Chapter Three –

Life at Hogwarts: 1600-1800

Dymphna Smethwyck became the first Headmistress of Hogwarts in 1600 after Havelock Hipsworth accidentally killed himself. She brought about many changes to the school, some of which had positive effects, some of which did not. One of Dymphna's more ingenious contributions to the school was creating a magical quill that could detect the birth of any magical child and giving them a place at Hogwarts. Owls were then sent to the young wizard or witch when they turned eleven, offering them a place at Hogwarts. Dymphna was also responsible for creating the hospital wing after injuries from the Triwizard Tournament reached astronomical levels, as well as creating new staff jobs, such as Gamekeeper, caretaker, nurse and goblin-translator, since Hogwarts still admitted goblins. However, Dymphna tried to get rid of any unnecessary creature within the castle, including the goblins (which led to various riots – see below).

Dymphna also introduced Quidditch to Hogwarts. With the recent invention of the Golden Snitch, which replaced the Golden Snidget, Quidditch games were much more friendly to the environment. Dymphna created a Quidditch pitch in the grounds of the castle, with the four houses playing various games of Quidditch against each other throughout the year in the hope of winning the Quidditch Cup. This, coupled with the continuation of the Triwizard Tournament made Hogwarts even more exciting. However, the tournament were stopped in 1650 after the death toll became unacceptable, with champions rarely living to complete all three tasks. An attempt was made to revive the tournament in 1792, but the cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on a rampage and injured the Headmaster, Norvel Blemish, as well as the heads of both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Therefore, the Triwizard Tournament was banned, and had only recently, in 1994, been resurrected.

The Goblin Riots

Although Headmistress Dymphna Smethwyck originally allowed goblins to enter Hogwarts, she soon became determined to drive them, as well as any other unwanted beings, from the castle. The goblins, of course, did not wish to leave without a fuss. One student writes in his diary the consequences of Dymphna's decision:

There were goblins tearing down the hallways, firing spells and hexes everywhere; poor Roberto was hit in the face with a Nose Enlargement Curse, and grew a nose so large it dragged him down the marble staircase. I tried to use a Shield Charm to defend myself, but a goblin grabbed me from behind and tried to cram me into a suit of armour; the poltergeist was throwing eggs at everyone; the house elves were trying to tidy up, but the goblins were making mess faster than the elves could clear it up; Professor Smethwyck appeared on the scene and tried to retain order, but a goblin stole her glasses, and in her blindness, walked into a broom cupboard. I think she should go back on her decision to remove the goblins from the castle. They're tearing around the common room as I speak.

Dymphna tried for many years to drive the goblins from the castle, but it was only when the Wizards' Council finally intervened in 1612 and sent officials to Hogwarts that they finally left. However, the goblins refused to give up and regrouped in nearby Hogsmeade, becoming more infuriated when the wizards demanded that the goblins hand over their wands. This started the first of many goblin rebellions throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as the goblins fought for equal rights. The Hog's Head inn in Hogsmeade was used as the headquarters for the goblin rebellion, often striking out at students whenever they came into the village, and cramming Nifflers into Dymphna's office so that they destroyed the room. Thus, to protect against the goblins, officials from the Wizards' Council was placed around Hogsmeade at all times to quell the riots.

The goblin rebellion of 1612 was finally quelled when Dymphna Transfigured the goblin leader, Bodrig, into a newt and fed him to the merpeople. However, other goblin rebellions continued, as the goblins refused to hand over their wands, but in 1631, the Wizards' Council created a decree that banned goblins (and any other non-human creatures) from carrying wands, thus (in wizards' eyes, at least) ending the matter. Dymphna was the one who suggested the decree and threatened every student with a detention if they did not sign to ensure the decree was put forward.

Notable Teachers and Students

Dymphna Smethwyck (1566-1652, Headmistress from 1600-1652)

Dymphna was the first true Headmistress of Hogwarts and certainly changed how things were ran, introducing many new elements to the school, including a hospital wing and Quidditch pitch. She also strived to drive out any creature from Hogwarts that she didn't see fit to reside in the castle. Her attempts to displace the goblins from Hogwarts resulted in the famous goblin rebellion of 1612, which eventually ended when Dymphna turned the goblin leader into a newt. Dymphna also tried (rather foolishly, it has to be said) to removed Peeves the poltergeist from the castle, believing him to be a nuisance, but nothing she did could get rid of him. Even officials from the Wizards' Council were unable to remove him. Dymphna helped in the creation of the Code of Wand Use Decree of 1631, which prevented all magical beings apart from wizards from carrying wands. When the goblins found out she had done this, they infiltrated the castle, stole her wand and threw her off the Astronomy tower to her death.

