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The Map of Hogwarts and Surrounding Areas: journeys around the grounds in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
This section shows the likely routes around the grounds which the characters take in specific scenes, separated up by book.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone The first years cross the lake to the castle Malfoy takes Neville's Remembrall during broom-training Snape goes to meet Quirrel in the woods Detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets The descent of the flying Ford Anglia Harry and Ron follow the spiders into the Forest
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The Hippogriff paddock To the Shrieking Shack, via Hogsmeade To the Shrieking Shack, doubled in time
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hagrid, Maxime and Harry visit the Dragons The Trio visit Sirius in his cave The Second Task Barty Snr is found in the woods The Third Task
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hagrid takes his students to see the Thestrals Snape's worst memory Hagrid takes Harry and Hermione to visit Grawp The gang find Thestrals to ride to the Ministry
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry and Tonks walk from the station to Hogwarts Katie Bell touches the cursed necklace Dumbledore and Harry fly from Hogsmeade to the Astronomy Tower Snape and the Death Eaters flee the castle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Hagrid and Grawp cross the Forest Harry goes to Voldemort in the Forest
The train lurched, causing Harry to roll over on to his side. [cut] The floor began to vibrate as the engine roared into life. The Express was leaving [HBP ch. #08; p. 149]
'We'd better get out of here, quickly,' she said, as the train windows became obscured with steam and the train began to move out of the station. 'Come on, we'll jump.' Harry hurried after her into the corridor. Tonks pulled open the train door and leapt on to the platform, which seemed to be sliding underneath them as the train gathered momentum. Harry followed her, staggered a little on landing, then straightened up in time to see the gleaming scarlet steam engine pick up speed, round the corner and disappear from view. [HBP ch. #08; p. 149]
They set off towards the lane that led to the school. [HBP ch. #08; p. 150]
They trudged up the dark, deserted lane, following the freshly made carriage tracks. [cut]And so they tramped on through the cold night in silence, Tonks's long cloak whispering on the ground behind them. Having always travelled there by carriage, Harry had never before appreciated just how far Hogwarts was from Hogsmeade Station. With great relief he finally saw the tall pillars on either side of the gates, each topped with a winged boar. [HBP ch. #08; p. 151]
'Someone's coming down for you,' said Tonks. 'Look.' A lantern was bobbing at the distant foot of the castle. [HBP ch. #08; p. 152]
Snape did not speak for a minute or so. [cut] '[cut] You know, I don't believe any house has ever been in negative figures this early in the term – we haven't even started pudding. You might have set a record, Potter.'[cut] [cut] He knew that Snape had come to fetch him for this, for the few minutes when he could needle and torment Harry without anyone else listening. They reached the castle steps at last and as the great oaken front doors swung open on to the vast flagged Entrance Hall, a burst of talk and laughter and of tinkling plates and glasses greeted them through the doors standing open into the Great Hall. [HBP ch. #08; p. 153/154]
He reached across Ron for a couple of chicken legs and a handful of chips, but before he could take them they vanished, to be replaced with puddings. 'You missed the Sorting, anyway,' said Hermione [HBP ch. #08; p. 155]
Road travels round castle grounds, skirts Hogsmeade, ends at school gates [handwritten note on JK Rowling's own map]
Draco discovers Harry (white dots) spying on him, and retaliates by breaking Harry's nose and leaving him bound with Petrificus Totalus and hidden by his own Invisibility Cloak on the floor of the compartment which had been occupied by sixth-year Slytherins (0). As Harry lies there the engine (red dots) (and separate tender if any) detaches from the train, chuffs its way right around the loop of the track (1) and then backs up and re-attaches itself to the other end of the train (2). Harry feels a lurch as it couples itself, then Tonks finds him just before the train begins to move.
