Corridors

• Type: Architectural Feature / Passageway
• Location: Various magical buildings, notably Hogwarts Castle and the Ministry of Magic
• Owner/Residents: Inhabitants of their respective buildings; frequently occupied by ghosts, portraits, and poltergeists like Peeves
• Key Features: Moving staircases, hidden secret passages, animated portraits, enchantments, drafts, torch-lighting, suits of armour

Corridors are the primary arteries of magical buildings, serving as passageways connecting classrooms, common rooms, offices, and other chambers. Within Hogwarts Castle, the corridors are particularly noteworthy for their complex, confusing, and often shifting layout. They are ancient, stone-walled passageways, typically lit by torches and punctuated by tall, arching windows. The castle contains one hundred and forty-two staircases, and the corridors that link them are known to change, making navigation a challenge for newcomers. The corridors are not merely empty passages; they are bustling with life and magic. Students hurry between classes, portraits converse with each other and with passersby, ghosts drift through walls, and Peeves the poltergeist causes chaos. The corridors are regularly patrolled by the caretaker, Argus Filch, and his cat, Mrs. Norris, who seek to catch students breaking rules. Many corridors contain suits of armour, some of which are enchanted, and statues, some of which conceal secret passages. The very atmosphere of the corridors contributes to the sense of wonder, mystery, and history that defines Hogwarts.

Corridors are the setting for countless significant events throughout the series, serving as a stage for secret meetings, confrontations, discoveries, and daily student life.

• They are the primary grounds for the constant rivalry and tension between students of different Hogwarts Houses.
• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is forbidden to all students, as it houses Fluffy, the three-headed dog guarding the Philosopher's Stone.
• In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, a second-floor corridor becomes the site of the Basilisk's attacks, where threatening messages are written in blood and victims are found petrified.
• Corridors are frequently used by Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger for their clandestine investigations and adventures, often under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak.
• The corridor leading to the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic features prominently in Harry Potter's visions and is the destination of his rescue mission in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
• They serve as critical battlegrounds during the Battle of Hogwarts, where numerous duels are fought and several characters, including Fred Weasley and Remus Lupin, are killed.

• The Third-Floor Corridor: A passageway in Hogwarts forbidden to students during the 1991-1992 school year. It served as the entrance to the series of chambers protecting the Philosopher's Stone, guarded by Fluffy.
• The Seventh-Floor Corridor: This corridor is notable for housing the entrance to the Room of Requirement. The entrance reveals itself on a stretch of blank wall opposite a large tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy's foolish attempt to teach trolls ballet. It was the meeting place for Dumbledore's Army.
• The Charms Corridor: A frequently mentioned passageway where the Charms classroom is located. It was in a nearby girls' bathroom that a mountain Troll cornered Hermione Granger in her first year.
• Moaning Myrtle's Corridor: The corridor on the second floor outside the girls' bathroom haunted by Moaning Myrtle. This is where Mrs. Norris was found petrified, and the bathroom itself contains the hidden entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
• The Department of Mysteries Corridor: A stark, unadorned corridor with a plain black door at the end, located on Level Nine of the Ministry of Magic. Harry Potter had recurring dreams of this location for months, which were visions sent by Lord Voldemort. The corridor leads to a circular room with twelve doors, each opening into a different chamber of the Department of Mysteries.

• In the film adaptations, the corridors of Hogwarts were often filmed in real-world locations, most notably Gloucester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey in England, which provided the grand, authentic medieval architecture. The moving staircases and ever-changing layouts were realized through a combination of large-scale moving sets and digital effects (film).
• The labyrinthine and unpredictable nature of the Hogwarts corridors can be seen as a metaphor for the magical world itself—full of secrets, unexpected turns, and hidden dangers—as well as the often confusing journey of adolescence.