The One-Eyed Witch Passage

• Type: Secret Passage
• Location: Connects the third-floor corridor of Hogwarts Castle to the cellar of Honeydukes Sweetshop in Hogsmeade.
• Owner/Residents: Not applicable; part of Hogwarts Castle.
• Key Features: Concealed entrance, password-activated, one of seven secret passages on the Marauder's Map.

The One-Eyed Witch Passage is a secret passageway leading from Hogwarts Castle to the village of Hogsmeade. Its entrance at Hogwarts is located on the third floor, concealed by a life-sized stone statue of a hump-backed, one-eyed witch. To open the passage, one must tap the witch's hump with a wand and utter the password, `Dissendium`. This causes the large hump to slide open, revealing a dark hole and a stone slide that descends into the passage itself. The tunnel is described as low, narrow, and earthy. The journey through it is lengthy, taking approximately an hour to complete. The passage terminates at a trapdoor concealed in the floor of the cellar of Honeydukes Sweetshop in Hogsmeade. The passage was discovered by Fred Weasley and George Weasley during their first year at Hogwarts, with the aid of the Marauder's Map. The map, which they had stolen from Argus Filch's office, revealed this and six other secret routes out of the castle. The twins used this passage extensively throughout their school years for illicit trips to Hogsmeade.

The One-Eyed Witch Passage plays a significant role in two key books of the series. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Fred and George bequeath the Marauder's Map to Harry Potter so that he can use this passage to visit Hogsmeade, as he is the only third-year without a signed permission slip. Harry uses the passage multiple times to join his friends in the village. It is after one such trip that Harry, hiding under his Invisibility Cloak in The Three Broomsticks, overhears the conversation that reveals Sirius Black is his godfather and was allegedly responsible for betraying his parents to Lord Voldemort. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the passage proves crucial during the Battle of Hogwarts. While most secret routes were caved in, guarded, or under the control of Death Eaters, this one remained a viable, albeit risky, option. After witnessing the death of Severus Snape, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger use the passage to exit Hogwarts undetected. They travel through it to reach the Shrieking Shack, where they believe Lord Voldemort and Nagini are, marking a critical move in the final confrontation.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film), the statue's appearance is altered. Instead of a hump-backed figure, it is a taller, more gnarled statue of a crone. The activation involves touching the hump, which causes the entire statue to shift and reveal the entrance behind it.
• The passage is a key feature in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game), where players must use it to travel between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.