The platform is meant to be tiny, yet the train must be at least nine carriages long to hold all the people who need to travel in it, yet we want the platform to be as short as possible to conform to the idea of the station being small. Therefore, I assume that when the train is pulled up at the platform, the first and last carriages stick out past the end of the platform, and the passengers on those carriages have to walk to the end of the carriage to get off. Since Harry hears people moving along the platform outside, he is probably not in one of the end carriages. He and Tonks get off after the train has begun to move, and at least a few seconds elapse ("Harry hurried after her") between the train starting to move and them getting off it, yet they apparently land on the platform (3) - there's no mention of them dropping down a great distance onto the tracks. So, the carriage Harry was in must have been close to what was the front of the train as it entered the station, and is now the back, and the length of the platform slides past as he is getting off.
They then walk "towards the lane", which probably means along the platform to the station building (4) and out into the forecourt (5) where the Thestral carriages had earlier been parked.
From there they proceed along the carriage track (6), a distance of about a mile and a half, or around half an hour's walk. Although it isn't mentioned in the book, JKR's notes on her own sketch-map state that the track skirts Hogmeade. I have shown them as passing along the ends of the back gardens of the nearest group of houses (7), and seeing other, more distant houses across open ground and fields (8). When the carriage track merges with the lane from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade (9) they turn right (10) and then left (11) before reaching the winged-boar gates (12).
Tonks then sends her Patronus to fetch Hagrid but he is absent, so it goes to the next nearest Order member and summons Snape. Harry and Tonks set out a significant period, maybe ten or twenty minutes, after the other students left the train, and when Harry finally gets to the castle the main course of dinner is just finishing. It takes him and Snape a "few minutes" to walk from the gates to the castle, so it presumably took a few minutes for Snape to walk from the castle to the gates. We saw in Harry's first year that food isn't served until the Sorting is over, and the main course must have been on the table for longer than twice a "few minutes", so we know Snape has been summoned after the Sorting, and partway through the main course.
[His foul mood is explicable for several reasons. He's been unexpectedly bounced out at by a Patronus which looks just like the very werewolf who nearly ate him when he was a boy; he's been forced to abandon his dinner, probably before he's had a chance to eat more than a few mouthfuls and at a time when he ought to be supervising his new first years, in order to deal with some fresh idiocy of Harry's; and if Draco has already managed to buttonhole him he will have been fed a version of events which makes Harry look like a villain, and will know that Harry's interference threatens to upset his and Dumbledore's careful plans.]
When Snape (gold dots) sets out they see his lantern "bobbing at the distant foot of the castle". We know that the castle stands on some sort of mound, or at least at the top of a slope: there's a cliff behind it, and the lawn slopes down towards the main gates, and towards the Whomping Willow, and towards Hagrid's hut, and almost certainly right in front of the main doors as well. If Snape came out of the front doors, down the steps and then down the lawn towards the gates his lantern should be seen to descend lower than the foot of the castle almost immediately.
It is partly for this reason, and because he would not want to attract attention by walking the length of the Great Hall, that I have proposed that at the back of the castle, overlooking the lake, there is a small private garden for the staff, and that there is a door out to it from the room behind the Great Hall, and a gate out into the grounds. Snape slipped out through the door behind the teachers' table, out through the staff garden (13) and then along a narrow path at the foot of the castle wall, along the top of the ramparts (the earth slopes below the castle walls), rounding the southern end of the castle (14), passing below the projecting Charms section (15) and descending the slope to the carriage track (16) at a point where the slope below him has become shallow enough. He walks down to the gates (12) and he and Harry walk back up to the Entrance Hall (17).
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Starting from the Three Broomsticks (0), a mixed group consisting of Katie Bell and her friend Leanne, closely followed by the Trio (white dots), go up the High Street and set out on the road to Hogwarts (1) in poor visibility. They walk for some time before coming to a bend (2).
As the Trio round the bend, Katie and Leanne, who are a short distance ahead of them (3), tussle over Katie's package, and Katie accidentally touches the cursed necklace inside and is hoisted into the air. They manage to get her back onto the ground but she is in a bad way, so Harry runs towards the castle to get help. The next major bend in the lane (4) is about four hundred yards away, so if Harry is sprinting at 10mph it will take him eighty to ninety seconds to get there.
