======The Prefects' Bathroom======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Bathroom, Special Amenity
  * **Location:** Fifth floor of [[Hogwarts Castle]], Scotland. The entrance is the fourth door to the left of a statue of [[Boris the Bewildered]].
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. It is for the exclusive use of school [[Prefect|Prefects]], the [[Head Boy]], the [[Head Girl]], and [[Quidditch]] captains. The ghost [[Moaning Myrtle]] is also a frequent visitor.
  * **Key Features:** Password-protected entrance, vast marble interior, a swimming-pool-sized bath with numerous magical taps.
=====Description and History=====
The [[Prefects' Bathroom]] is a luxurious and private bathing facility provided as a special privilege for students holding positions of responsibility at [[Hogwarts]]. Access is granted via a specific door on the fifth floor which has no handle, only a small scratch. Entry requires the correct password; the password given to [[Harry Potter]] in his fourth year was "//pine fresh//".
The interior of the bathroom is described as stunningly beautiful, brightly lit by a large candle-filled chandelier. The room is constructed entirely of gleaming white [[marble]]. The centerpiece is a large, rectangular, sunken bath that resembles a small swimming pool, complete with a diving board at one end. The bath is equipped with approximately one hundred different golden taps arranged around its edge, each of which dispenses water mixed with a unique type of magically-produced foam, bubbles, or scent. One tap, for example, releases "heaps of foamy, rose-scented bubbles," while another creates thick, blue bubbles that are difficult to see through.
The room also contains a stack of fluffy white towels, white linen curtains, and a single painting on the wall. This painting depicts a beautiful, blond-haired [[Mermaid]] sleeping on a rock in the sea. The [[Mermaid]] in the portrait is sentient and has been known to interact with the bathroom's occupants.
=====Role in the Story=====
The [[Prefects' Bathroom]] is the setting for two significant events in [[Harry Potter]]'s school career.
  * In //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//, [[Cedric Diggory]] advises Harry to take the [[Golden Egg]] to the bathroom to solve its clue, repaying Harry for his warning about the [[First Task|dragons]]. With the help of [[Moaning Myrtle]], Harry submerges the egg in the water, which allows him to hear the [[Merpeople]]'s song clearly. This reveals the nature of the [[Second Task]] of the [[Triwizard Tournament]]: to rescue something important from the [[Great Lake]] within a one-hour time limit.
  * In //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, the bathroom is the site of a violent duel between Harry and [[Draco Malfoy]]. Harry discovers a distraught Malfoy crying to [[Moaning Myrtle]], overwhelmed by the task assigned to him by [[Lord Voldemort]]. Their confrontation quickly escalates into a duel. When Malfoy attempts to use an Unforgivable Curse, Harry retaliates with an unknown spell from the [[Half-Blood Prince]]'s textbook: //[[Sectumsempra]]//. The curse inflicts deep, bleeding gashes on Malfoy, nearly killing him. [[Severus Snape]] arrives, heals Malfoy's wounds with a counter-curse, and assigns Harry detention for the remainder of the school year, causing him to miss the final [[Quidditch]] match. This event forces Harry to hide the dangerous textbook in the [[Room of Requirement]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//, the bathroom is depicted with large, elaborate stained-glass windows, one of which features a prominent image of a [[Mermaid]]. This visual element serves as a direct clue for the audience about the secret of the [[Golden Egg]]. (film)
  * The location is an explorable area in the //Lego Harry Potter// video games, where players can interact with the magical taps. (video game)