Hogwarts is famously the least safe school imaginable, as made staggeringly clear by the number of dangerous magical creatures and dark wizards that broke into the castle while Harry Potter was a student. Clearly, despite the famed protective spells that encircle the school’s grounds, Hogwarts has a serious security problem. That probably isn’t helped by the fact that there are numerous secret passageways in and out of the castle.
Many of these passages were discovered by Harry’s father, James Potter, and his friends during their Hogwarts careers, and were later utilized by first Fred and George Weasley and then Harry himself thanks to the Marauder’s Map. Others are so secret, however, that not even the best rule-breakers in the school figured out their existence. Likewise, some were the subject of intense speculation by fans for decades, before their locations were finally confirmed. Here is every secret passage hidden in Hogwarts. Although, seeing as the castle apparently has more holes than a leaky cauldron, there may well be more discovered in the future.
10
18 Secret Passages Within the Castle
Exit: Various
Although the secret passageways that lead out of Hogwarts are of the most interest, it’s still worth mentioning the many secret passages that lead to different points within the castle’s walls. These are generally much more well-known to both the student body and the Hogwarts staff alike, with Filch claiming to be aware of all of them. The most notorious of these internal passageways has to be the secret entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, which is hidden in the girls’ bathroom on the second floor.
These shortcuts are often hidden behind tapestries (such as the one connecting the first floor to the second floor) or portraits (like the passage hidden behind the painting of Boris the Bewildered that connects the second and third floor corridors). Although Harry occasionally uses them in the books, these shortcuts are likely mostly familiar to fans of the original Harry Potter video games, in which they often required a password to enter, similar to the House common rooms. Taking into account all forms of HP media, there are 18 known secret passages within the castle.
9
The One-Eyed Witch Statue
Exit: Honeydukes Sweet Shop
The One-Eyed Witch passageway is the quintessential secret passage out of Hogwarts as it is Harry’s preferred route into Hogsmeade Village. Upon inheriting the Marauder’s Map from Fred and George in The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry uses the passage hidden inside the One-Eyed Witch statue to sneak out and meet his friends, with the route taking him to Honeydukes Sweet Shop.
Of the seven secret passageways out of Hogwarts that are depicted on the Marauder’s Map, the One-Eyed Witch is the only one that requires magic to access. It can only be accessed by tapping the hump on the statue’s back and then saying the word “Dissendium,” which results in the hump hinging open to reveal a space just big enough for a single person to slip through. In the books, the subsequent passage is straightforward to cross, but Hogwarts Legacy portrays the journey to Honeydukes as much more elaborate and perilous, requiring the user to fix a dilapidated elevator and rebuild broken bridges.
8
The Whomping Willow
Exit: Shrieking Shack
One of the most challenging secret passages to access has to be the one hidden underneath the Whomping Willow. This was by design, however, as the Marauders created this passageway themselves to allow Remus Lupin a secluded spot to hide when he transformed into a werewolf on the full moon. As memorably detailed in both the novel and film versions of The Prisoner of Azkaban, the Whomping Willow passage leads out into the Shrieking Shack.
Although it was never confirmed either on the page or on screen, it seems safe to assume that this passage is how Sirius Black managed to slip in and out of Hogwarts, as part of his quest to find Peter Pettigrew, undetected. In addition, the Whomping Willow passage is the only known secret passageway to be located outside the castle and on Hogwarts grounds instead.
7
The Fourth Floor Mirror
Exit: Hogsmeade Village
The secret passage behind the mirror on the fourth floor is another notable escape to Hogsmeade, although only because it is no longer in use. Sirius suggests this passage in the Order of the Phoenix novel as a potential place for Harry to host his Dumbledore’s Army meetings. The implication is that it was a favorite spot for the Marauders to have their own club meetings during their time at Hogwarts.
Unfortunately for Harry and the DA, it proves to be unviable as a clubhouse for them as Harry discovers that a cave-in has occurred in the years since Sirius was at school and the passage is now blocked off. Given the unusual size of this passage — ample enough to be used as a meeting room, apparently — it’s possible it was discovered by faculty members at some point and deliberately destroyed.
6
West Well
Exit: Hogsmeade Fountain
Only Potterheads who collect every edition of the Harry Potter books will be aware of the West Well passage. That is because it hails from 2017’s illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, with an illustration in Chapter 10 recreating a portion of the Marauder’s Map. This illustration confirms that a hitherto-unknown passageway can be found in a well located in Hogwarts’ West Tower.