Meanwhile Hagrid (gold dots) has been visiting Grawp in his cave in the mountains, and has returned along the path (5) which runs alongside the Forest. As Harry sprints along the lane he does not see Hagrid, initially because his position is concealed by a fold or hillock in the land (6), and then because of trees (7) which form part of the hedge alongside the lane and which prevent him from seeing Hagrid even after Hagrid has come out from behind the hillock. Also, there is generally poor visibility due to sleet in the air.
Hagrid has bypassed the school gates (8) and continued towards Hogsmeade, probably heading for the pub. Harry crashes into him at the bend (4), falling sideways into the hedge (7). Hagrid runs with Harry back to where Katie is (3), picks her up and runs with her back to the school (8), while the others straggle along behind. We are not told whether Hagrid takes Katie to the hopsital wing, or to Snape.
He and Dumbledore were shivering and dripping in the middle of the dark High Street in Hogsmeade. [HBP ch. #27; p. 541]
[cut] looking around he saw Madam Rosmerta scurrying down the dark street towards them on high-heeled, fluffy slippers, wearing a silk dressing-gown embroidered with dragons. 'I saw you Apparate as I was pulling my bedroom curtains!' [HBP ch. #27; p. 542]
There it was, hanging in the sky above the school: the blazing green skull with a serpent tongue [HBP ch. #27; p. 543]
'Accio Rosmerta's brooms.' A second later they heard a loud bang as the front door of the pub burst open; two brooms had shot out into the street and were racing each other to Harry's side [HBP ch. #27; p. 543]
Harry pulled his Cloak out of his pocket and threw it over himself before mounting his broom; Madam Rosmerta was already tottering back towards her pub as Harry and Dumbledore kicked off from the ground and rose up into the air. As they sped towards the castle, Harry glanced sideways at Dumbledore, ready to grab him should he fall, but the sight of the Dark Mark seemed to have acted upon Dumbledore like a stimulant: he was bent low over his broom, his eyes fixed upon the Mark, his long silver hair and beard flying behind him in the night air. And Harry, too, looked ahead at the skull, [HBP ch. #27; p. 544]
As they flew over the dark, twisting lane down which they had walked earlier, Harry heard, over the whistling of the night air in his ears, Dumbledore muttering in some strange language again. He thought he understood why as he felt his broom shudder for a moment when they flew over the boundary wall into the grounds: Dumbledore was undoing the enchantments he himself had set around the castle, so that they could enter at speed. The Dark Mark was glittering directly above the Astronomy Tower, the highest of the castle [cut] Dumbledore had already crossed the crenellated ramparts and was dismounting; [HBP ch. #27; p. 544/5]
Dumbledore and Harry (white dots) Apparate into the High Street in Hogsmeade (0) at a point which is a short distance down the High Street from the Three Broomsticks (1) - far enough down that Rosmerta (gold dots) has to come an appreciable distance in her high-heeled slippers to reach them, but close enough that she was able to see them arrive from her bedroom window, in the dark.
They can see the Dark Mark (mint green) over the Astronomy Tower (2) and that will be their guide - so why do they follow the winding lane to Hogwarts - or even just cross over it if that's all that's meant - instead of heading straight for the Mark? Probably because staring at a bright light in the darkness will make them unable to see any obstacles and will cause them to arrive half-blinded.
At the same time, it's not likely that they go all the way up the High Street and follow the lane all the way around. When they set out we're told their eyes are fixed on the Mark, so pobably they use that and the dark mound of the Shrieking Shack (3) on their left as a guide, then pick up the lane (4) in order to save their eyes and loosely follow it until it turns left (5), at which point they cut out the corner represented by the main gates (6) and instead cross the boundary wall (7) and head straight across the grounds to the Astronomy Tower (2). Because the Astronomy Tower is the tallest tower in the castle, they do not have to worry about how they approach it - they can simply fly over any other bits of the castle which may be in their path.
