The first week of September is a very eventful period in Hogwarts and Wizarding World history. For British witches and wizards, the date of September first brings fond memories of boarding the Hogwarts Express for the nine-hour journey to Hogwarts in Scotland. They arrive after dark.
Just for the record, sunset on the first of September in Scotland is about 8:15 pm. Allowing for a half hour of dusk, that suggests that the Hogwarts Express arrives in Hogsmeade Station around 8:45 pm. Presumably the Sorting begins around 9:30 and those poor kids don’t get to eat until almost 10pm. No wonder Mrs. Weasley packs sandwiches!
Key events of this week in history:
September 1st
Students board the Hogwarts Express at King’s Cross Station in London for the journey to Hogwarts.
They arrive after dark and travel by carriage to the castle. First Years travel by boat across the Lake, accompanied by the Gamekeeper.
1991 – Harry meets Ron Weasley, Neville, Longbottom, and Hermione Granger (and encounters Draco Malfoy for the second time). Back in London, Dudley Dursley has his tail removed.
1992 – Unbeknownst to them, Harry and Ron are blocked from getting to Platform 9 and 3/4 by Dobby. They fly Mr. Weasley’s Ford Anglia to Scotland where they crash into the Whomping Willow. The car goes wild in the Forbidden Forest.
1993 – Dementors board the train before it arrives at Hogsmeade Station. Hagrid and Lupin begin their professorships at Hogwarts.
1994 – Mad-Eye Moody is defeated in an early-morning duel with Barty Crouch Jr., who then impersonates Moody to teach at Hogwarts for the year. That evening, at the Welcoming Feast, the Triwizard Tournament is announced. Oh, and Dennis Creevey falls into the Lake and is rescued by the Giant Squid.
1995 – Sturgis Podmore is arrested while keeping watch over the Department of Mysteries.
1996 – Slug Club meets aboard the Hogwarts Express.
1997 – Snape begins his tenure as Hogwarts Headmaster.
September 2nd
Classes begin at Hogwarts. Schedules are handed out at breakfast.
1992 – Lockhart releases Cornish Pixies in his classroom.
1993 – Draco Malfoy is injured by Buckbeak.
1994 – Draco Mafloy is turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody.
1996 – Harry receives the Half-Blood Prince’s old potions book.
1997 – Umbridge sits in judgement over Muggle-borns in Courtroom Ten. Harry, Ron, and Hermione infiltrate the Ministry of Magic and begin their months on the run.
September 3rd
1995 – Harry already has a detention with Umbridge. His year is off to a good start. He has detention on the 4th, 5th, and 6th as well.
September 6th
1991 – Harry has his first Potions class in the morning and Snape gives his infamous “I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach” speech. In the afternoon, he and Ron visit Hagrid.
1995 – Detention with Umbridge forces Harry to miss the Gryffindor Quidditch Team’s Keeper tryouts.
September 7th
1996 – Harry has his first private lesson with Dumbledore where he views memories of Bob Ogden visiting the Gaunt family.
