Wizarding Tent

• Type: Magical Shelter, Enchanted Dwelling
• Owners: Ministry of Magic (specifically Perkins), the Weasley family, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger
• Maker: Unknown

A Wizarding Tent is a magical form of accommodation that appears small and unremarkable from the outside, but is spacious and often comfortably furnished on the inside. This discrepancy is achieved through the use of an Undetectable Extension Charm. The exterior is typically designed to look like an ordinary Muggle tent to avoid unwanted attention. The tent used by the Weasley family at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup is described as a “small, shabby-looking tent.” The interior, however, is magically expanded to resemble a small, multi-room dwelling. The Weasleys' tent was like an “old-fashioned, three-room flat,” complete with a kitchen area with a stove and sink, a sitting room, and a separate sleeping area with bunk beds. The tent Hermione Granger used during the hunt for the Horcruxes, which was borrowed from Perkins of the Ministry of Magic, was similarly appointed with bunk beds, a small kitchen, and a bathroom.

The primary magical property of a Wizarding Tent is the immense expansion of its interior space, which is accomplished using the Undetectable Extension Charm (Capacious extremis). This allows a small, portable object to serve as a fully functional, long-term shelter. In addition to spatial manipulation, these tents possess other magical qualities:

• Portability: They can be magically shrunk and packed into a very small size for easy transport. Hermione Granger carried their tent inside her small, beaded handbag, which was also enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
• Concealment: Their mundane appearance helps them blend into Muggle campsites. This is often supplemented with Muggle-Repelling Charms for added security.
• Protection: While the tents themselves may have some inherent magical durability, users often erect additional powerful protective enchantments around them for safety. During their time on the run, Hermione routinely cast a perimeter of spells including `Protego Totalum`, `Salvio Hexia`, `Repello Muggletum`, and the `Muffliato Charm` around their campsite each night.
• Amenities: The tents can be furnished with household comforts, including beds, tables, chairs, and even plumbing and cooking facilities, making them suitable for extended stays in the wilderness.

Wizarding Tents are a common piece of equipment in the wizarding world, especially for attending large events like the Quidditch World Cup, where thousands of wizards and witches camp in a large, magically concealed field. The most notable tent in the series originally belonged to Perkins, a colleague of Arthur Weasley at the Ministry of Magic. Mr. Weasley borrowed this tent for his family to use during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup. Three years later, in 1997, Hermione Granger packed this same tent in her enchanted handbag before fleeing Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. It became the primary shelter and mobile headquarters for herself, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley during their year-long search for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Wizarding Tent serves as an introduction to the everyday, practical magic of the wizarding world. It demonstrates how wizards can live with comforts and conveniences that defy Muggle logic, highlighting the stark difference between the two worlds during the festive atmosphere of the Quidditch World Cup. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the tent's role becomes far more significant. It is a vital sanctuary for the trio, providing them with shelter, a place to strategize, and a fragile sense of home and normalcy during their dangerous and isolating quest. The confined space of the tent also serves as a crucible for the group's friendship, amplifying the tension caused by the Slytherin's Locket Horcrux and leading to Ron Weasley's temporary departure. The tent is the backdrop for many pivotal moments, including the trio listening to the clandestine `Potterwatch` radio broadcast and the emotional reunion of Harry, Ron, and Hermione after Ron destroys the locket.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Weasleys' tent is depicted as exceptionally large and lavish, with multiple stories and a grand, palatial interior, expanding significantly on the book's description of a “three-room flat.” (film)