Changes: Grand Staircase

Revision as of 21:42, 7 August 2011

The Grand Staircase is a massive structure in Hogwarts Castle, mainly used to access each floor of the castle, including the dungeons. There are hundreds of Portraits covering the walls in this tower, some of which conceal secret passages to other areas within the school. The multiple staircases in the Grand Staircase lead from platform to platform and go as high as the seventh floor where they come to an end.

It was Rowena Ravenclaw who came up with the idea of using moving stairs.

In May of 1998 Severus Snape and Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow watched students as they marched from the Entrance Courtyard to the Grand Staircase.

Behind the scenes

DH2 Ginny Weasley and other Hogwarts students running at the Staircase — Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom running along the Grand Staircase in 1998.

The Fat Lady's portrait is on the seventh floor landing in the later films making it entirely visible to passers by; however, in the first film, her portrait is shown in a corridor somewhere else in the Castle.
Although in the first six films the stairs are shown to be constantly moving, there is no mention of this in any of the novels. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the staircase is changed and no longer moves. This is probably because Voldemort wanted to make some changes after his takeover of the school in 1997. Upon leaving the Entrance Hall the wider middle staircases travel upward while the staircases to the side travel downward.
When Dolores Umbridge takes over the school in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix she has Argus Filch take down all the portraits from the Grand Staircase. She also puts speakers constantly reciting her Educational Decrees on each floor. When Albus Dumbledore is restored to Hogwarts, the portraits are restored as well.
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, it shows Prefects leading Ravenclaw students to their Common room, where they walk down the stairs from the Entrance Hall, which leads to the Dungeons where the Slytherin Dungeon is.

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Voldemort on the Grand Staircase casting the Killing Curse.

Although this structure is referred to as the "Marble Staircase" on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (see this image), on the books the Marble Staircase is a flight of stairs connecting the Entrance Hall with the first floor.
In Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, the staircases are controlled by a portrait, who changed the levels the staircases lead to.

Appearances

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@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 [[File:DH2_Ginny_Weasley_and_other_Hogwarts_students_running_at_the_Staircase.jpg|thumb|[[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]] and [[Neville Longbottom]] running along the Grand Staircase in 1998.]]
 *The [[Fat Lady]]'s portrait is on the [[Seventh Floor|seventh floor]] landing in the later films making it entirely visible to passers by; however, in the first film, her portrait is shown in a corridor somewhere else in the Castle.
-*Although in the first six [[Harry Potter films|films]] the stairs are shown to be constantly moving, there is no mention of this in any of the [[Harry Potter books|novels]]. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the staircase is changed and no longer move. This is probably because [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] infiltrated the school and wanted some changes made. Upon leaving the Entrance Hall the wider middle staircases travel upward while the staircases to the side travel downward.
+*Although in the first six [[Harry Potter films|films]] the stairs are shown to be constantly moving, there is no mention of this in any of the [[Harry Potter books|novels]]. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the staircase is changed and no longer moves. This is probably because [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] wanted to make some changes after his takeover of the school in [[1997]]. Upon leaving the Entrance Hall the wider middle staircases travel upward while the staircases to the side travel downward.
 *When [[Dolores Umbridge]] takes over the school in the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' she has [[Argus Filch]] take down all the portraits from the Grand Staircase. She also puts speakers constantly reciting her [[Educational Decree]]s on each floor. When [[Albus Dumbledore]] is restored to Hogwarts, the portraits are restored as well.
 *In the [[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'', it shows [[Prefect]]s leading [[Ravenclaw]] students to their [[Ravenclaw Tower|Common room]], where they walk down the stairs from the [[Entrance Hall]], which leads to the [[Dungeons]] where the [[Slytherin Dungeon]] is.