Hogwarts Supply List

• Type: Hogwarts Document, Required Equipment List
• Owners: Prospective and returning students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• Maker: The Hogwarts administration. The list is sent out alongside the Hogwarts acceptance letter, an operation overseen by the Deputy Headmaster or Headmistress, such as Professor McGonagall.

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:

• UNIFORM
  1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
  2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
  3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
  4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
  5. All clothing must carry name tags.
• COURSE BOOKS
  1. The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
  2. A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
  3. Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
  4. A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
  5. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
  6. Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
  7. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
  8. A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
• OTHER EQUIPMENT
  1. 1 wand
  2. 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
  3. 1 set of glass or crystal phials
  4. 1 telescope
  5. 1 set of brass scales

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:

• Plot Driver: It necessitates the annual trip to Diagon Alley, a recurring setting for exposition, character introductions, and key plot developments.
• Characterization: The characters' reactions to the list reveal much about them. For instance, the Weasley family's need to buy second-hand items illustrates their humble financial status and loving resilience, while the Malfoys use the expense to assert their social and economic superiority.
• Foreshadowing: The list can introduce key elements or characters for the school year, most notably the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart foreshadowing his vainglorious and incompetent nature.

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.