======The Hogwarts Dungeons======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Subterranean Level / School Area
  * **Location:** Beneath [[Hogwarts Castle]], [[Scotland]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]; [[Slytherin]] house students; [[Horace Slughorn]]; The [[Bloody Baron]]. Formerly resided in by [[Severus Snape]].
  * **Key Features:** Cold, subterranean stone corridors, lit by [[torch|torches]], location of the [[Potions]] classroom and the [[Slytherin Common Room]].
=====Description and History=====
The dungeons are the subterranean level of [[Hogwarts Castle]], located beneath the [[Entrance Hall]] and reached by a flight of stone steps. They are notoriously cold and dimly lit, with a network of stone corridors that can be confusing to navigate. The atmosphere is often described as eerie or oppressive, particularly compared to the upper levels of the [[castle]]. The walls are bare stone, and the air is noticeably colder than the rest of the school, a fact [[Harry Potter]] often observes.
As part of the original [[Hogwarts]] foundation, the dungeons have existed since the school's creation. They house several important rooms, including the [[Potions]] classroom, [[Professor Snape's]] former office, and the entrance to the [[Slytherin Common Room]]. The proximity of the [[Slytherin]] quarters to the [[Potions]] classroom contributed to [[Severus Snape]]'s favouritism towards his own house students during his tenure as [[Potions Master]]. The corridor leading to the [[Hogwarts Kitchens]] is also located near the dungeons' entrance area.
=====Role in the Story=====
The dungeons are the setting for many significant events throughout the series. As the location of the [[Potions]] classroom, it is where [[Harry Potter]] and his classmates spend a great deal of their academic time, often under the intimidating watch of [[Professor Snape]] and later the more amiable [[Horace Slughorn]]. Key moments in the dungeons include [[Harry]] winning the [[Felix Felicis]], his discovery of the [[Half-Blood Prince]]'s textbook annotations, and the terrifying [[Occlumency]] lessons with [[Snape]].
In //Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets//, [[Harry]] and [[Ron Weasley]] use [[Polyjuice Potion]] to disguise themselves as [[Slytherin]] students and infiltrate the [[Slytherin Common Room]] to question [[Draco Malfoy]]. In //Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone//, the [[Mirror of Erised]] is temporarily hidden in an unused dungeon classroom, and [[Professor Quirrell]] unleashes a [[mountain troll]] into the dungeons as a diversion on Hallowe'en.
During the [[Second Wizarding War]], under the control of the [[Carrows]], the dungeons became a place of punishment. As revealed by [[Neville Longbottom]], students who defied [[Voldemort]]'s regime were often taken to the dungeons to be tortured with the [[Cruciatus Curse]].
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * **[[Potions Classroom]]**: The primary classroom for [[Potions]] lessons. It is described as a large, cold room with pickled animals floating in [[jar|jars]] along the walls. The classroom contains numerous worktables and a storeroom cupboard with [[potion]] ingredients. It is connected directly to the [[Potions Master]]'s office.
  * **[[Slytherin Common Room]]**: The common room for [[Slytherin]] House. The entrance is a stretch of bare, damp stone wall in the dungeons, which opens when given the correct [[password]]. The room itself is long, low, and situated under the [[Black Lake]], giving it a greenish, underwater glow. It is furnished with carved stone chairs, skulls, and green-lit lamps.
  * **[[Severus Snape's Office]]**: Adjoining the [[Potions]] classroom, this was [[Snape]]'s private office. It was a dimly lit room filled with shelves of [[jar|jars]] containing disturbing specimens and potion ingredients. This office was the setting for [[Harry]]'s [[Occlumency]] lessons.
  * **Corridors and Storerooms**: The dungeons are a labyrinth of corridors and unused rooms. One such storeroom was used by [[Argus Filch]] as a place for [[detention]], where [[Harry]] was forced to pickle rat brains. Another unused room was where [[Professor Quirrell]] briefly hid the [[Mirror of Erised]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations, the dungeons are portrayed with a more expansive and gothic aesthetic than described in the books. The sets often feature intricate stone carvings, chains, and large, dramatic spaces that emphasize their sinister and ancient nature (film).
  * According to [[Pottermore]], the location of the [[Slytherin Common Room]] beneath the [[Black Lake]] is an intentional design feature, and its windows look out into the depths of the lake, where occupants can occasionally see the [[Giant Squid]] or other aquatic creatures swim by (Pottermore).