The Stone Courtyard Set in a rectangular shape with medium sized stone walls with large open "windows" connected by arches and over look the grounds where students can sit, the stone court yard is a popular spot during any time of day, especially among older students who have a free period. Most enjoy to do reading or other homework out here at one of the round stone tables or perched on one of the walls with their backs against the pillars. The courtyard floor is made up of stone set in a circular pattern that fans off from the fountain in the center of the courtyard. The fountain is of three mermaids on rocks which spout crystal clear water from a network of holes in synchronized displays. Around the fountain are benches set in a circle and past the benches is a ring of pillars and arches that encompass both the benches and fountain. There are four statues also located in the courtyard that face in one of the four directions with tables located near each one. These four statues are of the founders of Hogwarts and the tables that are near them are usually where students of whichever house is named after the founder sit to do their work.
The Stone Bridge Extending from the stone courtyard to the circle of megaliths on the hill over looking Hagrid's Hut, the bridge is an ideal spot on any day if one wants to take in the scenery around Hogwarts, or is the quickest way to get from the castle and onto the road to Hogsmeade Village. The bridge itself is covered by a wooden roof but is essentially open because instead of walls wooden supports are used to hold up the roof. The bottom of the bridge is made up of heavy stones arranged like that of a bridge for a train with tall Romanesque arches and archways that extend all the way to the ground to make it very stable. The bridge is built over land and part of the lake that turns into a small river running over rocks 300 feet below. The forest, the lake, and all solar or lunar events can be witnessed from the bridge as well, making it quite a popular spot for those who enjoy those things.
The Whomping Willow Placed on Hogwarts grounds to guard the secret entrance into the Shrieking Shack in 1971, the Whomping Willow is not a tree that one should get too close to. If anyone does get too close to this tree, which stands solitary on a hill after crossing the bridge and proceeding to the right, it isn't pretty. It's called the Whomping Willow for a reason and it doesn't care if it bludgeons a person to death. There is a knot at the bottom of the tree that if you prod with a long stick will freeze the tree but it is not recommended and most students do not know about this little trick.
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The Rose Gardens The pleasant sounds of birds, running water, crickets, and other forms of nature meet on as soon as they pass through the heavy wrought iron gates that separate the rest of the grounds from the Rose Garden. Inspired by French gardens and a gothic-medieval mind, the Rose Garden is complete with ponds, statues, bridges, majestic fountains, and many winding stone paths with hidden areas.
Flowers from all over the world are represented in the garden creating a mixture of pleasant aromas both subtle and strong. Every fountain is carved from either marble or a wide variety of other stones and spouts crystal clear water in a complex display from different holes. Some fountains even have pieces that actually come to life and move about, often spraying students near by on hot days.
The statues represented in the garden come from a wide array of sources. Famous witches and wizards including the founders of Hogwarts, Nicholas Flamel, and the Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistresses can all be found here as well as each house animal.
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Hagrid's Hut Located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, there is the stone and wooden circular shaped home of Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Inside Hagrid's Hut there is a large table and chairs, a mammoth trunk at the foot of a bed, a large fire place with a cauldron hanging over it, all sorts of animal traps and potions and repellents for his gardens, a cross bow, and a very large boar hound that likes to drool a lot by the name of Fang.
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The Quidditch Pitch The Quidditch Stadium, located on the far side of the Hogwarts Grounds, is visible from every part of the landscape. The stadium, when not being used, has it's heavy iron gate bearing the Hogwarts crest locked up tightly. This however, does not stop some students from going in and flying around anyhow. When passing through the tunnel like entrance way there are four separate door ways, two on each side. Each of these doors bear the colors, names, and emblems of each one of the houses. These doors, complete with team rosters and rankings lead to the locker rooms and take-off points for each team.
Spectators travel the rest of the way down the tunnel towards the pitch, but just before it starts the tunnel splits into two walkways that lead to the different seating sections.
The Quidditch pitch itself is an awe inspiring sight. Larger than a football field and in an oval shape, each end is lined with three-fifty foot high goal posts. The seating sections for each house are adorned heavily with the colors, banners, and mascots of each house. These stands are level with the hoops and the announcer's stand and the professors' stands are decorated with the schools colors of purple and gold and the Hogwarts crest.
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The Herboloby Greenhouses On the North side of the castle grounds there are four large greenhouses. These greenhouses are identified by the numbers on the doors and are numbered one through seven. The first greenhouse is where the most docile of plants are kept and a lot of the herbs and non poisonous potion ingredients. First year students are taught Herbology here. The second greenhouse is right next door and the level of danger goes up with the plants and herbs that are grown here. Second year students are taught Herbology in this greenhouse. Each of the other greenhouses increase in danger and the level of students taught within them correspond with the number on the door. The seventh greenhouse holds the most deadliest of plants and only those students who studying Herbology are allowed in here but never without being accompanied by Professor Sprout.
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The Forbidden Forest Dark, dense, dangerous and overgrown, the Forbidden Forest covers a wide portion of the castle grounds and is strictly off limits to ALL students. However, since the rule was made, students, the adventurous ones anyhow, have all dared at one time or another to enter the forest at one time or another. The fear of giant acromantula, werewolves, unfriendly centaurs, dangerous botanical life, marshes full of hinkypunks and grindy low, red kaps lurking about looking for a victim to bludgeon, and getting lost on top of all the other dangers is usually enough to keep most students out and safely away from the forest. Such is not always the case, for there will always be those students who enjoy the deafening silence except for the pounding of their hearts, the feeling of impending doom and the skill that it takes to navigate the dense forest on the animal beaten paths through the marshes, bogs, thickets, and caves, twisting and turning and always ending up at some terrifying destination face to face with a monster. The forest includes Aragog's Hollow, the Centaur Camp, a network of caves, small mountains, ponds, streams, water falls, certain plant life that is used for potion making that are hard to by in most shops, the thestral meadow, and an old decrepit graveyard mostly eroded with the winds of time where all sorts of interesting and dangerous creatures can be found.
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The Boat House The boat house can be reached one of four ways-swimming, rowing, flying, or by going to the far side of the castle, passed the Quidditch Stadium, turning down the path that leads into one of the courtyards, turn right almost immediately, go up the many staircases until you reach the stone landing, cut across the landing, find the stairs leading down and then take them all the way down to the boat house. It's nothing too spectacular down here but it is quiet and quite secluded from other students and teachers who either don't know that it's there or don't bother making the trip.
Built directly onto the lake, the boat house itself is made of stone and has one entrance into it where all the boats are sailed directly into the structure and stack themselves. The wooden docks on either side of the entrance are ideal spots for fishing or just relaxing. If you want to get to the other dock you have to go into the boat house and walk along the walk way against the wall because the center of the floor is not there, it is all water. There is a wooden dock here that goes out onto the water right in front of the medium sized structure that houses all the boats used to ferry the first year students across the lake when they first come to Hogwarts.
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The Lake On the south side of Hogwarts Castle, extending as far as the eye can see is the lake. The dark, murky waters splash melodically against the shore line and often break somewhat energetically on the rocks along the castle side and Pointer's Rock, which is some ways out into the water. The adventurous student, that doesn't mind swimming within reach of the giant squid, will occasionally venture out to Pointer's Rock and enjoy the sun. This lake also runs along Hogsmeade Village and from there, first year students are ferried across the lake and up to the school by Hagrid. When standing upon the shore the faint outline of the boat house can be seen, it's wooden dock protruding out onto the water. If you do happen to run into the giant squid don't worry, he's rather harmless as long as you don't have anything fishy on you.
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