Hogwarts Courtyards

• Type: School Grounds, Outdoor Areas
• Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland
• Owner/Residents: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
• Key Features: Stone-flagged quadrangles, cloisters, open-air passages, central points of transit and social gathering.

The courtyards are numerous open-air, stone-flagged spaces within Hogwarts Castle. They serve as primary thoroughfares connecting different parts of the castle, such as the Great Hall to the Viaduct, and also function as social hubs for students between classes. These areas are often bustling with activity, where students might relax, study, or engage in impromptu magical practice. The architecture is consistent with the rest of the castle, featuring stone walls, cloisters, and archways. While the books refer to them collectively or as “the courtyard,” they are essential components of the castle's layout, providing access to fresh air and transit between disparate castle wings.

The courtyards are the setting for numerous minor interactions and several pivotal events throughout the series.

• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley pass through a courtyard on their way to serve detention with Rubeus Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest.
• In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Draco Malfoy and his cronies taunt Harry about his terrified reaction to Dementors in a courtyard. A Care of Magical Creatures lesson where Buckbeak the Hippogriff injures Malfoy is also held in a paddock adjacent to a courtyard area.
• In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the courtyards are filled with students wearing “Potter Stinks” badges in support of Cedric Diggory. Harry and Cedric have a discreet conversation about the first task of the Triwizard Tournament in a courtyard. Most notably, Bartemius Crouch Jr., disguised as Professor Alastor Moody, transfigures Draco Malfoy into a ferret in the Entrance Hall just off the main courtyard.
• In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, students are seen practicing non-verbal spells in the courtyards during their free periods.
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the courtyards become a primary battlefield during the Battle of Hogwarts. They are the scene of intense duelling between the castle's defenders and Lord Voldemort's army of Death Eaters and other dark creatures. After a brief pause in the fighting, Lord Voldemort presents Harry's apparently lifeless body to the survivors in the Entrance Courtyard. It is here that Neville Longbottom openly defies Voldemort, pulling the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and signalling the resurgence of the battle. The final duel between Harry and Voldemort begins with their confrontation in front of the crowd here before moving into the Great Hall.

While the books are not specific about the names of individual courtyards, supplementary materials and the film adaptations have given names to several distinct areas.

• Entrance Courtyard: The main quadrangle that students cross after arriving at the castle from the Hogsmeade Station. It connects the main entrance doors of the Entrance Hall to the Viaduct bridge. This courtyard was the site of Neville Longbottom's defiance of Voldemort.
• Transfiguration Courtyard: A cloistered courtyard frequently used as a backdrop in the films. Its name is derived from its proximity to the Transfiguration classroom (film). It is recognisable by a large, complex armillary sphere sculpture in its centre (film, video game).
• Clock Tower Courtyard: An enclosed courtyard at the base of the Hogwarts Clock Tower. This location is notable in the film adaptations for scenes such as Hermione Granger's confrontation with Draco Malfoy and the practice sessions for the Yule Ball waltz (film).

• The visual representation of the Hogwarts courtyards was significantly developed for the film series. Filming took place at several real-world locations to create the on-screen look, most notably the cloisters of Durham Cathedral and Lacock Abbey in England.
• The iconic armillary sphere seen in the Transfiguration Courtyard in the films is not mentioned in the books. It was a set piece created for the movies and has since become a recognisable feature in related media, such as the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and various video games.
• The layout of the courtyards and their connections to other parts of the castle can vary between different film adaptations and video games, reflecting the evolving design of the on-screen Hogwarts Castle.