Wizarding Tents

• Type: Magical Item, Shelter
• Owners: Known owners include Perkins of the Ministry of Magic, the Weasley family, and Hermione Granger.
• Maker: Various magical tent makers (unspecified).

On the exterior, wizarding tents are deliberately designed to appear ordinary and often unremarkable, closely resembling Muggle tents to avoid attracting unwanted attention. For instance, the tent the Weasley family used at the Quidditch World Cup looked small and tatty from the outside. The tent Hermione Granger carried during the hunt for Horcruxes, which originally belonged to Perkins, was a small, two-person tent made of canvas. The interior, however, is magically expanded to be far larger than the exterior suggests. This space is often furnished to the level of a small house or apartment. The Weasleys' tent was described as an old-fashioned, three-room flat, complete with a kitchen, a bathroom, and bunk beds. Similarly, Perkins's tent contained beds, an armchair, a small kitchen, and a bathroom, providing a comfortable living space for Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger while on the run.

The primary magical property of a wizarding tent is the Undetectable Extension Charm, which creates a vast interior space within a small, portable exterior. This charm, known as Capacious extremis, is subject to Ministry of Magic regulation (Pottermore). In addition to spatial manipulation, these tents are typically enchanted with a variety of other useful spells for comfort and convenience:

• Portability: They can be magically shrunk and packed into a small bag, such as Hermione's beaded bag, making them easy to transport.
• Comfort Charms: Tents are often equipped with charms that provide amenities like running water, comfortable beds, and cooking facilities, all of which function magically.
• Protective Enchantments: While camping during the Second Wizarding War, Hermione Granger surrounded their tent with a perimeter of protective spells, including the Salvio Hexia, Protego Totalum, Repello Muggletum, and Muffliato charms. These enchantments were not inherent to the tent itself but were cast around it to ensure their safety from Death Eaters and other threats.

Wizarding tents are primarily used for temporary accommodation during travel, at large events like the Quidditch World Cup, or as a hideout, as demonstrated by the trio.

The specific origin of wizarding tents is not detailed in the novels, but their common use at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup suggests they are a well-established and popular magical item. Wizards from all over the world brought their own unique tents to the campsite, from tents resembling miniature palaces to those with live peacocks tethered outside, indicating a global manufacturing and usage of such items. The tent used by the trio in their search for Voldemort's Horcruxes was borrowed from Perkins, a colleague of Arthur Weasley's from the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. Albus Dumbledore had apparently foreseen their need for such an object and discreetly arranged for its availability.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, wizarding tents serve to introduce Harry Potter and the reader to the broader, everyday magical world beyond Hogwarts. The contrast between their mundane exteriors and magnificent interiors highlights the ingenuity and whimsy of wizarding life. The international campsite at the Quidditch World Cup demonstrates the global nature of the magical community. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a wizarding tent takes on a far more significant role. It becomes the trio's mobile base of operations and their only home while on the run. The tent acts as a crucial sanctuary, providing shelter and a place to strategize. However, it also becomes a symbol of their isolation and confinement, serving as the backdrop for rising tensions, particularly the argument that culminated in Ron Weasley's temporary departure. The relative comfort of the tent starkly contrasts with the perilous and grim nature of their mission.

The law governing the use of Undetectable Extension Charms, Capacious extremis, which makes wizarding tents possible, was expanded upon on the Pottermore website. It is a strictly controlled charm, and its use on containers like bags and tents for personal use is one of the few legal applications (Pottermore). In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, the interior of Perkins's tent is depicted as being very large and library-like, emphasizing Hermione Granger's academic nature and preparedness (film).