built solely because seven is a powerful number, this floor holds many of the rooms that don't quite have an academic purpose. if ever you find yourself in a moment of boredom, this is perhaps the best floor to be on for a few little surprises.

there's not much up here besides the ancient runes class, so this floor isn't commonly visited by the students unless in passing. nevertheless, there are those who seem to like the isolation and spend some of their free time lurking around, curious to see what others might be up to.

defence against the dark arts is a favoured subject, even here, and this is the floor that you can find the class on. it's also where you can find the muggle studies classroom and perhaps, if you're lucky, you'll find another place before they have some kind of special event.

many of the surprise rooms seem to be found on this floor, where they are constantly changing and causing students to be careful when they open the door. don't bother trying to figure out what kind of system is being used. the school just changes room at random to mess with everyone's heads.

transfiguration, charms...all of the practical classes seem to have been put on this floor, crowding the corridor with many doors and classrooms. the stream of students milling around here is always rather intense as they shuffle back and forth trying to avoid running into one another, but they somehow manage to squeeze into the spaces without issue.

if ever you need a good book, you can find the library here, as well as the hospital wing, better for when you need healing. the matron is always on the ball when dealing with the accidents of the students, but the librarian isn't so forgiving if you disturb the silence of the library. consider yourself warned.

enter the school, leave the school and eat dinner with everyone else. that's only the beginning of what you can do here on the ground floor. it's the first thing you see when you enter the school itself from the large oak doors after your journey across the lake, and the last thing you see on your way out for summer break.

a small wooden hut on the grounds of hogwarts, where the gamekeeper resides. there is a pumpkin patch behind the cabin, and a wooden fence surrounding it, as well as the vegetable gardens that are often used by the house elves when preparing meals for the school. that is, as long as the magical bugs haven't ruined them.

these gardens are filled with roses and tall hedges, a maze that hides in the center a status that stands as a memorial for those who lost their lives in the battle of hogwarts. many a student has gotten lost in here and had to be rescued by another passing body, but it's become a game to see who can remember the way safely in and out.

a body of water that is about a half mile in diameter, it is located at the south end of the castle. the water is normally very cold, and it is a home to many creatures, such as the giant squid, the merfolk, and grindylows. needless to say, it can be a pretty dangerous place if you don't watch your back or know what you're doing, so be sure that you don't wander around all by yourself at the wrong time of day.

the pitch is located at the opposite side of the castle from the forest, and it is where all the games are held. it is a large field with three hoops at each end, and bleachers surrounding it, only ever filled to the brim when there is a match going on. needless to say, the gryffindor and slytherin halves are always cheering for their respective teams, but there can be quite the swarm of colour when anyone plays the snakes.

at the east side of the castle is a large, dark forest. it is forbidden to the students because of it's dangerous creatures, but often a student or two will sneak in for a bit of adventure. it is home to creatures such as centaurs, thestrals and unicorns, but that is definitely not the end of the list. you can never be sure what you might encounter within the forest, so it's best to do as you're told and stay out.

this is a large tree that was planted many years ago to hide a secret passageway that leads to the shrieking shack in hogsmeade village. it destroys anything that comes within reach of it. it can be temporarily stopped if one touches a particular knot with a large branch. of course, it is also known for having taken the eye sight of a student during it's earlier years, so it's best not to mess with this tree unless you are feeling incredibly lucky that day.

a pub in muggle london that many wizards visit to do their drinking. it is also the entrance to diagon alley, and is run by a wizard. it's currently owned and being run by tom, an aging wizard who has run it for as long as anyone can remember, but it might be time for some new management soon.

tapping just the right bricks outside the leaky cauldron in london will reveal an archway that is a portal into diagon alley, the main shopping area for wizards and witches. filled with shops of all kinds that cater to the daily needs of witches and wizards, it is a popular shopping destination that is often rather crowded as people wander down the narrow alleyway, so be careful of who you run into.

just around the corner from diagon alley lies a dark, twisting alleyway devoted to the dark arts: knockturn alley. stay far away from here, unless you want people to think that you're causing trouble. nobody really knows what they have down here in terms of wares, and few people actually want to know of the dark magic that possibly lurks in every darkened shadow.

hogsmeade is the only entirely wizarding village in britian. it's a picturesque little place of thatched cottages and shops, with enchanted candles hanging in the trees during the holidays. hogwarts students in their third year and up are permitted to come down here during specific days of the year as long as they have parental permission, and those trips still happen even now.

the station where one must catch the hogwarts express if they wish to depart for hogwarts like everyone else. king's cross is always crawling with muggles who never seem to notice that people around them run at a barrier and suddenly disappear, but those of the wizarding world know exactly what lies behind the barrier.

london seems to be the central hub for much of what happens involving the hogwarts students and the rest of the wizarding world. you never know what you'll find in here, or what kind of secret will lurk in an abandoned store. the magic is everywhere, whether you decide to see it and acknowledge it or not.

the ministry of magic is where the minister of magic, the aurors, and many other important jobs take place. they are best known for running the entire wizarding world, corrupt or not, and now that the battle is over things are being cleaned up. the golden statue has taken it's place in the main lobby again after having been repaired, and the ministry is rather strict with people's views on the muggle population.

named for the famous hogwarts founder godric gryffindor, this place might reside in the muggle world, but it holds many pieces of wizarding history, including the death of james and lily potter and the house in which harry potter defeated voldemort the first time. it's now a peaceful little village that people visit on occasion, drawing a touristy crowd.

are you injured or ill? well at st. mungo's, there are plenty of healers to help get rid of whatever is bothering you. you tend not to end up here unless things get serious, and since madame pomfrey is especially gifted in the art of healing, select few students have ever ended up here either.

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