Harry flew across the Entrance Hall and out into the dark grounds: he could just make out three figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates beyond which they could Disapparate -- by the looks of them, the huge blond Death Eater and, some way ahead of him, Snape and Malfoy ... The cold night air ripped at Harry's lungs as he tore after them; he saw a flash of light in the distance that momentarily silhouetted his quarry; [cut] Another flash, shouts, retaliatory jets of light, and Harry understood: Hagrid had emerged from his cabin and was trying to stop the Death Eaters escaping, [cut] Harry sped up [cut] Something caught Harry hard in the small of the back and he fell forwards, [cut] the brother and sister he had overtaken using his short cut were closing in behind him ... 'Impedimenta!' he yelled as he rolled over again, crouching close to the dark ground, and miraculously his jinx hit one of them, who stumbled and fell, tripping up the other; Harry leapt to his feet and sprinted on, after Snape ... And now he saw the vast outline of Hagrid, illuminated by the light of the crescent moon revealed suddenly from behind clouds; the blond Death Eater was aiming curse after curse at the gamekeeper, but Hagrid's immense strength, and the toughened skin he had inherited from his giantess mother, seemed to be protecting him; Snape and Malfoy, however, were still running; they would soon be beyond the gates, able to Disapparate -- Harry tore past Hagrid and his opponent, took aim at Snape's back and yelled, 'Stupefy!' He missed; the jet of red light soared past Snape's head; Snape shouted, 'Run, Draco!' and turned; twenty yards apart he and Harry looked at each other before raising their wand simultaneously. 'Cruc---'But Snape parried the curse, [cut] a dancing orange light spilled over all of them: Hagrid's house was on fire. [cut] 'Cruc---' yelled Harry for the second time, aiming for the figure ahead illuminated in the dancing firelight, but Snape blocked the spell [cut] 'Now come!' he shouted at the huge Death Eater behind Harry. 'It is time to be gone, before the Ministry turns up --' [cut] [cut] excruciating pain hit Harry; he keeled over in the grass, [cut] 'No!' roared Snape's voice and the pain stopped as suddenly it had started; Harry lay curled on the dark grass, [cut] 'Potter belongs to the Dark Lord -- we are to leave him! Go! Go!' And Harry felt the ground shudder under his face as the brother and sister and the enormous Death Eater obeyed, running towards the gates. [cut] pushing himself to his feet again, [Harry] staggered blindly towards Snape, [cut] Haryr was mere feet away now [cut] 'No, Potter!' screamed Snape. There was a loud BANG and Harry was soaring backwards, hitting the ground hard again, and this time his wand flew out of his hand. [cut] Harry had dived for his wand; Snape shot a hex at it and it flew feet away into the darkness and out of sight. [cut] [cut] Harry [cut] was slammed backwards into the ground. [cut] he heard a rush of wings above him and something enormous obscured the stars: Buckbeak had flown at Snape, who staggered backwards [cut] he saw Snape running as hard as he could, the enormous beast flapping behind him and screeching as Harry had never heard him screech -- Harry struggled to his feet, looking around groggily for his wand, hoping to give chase again, but even as his fingers fumbled in the grass, discarding twigs, he knew it would be too late, and sure enough, by the time he had located his wand he turned only to see the Hippogriff circling the gates: Snape had managed to Disapparate just beyond the school's boundaries. [cut] He stumbled towards the burning house as an enormous figure emerged from out of the flames carrying Fang on his back. [HBP ch. #28; p. 560-564]
[cut] [Harry] and Hagrid poured water on the house until the last flame was extinguisehd. ''S not too bad,' said Hagrid hopefully a few minutes later, looking at the smoking wreck. 'Nothin' Dumbledore won' be able to put righ' ...' [HBP ch. #28; p. 565]
