THE OUTDOOR GROUNDS ARE PRETTY FREAKING MASSIVE WHEN YOU STEP BACK AND LOOK OUTSIDE. THE EXTENSIVE LAWNS AND GARDENS EXTEND FOR AGES IN ANY DIRECTION AND ARE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. HERBOLOGY AND THE GREENHOUSES ARE OUT HERE SOMEWHERE, ALONG WITH THE WHOMPING WILLOW. WATCH OUT FOR THAT ONE.

THIS IS WHERE SOME INTENSE STUFF GOES DOWN. THOSE BELOVED QUIDDITCH MEMBERS WILL USUALLY SPEND THEIR TIME DOWN HERE MESSING AROUND ON THEIR BROOMS FOR FUN OR DOING SOME HARDCORE PRACTICE BEFORE THE BIG MATCH, SOMETIMES PRACTICE TIMES CLASH THOUGH AND THERE WILL BE A SHOWDOWN. IT'S A LARGE CIRCULAR OUTDOOR FIELD SURROUNDED BY STANDS WITH THREE LARGE HOOPS AT EITHER END.

MANY OF THE RESIDENTS OF HOGWARTS WOULD NOT ADVISE THEIR PEERS TO ACTUALLY SWIM IN THE BLACK LAKE AS IT IS INHABITED BY A LARGE SQUID, WHICH IS PROBABLY HARMLESS BUT NONETHELESS SCARY, AND ALSO MERPEOPLE MORE TOWARD THE BOTTOM. YOU DON'T WANNA MESS WITH THEM, THEY HAVE TRITONS. MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE JUST RELAX AT THE SHORELINE.

THE FORBIDDEN FOREST IS... FORBIDDEN TO ANY STUDENTS ATTENDING HOGWARTS. THERE ARE MANY CREATURES LURKING ABOUT SUCH AS LARGE SPIDERS, CENTAURS, VAMPIRES, AND MORE. SOMETIMES STUDENTS SERVING DETENTION WILL HAVE TO SPEND THEIR TIME IN THE FOREST WITH AN ADULT.

HOGSMEADE IS THE ONLY ENTIRELY WIZARDING VILLAGE IN BRITAIN. IT WAS FOUNDED OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, AROUND THE SAME TIME AS HOGWARTS. IT'S A PICTURESQUE LITTLE VILLAGE OF THATCHED COTTAGES AND SHOPS, WITH ENCHANTED CANDLES HANGING IN THE TREES DURING THE HOLIDAYS. ON SELECT SATURDAYS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THE VILLAGE IS FILLED WITH HOGWARTS STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THEIR THIRD-SEVENTH YEAR.

THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC IS THE GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY FOR THE WIZARDING WORLD IN BRITAIN. THE MINISTRY CONSISTS OF SEVEN DEPARTMENTS AND ITS HEADQUARTERS ARE LOCATED IN LONDON. THEIR MISSION IS TO ENFORCE THE SECRECY OF WITCHES AND WIZARDS, THEY ALSO OPERATE AZKABAN. YEAH, THEY'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SORT OF BUREAUCRACY EXCEPT THEY USE MEMORY CHARMS ON MUGGLES AND WHATNOT.

TAPPING JUST THE RIGHT BRICK WALL BEHIND THE LEAKY CAULDRON IN LONDON ("THREE UP... TWO ACROSS...") WILL REVEAL AN ARCHWAY WHICH IS A PORTAL INTO DIAGON ALLEY, A LONG COBBLED STREET WHERE IS TO BE FOUND A STRANGE AND EXCITING ASSORTMENT OF RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS. IT IS UNQUESTIONABLY THE HUB OF COMMERCE IN THE BRITISH WIZARDING WORLD, WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY WIZARDING BUSINESS STATIONED THERE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE DEMAND FOR SPACE HERE IS STEEP AND RENT COSTS "LOADS OF GALLEONS."

IN NORTHWESTERN LONDON LIES KINGS CROSS STATION, A MUGGLE RAILWAY STATION THAT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN THE CITY. IT'S A PERFECTLY ORDINARY STATION, WITH BIG PLASTIC NUMBERS OVER EACH TRACK AND GUARDS WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE HOGWARTS SCHOOL. HOWEVER, EVERY SEPTEMBER 1ST, AS THE CLOCK OVERHEAD APPROACHES 11 O'CLOCK AND THE INTERCITY 125 PULLS INTO PLATFORM NINE, A STRANGE CROWD TURNS THE OCCASIONAL MUGGLE HEAD. THE CROWD IS WIZARDING CHILDREN, BEARING ENORMOUS TRUNKS AND CAGED OWLS, MAKING THEIR WAY TOWARD - AND THEN THROUGH - THE SOLID METAL BARRIER BETWEEN PLATFORMS NINE AND TEN.

ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES WAS FOUNDED BY MUNGO BONHAM SOMETIME IN THE 1500'S TO 1600'S. ST. MUNGO'S IS CONCEALED BY AN ABANDONED RED BRICK BUILDING IN LONDON CALLED PURGE AND DOWSE, LTD. UPON ENTERING THE FIRST FLOOR YOU WILL FIND MANY RICKETY WOODEN CHAIRS AND OUTDATED WEEKLY WITCH MAGAZINES, YOU WILL THEN BE GREETED BY THE WELCOME WITCH.