======Magically Altered Spaces======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Magical Phenomenon / Enchanted Space
  * **Location:** Various; common throughout the [[Wizarding World]].
  * **Owner/Residents:** The creators or users of the specific enchantment.
  * **Key Features:** Non-Euclidean interiors (often appearing vastly larger on the inside than on the outside), concealment from [[Muggle]]s, transportation through compressed or alternate dimensions.
=====Description and History=====
The magical manipulation of space is a fundamental concept in the [[Wizarding World]], allowing witches and wizards to alter the dimensions, capacity, and physical laws of an object or area. The most common application is the use of the [[Undetectable Extension Charm]], which creates an interior space that is significantly larger than the exterior dimensions of the container would suggest. This charm is used on everything from small bags to entire tents.
This branch of [[magic]] is subject to regulation by the [[Ministry of Magic]]. For instance, [[Arthur Weasley]] noted that it was illegal to magically expand the interior of a [[Muggle]] car, a law he himself wrote and subsequently broke when enchanting his [[Ford Anglia]].
Beyond simply expanding interiors, witches and wizards can create spaces that exist outside of normal physical reality. This includes hidden locations like [[Platform Nine and Three-Quarters]], which is accessed through a solid barrier, and methods of travel like the [[Knight Bus]] and [[Apparition]], which defy the conventional physics of distance and time. The [[Disappearing Cabinet]]s create a direct, instantaneous passageway between two points, traversing a dark, non-physical dimension.
=====Role in the Story=====
The ability to magically alter and traverse space is a crucial element throughout the *Harry Potter* series, serving as a key plot device and a practical tool for the characters. In the earlier books, it adds a sense of wonder, as seen with the [[Weasley Tent]] at the [[Quidditch World Cup]] and [[Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia]].
Later in the series, this magic becomes critical for survival and warfare. The [[Room of Requirement]] serves as a secret headquarters for [[Dumbledore's Army]] and a refuge during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]]. The [[Disappearing Cabinet]] becomes [[Draco Malfoy]]'s method for infiltrating [[Hogwarts]] with [[Death Eater]]s. Most significantly, [[Hermione Granger's Beaded Bag]], enchanted with an [[Undetectable Extension Charm]], allows the trio to carry everything they need—including a tent, books, clothes, and potions—while on the run from [[Lord Voldemort]], making their year-long Horcrux hunt possible.
=====Examples of Magically Altered Space=====
  * **[[Weasley Tent]]:** A shabby-looking [[Muggle]] tent that, on the inside, is the size of a small, furnished apartment. It was used by the Weasleys at the [[Quidditch World Cup]] and later by [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] during their hunt for [[Horcrux]]es.
  * **[[Hermione Granger's Beaded Bag]]:** A small purse enchanted with an [[Undetectable Extension Charm]] that allowed [[Hermione Granger]] to carry an immense number of items, proving indispensable in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//.
  * **[[Alastor Moody's Trunk]]:** A magical trunk with seven compartments, each with a different purpose. The seventh and deepest compartment was a ten-foot-deep pit used by [[Barty Crouch Jr.]] to imprison the real [[Alastor Moody]].
  * **[[Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia]]:** A car enchanted to fly, become invisible, and comfortably seat eight people along with their luggage, two [[owl]]s, and a [[rat]].
  * **[[The Knight Bus]]:** A triple-decker bus for stranded witches and wizards that travels by "jumping" instantaneously from one location to another, squeezing through impossibly narrow gaps in traffic.
  * **[[The Room of Requirement]]:** A secret room in [[Hogwarts]] that only appears when a person is in great need of it. Its interior transforms to suit the seeker's requirements, capable of becoming anything from a simple broom cupboard to a vast training hall or a storeroom the size of a cathedral.
  * **[[Disappearing Cabinet]]s:** A pair of cabinets that form a magical passageway between their locations. When an object or person enters one, they emerge from the other almost instantly.
  * **[[Platform Nine and Three-Quarters]]:** A magical platform at [[King's Cross Station]] in [[London]], hidden from [[Muggle]]s and accessible only by walking through the solid barrier separating platforms nine and ten.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets//, the spacious interior of the [[Ford Anglia]] is shown in great detail. Similarly, the films visually emphasize the vastness of the [[Weasley Tent]] and [[Hermione Granger's Beaded Bag]].
  * According to the Pottermore website, the [[Undetectable Extension Charm]] is advanced [[magic]] and subject to strict controls. Misuse can lead to disastrous consequences, such as causing all the contents to be flung out or, in extreme cases, creating a spatial implosion. (Pottermore)