As they directed their steps back towards the castle, Harry saw that many of its windows were lit now: [cut] The oak front doors stood open ahead of them, light flooding out on to the drive and the lawn. Slowly, uncertainly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, [cut] Harry's eyes, however, were fixed upon the ground at the foot of the tallest tower. He imagined that he could see a black, huddled mass lying in the grass there, though he was really too far away to see anything of the sort. [cut] 'What're they all lookin' at?' said Hagrid, as he and Harry approached the castle front, [cut] 'Wha's tha', lyin' on the grass?' Hagrid added sharply, heading now towards the foot of the Astronomy Tower, where a small crowd was congregating. [HBP ch. #28; p. 566/567]
Harry picked up his wand and climbed over all the debris to where the large, blond Death Eater was sprawled across the bench. 'I should've recognised him, he was there the night Dumbledore died,' he said. He turned over the darker Death Eater with his foot; the man's eyes moved rapidly between Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'That's Dolohov,' said Ron. 'I recognise him from the old wanted posters. I think the big one's Thorfinn Rowle.' [DH ch. #09; p. 139]
Snape (white dots) and Draco (grey dots) run down the steps (0) into the grounds and across the lawn, followed by Thorfinn Rowle (gold dots), Harry (red dots) and Amycus and Alecto (purple dots). They run straight down the lawn, bypassing the loop of the carriage track and passing close by Hagrid's cabin (1). Hagrid (mint green dots) comes out and tackles Rowle.
Even though Harry is going fast, Amycus and Alecto catch up with him and knock him down (2) but Harry overcomes them with with Impedimenta. At this point Harry is still between the castle and Hagrid's hut because he now passes Hagrid, instead chasing after Snape, who tells Draco to run on, but himself turns to face Harry (3). Harry must have run very fast (despite the fact that Amycus and Alecto caught up with him) because when he first came down the steps he could "just make out" Snape ahead of him which, even allowing for the darkness, suggests a fair distance between them, and in the meantime Harry has been knocked down, cast Impedimenta and scrambled up again, yet Snape is now only sixty feet ahead of him (4). Harry, the young athlete, must be a fair bit faster than Snape.
Snape and Harry duel (and Snape gives Harry an irate lesson on non-verbal magic): as they do so Hagrid's house is set on fire, and they are close enough to it that its light illumines them, and Rowle, who has been fighting Hagrid, is close-enough behind Harry to cast Crucio on him. Snape calls Rowle off and Rowle, Amycus and Alecto then run past Harry and after Draco, heading towards the main gates (5): as soon as they pass through the gates they will be able to Disapparate.
At this point Harry is curled up on the grass (confirmation that they have bypassed the carriage track) but Snape does not take the opportunity to run on, nor does he immobilise Harry to prevent him from following. This suggests that he is staying to make sure Harry - and/or Hagrid - is all right. This is reinforced by the fact that before Rowle Cruciates Harry, Snape is calling to Rowle to "come" but once Harry is down Snape tells Rowle to "go" - that is, he himself is now staying.
Harry staggers up to continue the duel and gets within a few feet of Snape (4), at a point which must be close to the edge of the Forest, since there are twigs on the ground. Throughout their duel, up to this point, Snape has aimed no spells at Harry, only deflected Harry's attack; but when Harry tries to use Levicorpus on him Snape retaliates with what seems to be an over-forceful, non-verbal Expeliarmus which flicks Harry's wand away and knocks him down in the process. Then Harry calls Snape a coward and Snape, in fury, strikes him with the magical equivalent of a sharp slap in the face. Buckbeak (orange dots), who has probably been tethered near Hagrid's cabin, intervenes and chases Snape to the main gates (some three hundred yards away), where he Disapparates. Snape does not fire on Buckbeak, even though Buckbeak seems to be trying to kill him.
Harry is still stumbling about looking for his wand (4), and by the time he finds it, Snape is gone. Harry then joins Hagrid and helps him to put out the fire at his hut (1), and then they walk up towards the castle together. They pause at some distance from the front doors (6) and then divert towards the Astronomy Tower (7), where a crowd is gathering around Dumbledore's body.