The shaft connects to a fountain somewhere in Hogsmeade, although its exact position is unknown. Unfortunately, due to years of being forgotten by everyone bar the Marauders, Fred and George, and then Harry, the West Well passage has fallen into disuse and is partially flooded. Nonetheless, any diligent rule-breaker would still find it to be a workable way of escaping Hogwarts.
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5
Gregory the Smarmy Statue
Exit: Hogsmeade
The passage hidden behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy has the honor of being the first ever Hogwarts secret passage mentioned in Harry Potter media. In Chapter 9 of The Sorcerer’s Stone, Fred and George remark that Lee Jordan wants to show them a new secret passage he’s found, although the twins suspect that it’s merely the Gregory the Smarmy one they already discovered back in their first year.
In The Order of the Phoenix, Fred refers to a corridor on the east wing of the fifth floor as “Gregory the Smarmy’s corridor,” suggesting this is where the statue/secret passage is located. However, Gregory’s statue is found on the first floor in the Prisoner of Azkaban video game. The games are generally considered to exist in a separate canon from the books, though, so it’s probably safe to say this passageway is situated on the fifth floor.
4
Rug Near The Fire Crab Shell
Exit: Hogsmeade
For the longest time, the last two of the Marauders’ seven secret passages to Hogsmeade were unknown, until they were finally revealed in an underappreciated Wizarding World release. 2023’s The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac is an illustrated book featuring various maps, lists, and illustrations that provide fresh insight into Hogwarts and beyond. In particular, one illustrated map at last identifies where the two additional passages can be found.
Firstly, secret passage number six can be accessed through a trap door that is hidden by a rug. The rug appears to be located in a small room found near the Fire Crab shell. In Hogwarts Legacy, the bejeweled shell is on display at the top of the stairwell in the Faculty Tower off the Grand Staircase. Assuming Legacy‘s layout of Hogwarts matches that of the books, then this is officially where the sixth secret passage can be found.
3
Toilet Near The Fire Crab Shell
Exit: Hogsmeade
As additionally revealed by the Wizarding Almanac, the seventh and final secret passageway to Hogsmeade is also located near the Fire Crab shell, meaning it can be found close to the trap door passageway. While this sounds highly convenient at first glance, there is a big downside to the use of this seventh exit. Unfortunately, accessing this one is surely the most unpleasant of the lot, as it appears that the only possible way to use it is to flush yourself down a toilet.
Given that Legacy reveals the Fire Crab shell is situated in the Faculty Tower, the fact that this final secret passage requires risking being discovered by professors and diving into a toilet — hopefully an out-of-order one — likely makes it the least popular way into Hogsmeade. No wonder neither Harry nor Fred and George made a point of using it during their time at Hogwarts.
2
The Vanishing Cabinets
Exit: Other Cabinet
The Vanishing Cabinet is perhaps the most ingenious secret passageway out of Hogwarts, as it is not a conventional point from A to B but a twinned magical object that allows for someone to slip through the protection spells around the castle. The Cabinets were infamously used when Draco Malfoy helped the Death Eaters invade the school in The Half-Blood Prince.
While the outer Vanishing Cabinet is consistently depicted as being located in Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, the location of the Hogwarts Cabinet changes throughout Harry’s time in the castle. In Chamber of Secrets, the Cabinet is confirmed to be found on the first floor as Peeves moves it into a classroom situated above Filch’s office in order to make a ruckus and get Harry out of trouble. It wasn’t until after the events of Order of the Phoenix that the Cabinet — now damaged by Peeves’ prank — was moved to the Room of Requirement, where Draco mended it in secret for his nefarious purposes.
1
The Room of Requirement Portrait
Exit: The Hog’s Head
Neville Longbottom is not usually considered one of the greatest rule-breakers in Hogwarts history, but he nevertheless has the honor of discovering a secret passage out of the school that even the Marauders never knew about. It is thanks to Neville that the passage hidden behind the portrait of Ariana Dumbledore in the Room of Requirement was found, which ultimately played an integral role in the Battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of Lord Voldemort.
Of course, Neville only found the passage by accident, as — owing to the room’s unusual magical properties — the passage could only be opened when someone nearby was hungry. The passageway then leads to The Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade, an establishment that happens to be owned by the late Ariana’s brother, Aberforth. Given its significance to his family, it seems safe to assume Albus Dumbledore knew about the existence of this passageway. And given that Dumbledore was no stranger to allowing his students to bend the rules, he probably knew about all the rest, too.
- Cast
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Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane
- First Film
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Created by
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J.K. Rowling
- Latest Film
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two
- Reunion Date
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January 1, 2022
- Where to watch
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HBO Max
