Before he died, Aldous Dumbledore said "there was neither a living nor dead soul in the world who knew all the secrets of the castle" and he wasn't wrong. But some people do know a lot of the secrets and we've scoured the magical and muggle worlds to bring you forty bewitching Hogwarts Facts That You (Probably) Never Knew!

Hogwarts is Protected by Spells

It makes sense, considering it's home to some of the worlds most powerful wizards. The castle’s magic is supposed to be strong enough to stop even the most talented of evil wizarding people. You'd think with all that protective magic the children would be safe in their studies, wouldn't you...

No-one Truly Knows Hogwarts

According to Dumbledore, “there was neither a living nor dead soul in the world who knew all the secrets of the castle.” He's wrong. We know all the secrets and can reveal that Dumbledore himself had a secret room adjoining his chambers where he could play Fortnite. We might have made that bit up.

The Sword of Gryffindor was Made by Goblins

The Sword of Gryffindor belonged to Godric Gryffindor and was hidden in Hogwarts. Before Harry Potter found the sword in the sorting hat it was believed to be buried beneath a flagstone in the entrance hall of Hogwarts!

Hogwarts is in Scotland

The exact location of Hogwarts is unknown to us Muggles (it being hidden by magic) but we're reliably informed the school is located somewhere in Scotland.

The Hogwarts Express leaves at 11AM.

Every Muggle knows the train to Hogwarts leaves from platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross station, but not everyone knows the date and time it leaves: 11 am on September 1 each year. Be on time otherwise you'll have to wait another year.

The Station Nearest Hogwarts is Called Hogsmede

As soon as they get off the train at Hogsmede Station, first-year students are led to boats that carry them across the Great Lake. Little known fact: There's no Costa Coffee at this station.

Hogwarts is OFFICIALLY the Thirty-Sixth Best School in Scotland

According to Scotsman Newspaper, Hogwarts was ranked the 36th best school in Scotland, in a REAL LIFE survey of Scottish independent schools! Sounds like they didn't know about the booby trapped staircase

Hogwarts has 142 Staircases

Not counting the three steps in the corridor leading to the staff toilet, or the four steps leading to the Broomstick Cupboard, Hogwarts is connected by 142 staircases the biggest of which is called the Grand Staircase. Lot's of them move around but that's detailed in another fact.

There's No Magical Appearances Allowed in Hogwarts

Apparating and Disapparating within Hogwarts is impossible for all students and teachers because of a protective spell. We told you it was protected by spells!

No Boys Allowed in the Girls Dormitory

The stairs outside the entrance of the girl's dormitory turns into a slide if boys try to climb them, keeping them from getting in. It's supposed to put off illegal visitors but actually whizzing down a slide sounds like fun.

You Can Tickle the Pear

The entrance to the kitchen is hidden behind a painting of a fruit bowl, but if you tickle the pear in the bowl, the door will swing open. Handy knowledge to have if you fancy a midnight feast!

Trolls Can do Ballet

Walk past a painting of Barnabas the Barmy teaching ballet to a group of trolls three times to gain entrance to the Room of Requirements - a room that is very handy if you are struggling to completer an important mission or you have run out of ideas for a very long list of Harry Potter facts.

There's a Fake Sky in the Grand Hall

The ceiling of the Grand Hall is bewitched to look like the sky outside, whatever the weather - it's so realistic it seems as if there is no ceiling at all. Probably would have been easier to not bother with a ceiling in the first place?

The's Another Fake Sky in Classroom 11

Classroom Eleven, where the students study Divination, also has a similar ceiling. We guess they had some bewitched ceiling-paint left over.

The Hogwarts First Year Timetable is Intense

If you thought your school was tough, new students at Hogwarts study: Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions and Transfiguration. They also need to learn how to fly on a broomstick!

You Have to Tap on a Barrel to get into the Hufflepuff Common Room

The entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room is concealed behind a pile of barrels in the back right corner of the Kitchen, raising the question, DO ANY OF THE ROOMS IN HOGWARTS NOT HAVE A SECRET ENTRANCE!?

Admission to Hogwarts is Confirmed by Owl...

If you are a witch or wizard born with magical abilities you'll be going to Hogwarts. Your admission is confirmed by Owl. At least your parents won't have to worry about what catchment area you're in!

