Hogwarts Express
| Basic Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Transport wizards and witches between Hogsmeade and London | |
| Manufactured by | Muggle workers at Creve; magically fitted by Ministry of Magic workers |
Overview
The Hogwarts Express is a train that runs between London King’s Cross Station Platform 9¾ and Hogsmeade Station. It transport wizards and witches between these two locations, and every year on September 1st before the start of term or in June at the end of term, the train is exclusively reserved for transporting students of Hogwarts only.
The passenger carriages held compartments set off a corridor, allowing each compartment to function as a self-contained stage within the train. Perfects of Hogwarts had their own carriage near the front of the train. Students could enjoy treats from the trolley on the train, and there was also a Buffet Car.
Usually there were no adults aboard when students were being transported except the trolley witch and the conductor, but new teachers occasionally could be found aboard the train as well. For example, Remus Lupin and Horace Slughorn both took the train to Hogwarts.
History
Before the appearance of the Hogwarts Express, students of Hogwarts went to school by whichever way they chose to use. In 1827, Ottaline Gambol rose to the office of Minister for Magic, and she wanted to solve the long-time problem of how to transport hundreds of students to and from Hogwarts every year without attracting the Muggle’s attention. She realized that the Muggle steam train could become a secure and comfortable alternative to unregulated magical means of travel.
In 1830, the Ministry launched a large-scale operation to acquire a steam locomotive from the Muggle engineers at Crewe. The train was magically fitted by the Ministry workers, so that it ran exclusively on magic. Stations and railways needed for the train were also built. This evoked resistance from pure-blood families against using Muggle-built devices for transportation at first, until the Ministry decreed that students would either go to Hogwarts on the train or not attend at all. However, it’s unknown whether students living closer to Hogwarts than to London are permitted to use other means of transport.
- In 1992, Harry and Ron failed to board the train because the entrance to the platform had been sealed off by Dobby the house-elf, in an attempt to protect him from Lucius Malfoy’s plans. They drove a flying car to Hogwarts instead, and eventually crashed into the Whomping Willow.
- In 1993, Harry had his first encounter with a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express, and was saved by Remus Lupin, who was in the same compartment.
- In 1996, Harry and some others were invited to a compartment occupied by Horace Slughorn. He later used his Invisibility Cloak to eavesdrop on Malfoy to find out what he was up to but was discovered and immobilized in the compartment. He was later discovered and saved by Nymphadora Tonks.
- In 1997, the train was stopped en-route twice: first by Death Eaters searching for Harry Potter, and second by Death Eaters who abducted Luna Lovegood.
Credits/References
Written by Erland Lundberg
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.