Hogwarts' First Year

> There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.
>
> A lesson all first-years learned, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

This article covers information about the **first year** at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A student in their first year at Hogwarts was called a **first-year** (with a hyphen). Those who received their Hogwarts letter at age eleven were permitted to attend.

## Starting Hogwarts

### Travelling to Hogwarts

> Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! All right there, Harry? C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!
>
> Rubeus Hagrid greeting new students, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

First-years were typically eleven to twelve years of age, and began the year by boarding the Hogwarts Express at exactly 11 am on 1 September from King's Cross Station, from which they travelled to Hogwarts. If they lived in Hogsmeade, they of course did not need to catch the train.

From there, first-year students were accompanied by the Keeper of Keys and Grounds (or another suitable teacher if the Keeper was absent), along a shady path that led to a fleet of small boats, which sailed themselves across the ***Black Lake*** before arriving at a small landing stage near the base of Hogwarts Castle.

Students would then await their turn to be Sorted into their houses in the Great Hall. A teacher would take them to a small room where they would await the Sorting ceremony.

### The Sorting Ceremony and Start-of-Term Feast

> When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Hermione Granger!
>
> Professor McGonagall announcing the Sorting Ceremony on 1 September 1991, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Just before the Start-of-Term Feast began, new students were Sorted into one of four houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin) by the Sorting Hat. The Hat analysed each student's mind, looking for specific characteristics that it used to decide where to put each student. After the Sorting, the Headmaster would say a few words and the feast would begin.

After the feast, the headmaster would say a few more words; if he or she was feeling particularly festive, they would direct the students as they sang the ***school song***, such as the year Harry Potter came to Hogwarts. Dumbledore used his wand as a conductor's baton, ***conjuring a ribbon*** that floated in the air, forming the words for the students to sing along with, each singing to the tune of their choice. Not all Professors were overly fond of the song, but Albus Dumbledore, the wise and odd man he was, conducted the singing with gusto and even teared up at the end:

## Overall

> To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, came top of the year. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one.
>
> Harry Potter's experiences with the first year exams, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

First-year students had to take: ***Transfiguration***, ***Charms***, ***Potions***, ***History of Magic***, Defence Against the Dark Arts, ***Astronomy***, and ***Herbology***, classes that were mandatory throughout their first five years of magical education.

First-years, and only first-years, were required to take ***Flying class***, where they learned the basic commands to give to their broomstick, as well as basic tricks and tips for riding, as most of the first-years had probably never flown before arriving at Hogwarts school.

### Curriculum

* Softening Charm
* Fire-Making Spell
* ***Wand-Lighting Charm***
* Unlocking Charm
* Knockback Jinx
* Wand-Extinguishing Charm
* Severing Charm
* Locking Spell
* Mending Charm

* ***Imps***
* Ghosts
* ***Hags***
* ***Gytrashes***
* ***Vampires***
* ***Zombies***
* ***Gnomes***
* ***Curse of the Bogies***
* Knockback Jinx
* ***Wand-Lighting Charm***
* ***Smokescreen Spell***
* ***Verdimillious Charm***
* ***Verdimillious Duo Spell***
* ***Verdimillious Tria***
* ***Red Sparks***
 Transfiguration | Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuff box.The first-year Transfiguration exam, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* ***Transfiguration alphabet***
* ***Transfiguration*** formula
* ***Desk Into Pig*** (Demonstration)
* ***Match to needle***
* ***Switching Spell***
* ***Mice to Snuffboxes***
* ***Avifors Spell***
 ***Potions*** | Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion.The first-year Potions exam, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* ***Cure for Boils***
* ***Forgetfulness Potion***
* ***Herbicide Potion***
* ***Wiggenweld Potion***
* ***Antidote to Common Poisons***
* ***Pompion Potion***
* ***Strength Potion***
* ***Hair-Raising Potion***

* Fire-Making Spell
* ***Venomous Tentacula***
* ***Spiky Bush***
* ***Bouncing Bulb***
* ***Severing Charm***
* ***Puffapods***
* ***Moly***
* ***Asphodel***
* ***Dried Nettles***
* ***Dittany***
* ***Wormwood***
* ***Mandrake Root***
* ***Aconite***
 ***Astronomy*** | * Studying the sky with ***Telescopes***
* Studying ***Moon charts*** and ***Star charts***
* Names of stars
 ***History of Magic*** | One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented Self-Stirring Cauldrons and they'd be free...The first-year History of Magic exam, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* ***Gargoyle Strike of 1911***
* ***Soap Blizzard of 1378***
* ***Werewolf Code of Conduct***
* ***Emeric the Evil***
* ***Elfric the Eager***
* ***Uric the Oddball***
* ***Self-Stirring Cauldron***

### First year restrictions

> PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
>
> Extract from the Hogwarts acceptance letter, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

First-years could not go to Hogsmeade with the students in the ***third year*** or above, and were not permitted to have their own broomstick inside the school grounds until the second year. They were further forbidden from taking ***Divination***, ***Muggle Studies***, ***Study of Ancient Runes***, ***Care of Magical Creatures*** and ***Arithmancy*** until the ***third year***, and ***Apparition*** and ***Alchemy*** until the ***sixth year***.

### Required textbooks

Potions Book.png*Magical Drafts and Potions*Book of Spells 1.png*The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1*The-dark-forces-a-guide-to-self-protection-pottermore.png*The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection*One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi Pottermore.png*One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi*A history of magic Pottermore.png*A History of Magic*A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration Pottermore.png*A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration*Magical-theory-lrg.png*Magical Theory (book)*Fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-pottermore.pngFB
## Appearances

* *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film) (First Entire Appearance)
* *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2*

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film), Chapter 5
2. ↑ , Chapter B, page 4
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 , Chapter B, page 6
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 , Chapter B, page 7
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film)
7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 , Chapter B, page 8
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Hogwarts School Subjects" at *Wizarding World (website)*
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 , Chapter B, page 9
10. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
11. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
12. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
13. ↑ Template:CC
14. ↑ , Chapter B, page 10
15. ↑ ***Hogwarts Mystery***
17. ↑ ***Hogwarts Mystery***
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Pottermore - ***The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1***
19. ↑ ***Hogwarts Mystery***
20. ↑ ***Hogwarts Mystery***
21. ↑ ***Hogwarts Mystery***
22. ↑ , Chapter B, page 13
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 ***Pottermore*** - ***The Dark*** ***Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection***
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 , Chapter B, page 16
25. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
26. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
27. ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Template:LEGO
29. ↑ Template:MA
30. ↑ , Chapter 14 (*About The Chamber*)
31. ↑ *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film), Chapter 14

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