From the exterior, magically expanded tents are typically designed to look like ordinary, and often unremarkable, Muggle tents. This mundane appearance serves as a form of camouflage to avoid violating the International Statute of Secrecy. For example, the Weasley family's tent at the Quidditch World Cup was described as shabby and made of patched canvas. The tent formerly belonging to Perkins of the Ministry of Magic, which Harry Potter's trio later used, was a small, dark green tent that looked out of place and unimpressive from the outside. The interior, however, is magically and deceptively vast. Through the use of an Undetectable Extension Charm, the inside of a tent can be transformed into a comfortable and spacious living area. The Weasleys' tent was likened to an old-fashioned, three-room flat, complete with a kitchen, a sitting room with armchairs, and a bathroom. Perkins's tent, while smaller, still contained bunk beds, an armchair, a small kitchen table with chairs, and a bathroom with a toilet and sink.
The primary magical feature of a wizarding tent is the Undetectable Extension Charm, which creates a much larger internal space than the external dimensions would allow. This core enchantment enables several key properties:
Magically expanded tents are shown to be a relatively common possession in the wizarding world, particularly for events that require temporary lodging, such as the Quidditch World Cup. The campsite at the 1994 World Cup was filled with hundreds of such tents, ranging from simple structures to elaborate, multi-story dwellings disguised as castles or manor houses. A specific tent plays a significant role in the Second Wizarding War. This tent, which originally belonged to Ministry official Perkins, was borrowed by Arthur Weasley for the World Cup. He later lent it to Harry Potter. Hermione Granger brought this tent with them when she, Harry, and Ron Weasley went on the run to hunt for Horcruxes in 1997. For nearly a year, this tent served as their only home and mobile base of operations as they traveled across Britain.
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Weasleys' tent interior is depicted as exceptionally large and ornately decorated, more luxurious than the “old-fashioned flat” description in the novel, emphasizing the magical reveal for cinematic effect (film). The tent used by the trio in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is visually similar to its book description, and the protective spells Hermione casts are shown as a shimmering, dome-like barrier around the campsite (film).