History of Magic Classroom

• Type: Classroom
• Location: First floor, Hogwarts Castle
• Owner/Residents: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; primarily occupied by Professor Cuthbert Binns
• Key Features: Notoriously dull and cold atmosphere, taught by a ghost, contains a blackboard that the professor can pass through.

The History of Magic classroom is located on the first floor of Hogwarts Castle. The room is infamous among students for its mind-numbing dullness, a reputation stemming directly from its monotonous subject matter and its equally monotonous teacher, Professor Cuthbert Binns. The classroom is often described as being chilly, a condition perhaps exacerbated by the presence of Professor Binns, who is a ghost. The room itself is fairly unremarkable, containing desks for the students and a blackboard at the front. A key feature of the classroom is how Professor Binns interacts with his surroundings; he frequently drifts through the blackboard to enter the room, a sight that quickly loses its novelty for his students. The history of the classroom is intrinsically linked to its professor. Cuthbert Binns was the History of Magic professor when he was alive. One day, he died in his sleep in an armchair in the staff room and his ghost simply got up the next morning to teach his class, leaving his body behind. He has taught in this classroom ever since, seemingly unaware of his own death, delivering lectures in a dry, droning monotone that often lulls his students to sleep. His curriculum consists primarily of him reading from his notes on subjects like the goblin rebellions and the Giant Wars.

The History of Magic classroom, while the setting for the most boring subject at Hogwarts, is the location of several significant moments in the series. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the classroom plays its most crucial role. Frustrated with the lack of answers from other teachers, Hermione Granger interrupts Professor Binns's lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289 to ask about the Chamber of Secrets. Though initially annoyed by the interruption and dismissive of the Chamber as a mere legend, the students' sudden, rapt attention convinces him to recount the story. It is here that Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and the rest of their class first hear the official account of Salazar Slytherin's departure from Hogwarts and his alleged creation of a secret chamber containing a monster meant to purge the school of Muggle-borns. This piece of exposition is vital to the plot of the second book. Throughout the series, the classroom serves as a backdrop that highlights both the drudgery of school life and the students' character. Hermione Granger is notably the only student who consistently manages to stay awake and take detailed notes. For Harry and Ron, the class is often an opportunity to nap, complete homework for other subjects, or quietly discuss more pressing matters. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry falls asleep during a History of Magic lesson and has a vivid dream of the corridor leading to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, an early premonition related to Lord Voldemort's plans. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, after a private lesson with Albus Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, and Hermione use the relative inattention of the classroom to discuss the concept of Horcruxes. The subject and classroom are also where students prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) and Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.) examinations, requiring them to memorize vast quantities of historical dates and names.

As a single room, the classroom's layout is simple and functional.

• Blackboard: Positioned at the front of the class. Professor Binns often emerges through it to begin his lessons.
• Student Desks: Standard wooden desks arranged in rows facing the front, where students sit during lectures.
• Professor's Path: Though not a physical area, Professor Binns has a habitual path he floats along as he lectures, often drifting through the room's physical objects.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the character of Cuthbert Binns is cut. The story of the Chamber of Secrets is instead recounted to the Gryffindor students by Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Transfiguration Classroom. (film)
• The Pottermore website confirms the legend of Professor Binns's death, stating he took his last nap before a staffroom fire and his subsequent ghostly form simply floated off to his next class. (Pottermore)