Headmaster's Office

## Location information

### Location

Gargoyle Corridor, Headmaster's Tower, Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain

### Owner(s)

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

### Affiliation

* Hogwarts Headmaster
* Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
* Hogwarts Board of Governors

"*One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices Harry had visited so far this year, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting... It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tainted wizard's hat — the* Sorting Hat*.*"
—Harry Potter views the office for the first time

The **Headmaster's office** is the office in Hogwarts Castle in which the current headmasters or headmistresses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry work during the school year. It is located in the Headmaster's Tower, accessed through Gargoyle Corridor. Although this is never mentioned, it is entirely likely that the residence of the headmaster is adjacent to the office. It is reached by means of a circular, moving stone staircase, which in turn is concealed by a gargoyle on the third floor. The gargoyle will step aside in response to a password, though the headmaster is capable of overriding the password if, for any reason, he or she desires that it will not work.

## Description

### Entrance

Like the Hogwarts Houses, the Headmaster's tower requires a Password from anyone who wishes to gain entry to the room. The tower is guarded by a large and ugly stone gargoyle which rarely talks but is capable of doing so.

### Interior of the Room

The headmaster's office itself is a large circular room with many windows and many portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses. The portrait of the immediate predecessor of the current headmaster or headmistress hangs behind the head's desk. It is suggested that this is the largest of the paintings in the room, which, in turn, suggests that the paintings shrink by some degree once it is no longer the portrait of the immediate predecessor of the current headmaster or headmistress. It should be noted that despite Severus Snape being headmaster and having access to the office, did not have a portrait. Eventually one was installed in tribute to his brave deeds after Voldemort's ultimate defeat. In addition to its duties as the office for the Headmaster, the Head's Tower is the permanent home of the Sorting Hat, which belonged, originally, to Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders.

#### Albus Dumbledore's tenure as Headmaster

In Albus Dumbledore's day, the office had also played host to a number of spindly tables upon which were set delicate looking silver instruments that whirred and emitted small puffs of smoke, as well as an incredible collection of books, which made up Dumbledore's private library, his Pensieve, and Fawkes the phoenix. It can be assumed that the décor of the office changes with the changing of the school heads.

## Abilities

The Headmaster's Office, like so many things in Hogwarts, seems to have a will of its own. In 1996, Dolores Umbridge was unable to gain entry to the office after she was announced the new Headmistress of Hogwarts; Phineas Nigellus Black, one of the previous Headmasters of Hogwarts, explained that this was because the *"room is barred to all but the rightful headmaster"*, suggesting that even though the Ministry officially decreed Umbridge as Headmistress, the room did not.

## Known Passwords to enter the Headmaster's Office

* Acid Pops
* Fizzing Whizbee
* Sherbet lemon
* Dumbledore
* Toffee Eclairs
* Cockroach Clusters