The Hogwarts supply list is a document written on parchment that is sent to all students via Owl Post during the summer holidays before the start of a new school year. For first-year students, it is included on a second piece of parchment accompanying their acceptance letter. The list outlines all the mandatory books and equipment required for the upcoming term. It is typically divided into sections for uniform, course books, and other equipment. The standard first-year list, as received by Harry Potter, includes the following:
The list also contains important notices, such as the rule that students may bring an owl, a cat, or a toad, and that first-years are not permitted to have their own broomsticks. A final reminder notes that all of the student's books and equipment should be clearly marked with their name.
The list itself does not possess any inherent magical properties. Its primary function is practical: to serve as an official, itemized shopping list for students and their families to ensure they are properly equipped for their studies. Students typically take the list with them to Diagon Alley to purchase their supplies from shops like Flourish and Blotts for books, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions for uniforms, the Apothecary for potion ingredients and equipment, and Ollivanders for a wand. For returning students, the list is updated annually, primarily with new course books corresponding to their year level and chosen electives. For Harry's third year, the list was also accompanied by a permission form for Hogsmeade visits, which had to be signed by a parent or guardian.
The supply list is a recurring element in the series, marking the transition from summer holidays back to the Wizarding world each year. Harry Potter's first list, given to him by Rubeus Hagrid, represents his formal introduction to the material culture of the magical world. The act of gathering these items in Diagon Alley is a pivotal moment in his journey, solidifying the reality of his new life as a wizard. In Harry's second year, the supply list becomes a point of conflict and social commentary. The required reading consists entirely of books authored by the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart. The high cost of these books places a significant financial strain on the Weasley family, a fact that Lucius Malfoy cruelly highlights in Flourish and Blotts. This encounter leads directly to Malfoy slipping Tom Riddle's Diary into Ginny Weasley's second-hand Transfiguration textbook, setting in motion the main conflict of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The supply list is a key world-building device, providing readers with concrete details about the subjects taught at Hogwarts and the everyday tools used by a young witch or wizard. It serves several narrative functions:
In the film adaptations, the physical prop of the Hogwarts supply list is often shown with stylized calligraphy and the Hogwarts crest, adding to the visual aesthetic of the Wizarding world (film). The book list for each year gives readers and viewers insight into the changing curriculum as students advance through the school.