Hogsmeade

Hogsmeade is the only entirely wizarding village in Britain (PA5). According to tradition it was founded over a thousand years ago, around the same time as Hogwarts, by Hengist of Woodcroft as he was fleeing persecution by Muggles (FW, Pm). It’s a picturesque little village of thatched cottages and shops, with enchanted candles hanging in the trees during the holidays (PA10).

As Hogsmeade is located just down the road from Hogwarts, the school and the village have always shared a special relationship. On select Saturdays throughout the school year the village is filled with Hogwarts students, who are allowed to visit beginning in their third year (GF12); some of the Hogwarts teachers, including Hagrid (PS14) and Dumbledore (HBP25), visit more frequently. The railway station that serves the village is actually on the other side of Hogwarts (map by JKR), and this is where the Hogwarts Express drops students off at the beginning of each school year (GF11).

Shops and other buildings in Hogsmeade:

• Dervish and Banges – magical equipment
• Gladrags Wizardwear – clothing
• The Hog’s Head – pub
• Hogsmeade Station – rail station
• Honeydukes Sweetshop – candy
• Madam Puddifoot’s – tea shop
• post office
• Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop – quills & stationary
• The Shrieking Shack – abandoned building
• The Three Broomsticks – pub
• Zonko’s Joke Shop – joke items

Secret Passageways to Hogwarts

Hogsmeade and Hogwarts have a shared history, as well. There are at least eight secret passages that run between the school and Hogsmeade (PA10), all but two of which were built for reasons unknown (PA18, DH29). It’s possible that some were used during major historical events, such as the 1612 goblin rebellion that centered in Hogsmeade (PA5); more recently we’ve seen at least two used in the final battle to defeat Voldemort (DH30).

We actually know a fair amount about the eight passageways:

• Hogwarts third-floor corridor to Honeydukes cellar
  To enter this passage from Hogwarts, one needs to tap on the statue of the one-eyed witch in the third floor corridor and say “Dissendium.” It leads to a trap door in the floor of the Honeydukes cellar. Unknown to Filch, this passage was discovered somehow by James, Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew, who included it on the Marauder’s Map; Fred and George then used it extensively, and eventually taught Harry how to get through it as well (PA10).
• Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack
  When Remus Lupin came to Hogwarts as a werewolf, this passageway was built (and the Whomping Willow planted) to give him a place to go when he transformed every full moon. The tunnel is accessed by prodding a knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow, and it leads to the basement of the Shrieking Shack (PA21).
• The Room of Requirement to the Hog’s Head Inn
  A secret passage that “opened” in 1998 to allow renegade Hogwarts students who were in hiding to access food. Though the door is in plain sight in the Room of Requirement, the passageway can only be accessed from the Hog’s Head through the portrait of Ariana Dumbledore on the second floor of the inn (DH28, DH29).
• A secret passageway behind the mirror on the fourth floor
  Fred and George used this passageway, also unknown to Filch, extensively until it caved in c. winter 1992 (PA10).
• Four secret passageways that Filch knows about
  Not all of these passages necessarily lead to Hogsmeade, though “most of them” probably do. Regardless, nobody can use them, because Filch keeps watch over them (PA10). One of these is behind a statue of Gregory the Smarmy” (PS9).