subject so as to be able to interpret inscriptions found at treasure troves in order to find clues about the exact location of valuables, or in an effort to gain further insights into the potential dangers and/or obstacles ahead of them.

Arithmancy
Arithmancy focuses on the study of the magical properties of numbers and their uses in numerology to predict the future. In this class, students learn how to predict the behaviour of the world around them by using arithmetical laws to combine the values and interpret the meaning of the results. The homework assignments have to do with creating predictive models for estimating the probability of a given event taking place and include writing essays that require the consultation and/or composition of complex numerical charts.

Care of Magical Creatures
Often taught outdoors, the students study the life cycles of various magical creatures on the Hogwarts grounds and across the wizarding world. They learn to care for, feed, and manage these creatures and study their magical uses.

Divination
Students study ways to scry information about past, present and future events; including reading tea leaves, crystal-gazing, using tarot cards, and horoscope charts, studying smoke patterns, dream interpretation and Astrology.

Muggle Studies
This class deals with the study of the history, culture, and psychology of the non-magical community, and attempts to help young witches and wizards understand the difference between the way Muggles think and the way wizards think. It is a prerequisite for jobs in Muggle Relations, and those who excel in it have been known to be offered a job at the Muggle Liaison Office at the Ministry of Magic immediately upon graduating.

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Elective Classes, Years 6-7
These classes are only offered to sixth and seventh-year students.
Students in Years 6-7 have the option to drop any of the core classes as they choose.


Alchemy
Considered to be some of the most difficult magic known to wizardkind, alchemy deals with the study of the composition, structure and magical properties of the four basic elements, and with the transmutation of substances. As metals must be melted and mixed before they are transformed into gold, it is a cross between Potions and Transfiguration.

Ancient Studies
This class is a specialized branch of History of Magic, effectively being the magical equivalent of cultural, social and/or linguistic anthropology in the Muggle world.

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Extracurriculars
These classes and activities are open to students of all years and do not have any O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s


Art
This class teaches students - among other things - how to brew developing solution (a potion used in the developing of wizarding photographs that allowed the pictures to move), as well as the enchantments that will allow paintings to move in the usual way, and to interact with those that look at it by imitating the general demeanour of the portrait's subject.

Flying
Flying class starts with the basics of broomology and becomes increasingly difficult every year. The class ends with advanced broom techniques for skilled fliers that could be used both on and off the pitch; including defensive techniques which taught students how to cast spells whilst in mid-flight during emergencies.

Music
Taught either in the Music Classroom on the fifth floor, or in the Music Room in the Bell Tower, Music class teaches students about Muggle Music and spells linked to music such as the Music Spell or Cantis.




(Thanks to Ninclow for their contributions to the lore)
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