Hallowe'en

"A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkin stutter."

— The Great Hall on Hallowe'en

Pumpkins, one of the decorations of Hogwarts' Hallowe'en feast

Hallowe'en or Halloween a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening" is a holiday celebrated by both Muggles and the wizarding world on 31 October.

Typical festive Hallowe'en activities include; trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, and telling scary stories, this applies to the wizarding world also, with their own magical twist.

Recent events

The British Ministry of Magic has attempted to impose restrictions on how wizards are allowed to celebrate Hallowe'en, presumably in consideration to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Celestina Warbeck vocally disagreed with this proposed legislation, a move that was considered controversial on her part. At Hogwarts School, there is a feast every year on Hallowe'en and the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year usually occurs around the same day. Rubeus Hagrid grows enormous pumpkins for the feast by magic.

Voldemort attempting to Murder Harry Potter, after murdering his parents

On this day in 1981, the First Wizarding War ended with the disappearance of Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort disappeared after he murdered James and Lily Potter and attempted to murder infant Harry Potter.

In 1991 the first year Charms class topic is Wingardium Leviosa, the Levitation Charm. Later, the Hallowe'en feast is interrupted by the arrival of a Mountain Troll. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley save Hermione Granger from the Troll in the girls' bathroom.

In 1992 Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington's 500th Deathday Party takes place in one of the roomier dungeons at Hogwarts, and it is attended by many ghosts, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Ginny Weasley, under the influence of Tom Riddle's Diary, opens the Chamber of Secrets for the first time in fifty years. The basilisk that is released from the Chamber petrifies Mrs. Norris.

In 1993 Sirius Black enters Hogwarts Castle and attacks the Fat Lady when she refuses to give him passage to Gryffindor Tower.

In 1994 the Goblet of Fire chooses the Triwizard champions — Viktor Krum for Durmstrang; Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons; Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts; and an unexpected fourth champion, Harry Potter.

Hallowe'en feast

The Hallowe'en feast in 1991

The Hallowe'en Feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry occurs on the 31st of October every year. Usually the Hallowe'en Feast is festooned with sweets-filled pumpkins, bats, orange streamers, water snakes, goblets of coloured candy and all sorts of Hallowe'en-related decorations. There is usually some entertainment at the end, this may be by the Hogwarts Ghosts who pop out of the walls and do formation gliding.

It's a highly anticipated feast which most Hogwarts students look forward to every year.

Behind the scenes

• Oddly enough, either during or after the feast in the first four books something fateful happens. The troll, the Chamber of Secrets re-opening, Sirius Black's attack on the Fat Lady, and Harry Potter's name emerging from the Goblet of Fire. In the seventh book, we discover that the date, 31 October is significant, as it is the date of James and Lily Potter's death - 31st October, 1981.
• Also somewhat oddly, though Hallowe'en and the date of 31 October are of great significance within the series, nothing of note happens on Hallowe'en in any of the final three installments of the series.
• Oddly enough, Hallowe'en can be also called "All Hallows Eve" this could be continued to the beginning of the series with the Deathly Hallows objects and symbol, between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Appears in flashback(s))
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (mentioned only)

External links

• Hallowe'en in the Muggle world