Hogwarts, A History

• Type: Book
• Owners: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter; a common book in the Wizarding World.
• Maker: Author: Bathilda Bagshot; Publisher: Little Red Books (Pottermore).

Hogwarts, A History is a famous and substantial historical text. It is described as a very large and heavy volume; Ron Weasley refers to it as a “thumping great book.” Hermione Granger is the character most associated with the book, which she owns and has read multiple times. For his thirteenth birthday, Harry Potter received a leather-bound copy from Hermione and Ron. The book serves as the definitive, albeit incomplete, historical record of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

While the book itself does not display overt magical properties (such as sentience or defensive mechanisms), its value lies in the detailed magical and historical information it contains. It is used as a primary reference guide by students and scholars of Hogwarts. The text details many aspects of the school's long history and magical protections, including:

• The founding of Hogwarts by the four founders: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.
• The enchantment that makes Hogwarts Unplottable, preventing it from being marked on any map.
• The powerful charms that make the castle appear as a moldering old ruin with a “Keep Out: Dangerous” sign to any approaching Muggles.
• The high concentration of magic on the Hogwarts grounds, which causes most Muggle technology, particularly electronic devices, to malfunction and fail.

Notably, the book is as significant for what it omits as for what it includes. Hermione Granger discovers two major omissions which become important plot points:

• The Chamber of Secrets: The book contains no mention of the legendary chamber, leading Hermione to conclude its existence was deliberately covered up by former school governors. This forces her to seek information directly from Professor Binns.
• House-Elves: The book fails to mention that a large population of over one hundred House-Elves works unseen in the Hogwarts kitchens, performing all the cooking and cleaning for the castle. This discovery deeply offends Hermione's sense of justice and directly inspires her to create S.P.E.W..

Authored by the preeminent magical historian Bathilda Bagshot, Hogwarts, A History is considered the most authoritative and widely-read account of the school's past. Having been in circulation for a great many years, it is a staple text found in the libraries of many wizarding families and is a recommended, if not required, book for those wishing to understand the institution's background.

Hogwarts, A History is primarily used as a plot device through Hermione Granger's encyclopedic knowledge of its contents.

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Hermione brings the book with her on her first journey aboard the Hogwarts Express and frequently references it, establishing her studious nature and vast knowledge from the very beginning.
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The book's failure to mention the Chamber of Secrets is a crucial clue for Hermione, as it suggests a conspiracy of silence around the chamber's existence and prompts the trio to investigate its history more deeply.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Hermione repeatedly quotes from the book to explain to Harry and Ron the magical phenomena surrounding Hogwarts, such as why visiting students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute can arrive suddenly on the grounds and why Muggle devices fail. Her frustration over its omission of House-Elves fuels her entire character arc for the year, leading to the creation of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: While the book itself is not central, its author, Bathilda Bagshot, becomes a person of immense interest to Harry in his search for information about Albus Dumbledore and the Horcruxes.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, a copy of Hogwarts, A History can be seen on Hermione's bedside table in the Hospital Wing when she is found Petrified (film).
• A real-world, non-fiction book titled Harry Potter – A History of Magic was published in 2017 as a companion to an exhibition at the British Library. It should not be confused with the fictional Hogwarts, A History from the novels.