...Or by a Professor

If you are born to Muggle parents you might even get a visit from one of the school’s professors. That might be a shock to you're legal guardians (especially if they're the Dursley's and have been keeping you in a cupboard under the stairs)

The Portraits Can Move

The subjects of the portraits hung in Hogwarts can move from frame to frame and visit their painting friends. This could cause some problems as we already know the portraits are used to conceal certain secret rooms. Do the rooms move with the portrait? As muggles, we're afraid we don't know this important detail.

Hogwarts is VERY Haunted

It's not just Myrtle either. Each house has its very own ghost. Slytherin has the Bloody Baron, Hufflepuff has the Fat Friar, Ravenclaw the Grey Lady, and Gryffindor has Nearly Headless Nick.

Hogwarts is VERY VERY Haunted

There is a staggering total of 325 ghosts in Hogwarts. And that's not counting the Ghostly Milkman who actually Haunts, Hogsmede but occasionally visits Hogwarts. It does count Professor Binns who may or may not realise he's a ghost.

Hogwarts Shows You That There's Been a Royal Witch

A portrait of Henry VIII’s wife Anne Boleyn is hung on the wall of the grand staircase. It reveals that this wife of Henry the VIII was actually a non-Muggle. Other witches and wizards famous in the Muggle world include the astronomers Agrippa and Nicholas Flamel, Old Mother Hubbard, and Trent Alexander-Arnold (who we've assumed is a wizard because of his awesome football skills)

Hogwarts can Magically Mend Itself

Hogwarts castle was nearly destroyed in the second wizarding war, but luckily for JK Rowling it repaired itself by the next book. Magic's great like that!

Hogwarts has a LOT of Towers

Hogwarts Castle has 24 towers. In one of the towers someone pretty important was killed by someone else pretty important.

Some of the Steps in the Grand Staircase are Booby-trapped

First year students at Hogwarts often need rescuing from the Grand Staircase. It sounds like a health and safety nightmare and the architect should probably be fired.

Hogwarts has Options just like a Muggle Secondary School

Students have to select two more subjects to study. They can pick from Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures,Divination, Muggle Studies, and Study of Ancient Runes. Some subjects such as Alchemy may also be offered if enough students ask.

Salazar Slytherin was REALLY mean

Salazar Slytherin threw his toys out of the pram when the other Hogwarts' founders refused to agree to his Pure-Bloods only rule. Lucky for Harry!

Perhaps the Book of Admittance has been Touched by a Gibbon

No human hand has touched the Book of Admittance since it was placed in Hogwarts. It raises the question, what other type of hand has touched it? Maybe a gibbon?

The Password to the Chamber of Secrets is Spoken in Parceltongue

Salazar Slytherin, one of the original founders of Hogwarts, created the Chamber of Secrets just before he left the school. Pop into the bathroom and say "Open" in Parceltongue to get inside.

There is a Ghost in the Bogs

All schools have a haunted toilet, right? Hogwarts is no different. Moaning Myrtle was a Ravenclaw student who was killed by the Basilisk hidden in the Chamber of Secrets. Who hides a Basilisk in a school!? So much for it being safe. OFSTED should be informed!

There are Many Secret Passages in Hogwarts

Not counting the corridor between Dumbledores study and his Fortnite room, there are a total of seven secret passages in Hogwarts that allow students to get up to all sorts of mischief.

The Secret Password to the One Eyed Witch Passage is Dissendium

The passage is opened by tapping the wand on the One-Eyed Witch Statue and speaking the password, Dissendium. It leads to a sweet shop in Hogsmede so it's pretty handy if you're a wizard who likes chocolate.

The Tri-Wizard Tournament is not about winning

The tournament is an inter-school tournament between three magical schools in Europe—Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. It's not really about who's best, but for allowing the students to meet other wizards from different countries.

Vindictus Viridian Hides A Secret

If you look behind the portrait of Vindictus Viridian on the Grand Staircase you'll find the Room of Rewards is ANOTHER secret room at Hogwarts that records the various accomplishments of the students.

Hogwarts is Safe (OR IS IT?)

According to Hagrid, Hogwarts is the safest place in the magical world. That's why SPOILER WARNING the philosophers stop was hidden there. Safe, eh? Hagrid obviously didn't think booby-trapped stairs were inappropriate for a school. Anybody told him about the Basilisk yet? Get yourself together, Hagrid!