The Ancient Runes Classroom

• Type: Classroom
• Location: Sixth floor, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland
• Owner/Residents: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; primarily occupied by Professor Bathsheda Babbling (J.K. Rowling)
• Key Features: Serves as the dedicated space for the instruction of Ancient Runes, a specialized elective subject.

The Ancient Runes Classroom is the location at Hogwarts where the elective course of Ancient Runes is taught. The subject, available to students from their third year onwards, involves the study and translation of ancient runic scripts. The course is taught by Professor Bathsheda Babbling, a character whose name is never mentioned in the novels but was confirmed by the author (J.K. Rowling). The classroom is located on the sixth floor of Hogwarts Castle. The novels do not provide any specific details about its interior design, layout, or atmosphere. However, given the nature of the subject, it can be presumed to be a quiet, studious environment conducive to translation and research. Ancient Runes is depicted as a challenging academic subject, attracting intellectually curious and diligent students. Notable students known to have taken the course include Hermione Granger, who enrolled in her third year, and Percy Weasley, who achieved an O.W.L. in the subject. It is also highly probable that Bill Weasley studied Ancient Runes, as his later career as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank would have required such expertise.

While not a central setting for major events, the Ancient Runes Classroom plays a subtle but important role in the narrative. Its primary function is to establish Ancient Runes as a legitimate and difficult field of study at Hogwarts, which in turn serves to highlight Hermione Granger's exceptional academic abilities and tireless work ethic. The classroom's most direct contribution to the plot occurs in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are searching for a secret location to hold Dumbledore's Army meetings, they spot Hermione Granger emerging from the Ancient Runes Classroom on the sixth floor. This encounter helps them orient themselves just before they discover the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor, located opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Furthermore, the skills Hermione hones in this classroom prove indispensable in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. After being bequeathed a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard by Albus Dumbledore, it is her proficiency in translating the original runes that allows her, Harry, and Ron to understand the “Tale of the Three Brothers” and, ultimately, the nature of the Deathly Hallows.

The novels do not describe any specific areas within the Ancient Runes Classroom, as it is presented simply as a single room for teaching.

• The name of the Ancient Runes teacher, Professor Bathsheda Babbling, is never stated in the seven-book series. Her name was confirmed by J.K. Rowling on her former official website (J.K. Rowling).
• In the mobile game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, the Ancient Runes Classroom is a fully realized location. It is depicted as a stone-walled room with large runic charts on the walls, individual desks for students, and an overall scholarly atmosphere resembling a small library (video game).