Davlin Fortescue (1612-1714, Headmaster from 1652-1714)

Davlin became the eighth Headmaster of Hogwarts and was renowned as a 'Muggle lover'. Indeed, Davlin introduced the subject of Muggle Studies to Hogwarts and taught the class himself due to his fascination to how Muggles coped without the help of magic. In the end, though, it was his love for Muggles that killed him; as he was examining a Muggle farm, he prodded a horse in the backside with his wand and it sat on him, killing him.

Gaspard Grunnion (1516-1603, Headmaster from 1714-1740)

Gaspard Grunnion was the Potions professor at Hogwarts when he was killed in 1603 after a Scintillating Solution blew up in his face (thanks to a goblin, who had added powdered Graphorn horn to the cauldron when Gaspard wasn't looking). Gaspard continued to reside in Hogwarts as a ghost, though, and when the position of Headmaster became vacant when Fortescue had died, Gaspard was quick to apply. Since no one else wanted to take the job, the school was forced to accept Gaspard as Hogwart's first (and thus far only) ghostly Headmaster. Gaspard did not run the school well, though, and although many other people tried to succeed him as Headmaster and lock him out of the Head Office, Gaspard easily floated through the wall and reassumed command. Gaspard only stepped down as Headmaster when the other ghosts banded together and demanded that he leave Hogwarts. Begrudgingly, this Gaspard did, and was never seen again. He is the only Headmaster who does not have a portrait of themselves in the Head Office, and it is not missed.

Oswald Bludgeon (1702-1782, Headmaster from 1740-1741)

Oswald Bludgeon holds the record for the least amount of time a person has been Headmaster or Headmistress of Hogwarts, ruling from December of 1740 to January of 1741, which is less time even than Dolores Umbridge, who was Headmistress of Hogwarts for three months in 1996. He only became Headmaster to win a bet with his best friend, but stepped down quickly after he was flooded with owls from concerned parents who did not believe he had to right attitude to be Headmaster.

Dilys Derwent (1703-1778, Headmistress from 1741-1768)

Dilys Derwent attended Hogwarts and was renowned for her healing-related magic. When she left Hogwarts, she became a Healer at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. After that, she returned to Hogwarts in 1941 and took up the position of Headmistress when she was asked, saying she was sick of 'treating patients with trunks for noses'. She became one of Hogwart's most celebrated heads, making Ancient Runes an optional subject in the third year rather than a compulsory one, much to the delight of the students. She decided to step down as Headmistress, however, after only twenty-seven years.

Norvel Blemish (1721-1801, Headmaster from 1769-1801)

Norvel became (until Phineas Black became the Headmaster) the most unpopular Headmaster Hogwarts had ever had. He was famous for his strict rules, banning Quidditch because watching it gave him a headache and making sure every class was utterly silent. When he became so unpopular that students threw Dungbombs at him wherever he went, he attempted to resurrect the Triwizard Tournament in 1792 to increase his popularity. However, the cockatrice that everyone was supposed to be catching escaped and injured not only Norvel but the heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang as well. After that, Norvel had the cockatrice executed and remained in his office for the rest of his days, too scared to leave. Indeed, because of the fact he never left his office, it took the rest of the school several days to realise he had died in 1801. He had been scared to death when the portrait of Gilford Ollerton shouted, 'Boo!' at him at high volume.

Almerick Sawbridge (1602-1699)

One of the most proficient Care of Magical Creatures students Hogwarts has ever seen, Almerick is famous for conquering a river troll that had been terrorising crossers of the Wye River for years. Though he was known for his bravery, he was terrified of Flobberworms.

Elladora Ketteridge (1656-1729)

Elladora was one of Hogwart's most renowned Herbologists when she was there. After she left, she discovered many new species of magical plants and tested their properties by eating them. She discovered Gillyweed and its use after she nearly suffocated eating it, and recovered only when she stuck her head in a bucket of water. She was eaten by a Snargaluff tree when she tried to eat its leaves.

Edgar Stroulger (1703-1798)

Edgar Stroulger served as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts for several years in the mid-1700s. However, he left after a while to invent new items. One of his most prized inventions was the Sneakoscope. However, he stole the ideas and blueprints from a friend of his, Harold Shimpling, and as such, the Sneakoscope (which whistles when it detects someone untrustworthy) always whistled when Edgar was around. Eventually, he became insane from the noise and quickly sold them to the public, never going near another one in his life.

Alphard Black (1714-1756)

Alphard Black is the first member of the pure blood Black family to have attended Hogwarts, and was sorted into Slytherin. He did research on the entire history of the Black family and removed anyone who he saw unfit (those that married Muggles, those that were Squibs etc) from the Black family tree, something that his descendants continued for him. He died by accidentally strangling himself in the Black family tree during his haste to remove Belvina Black (a public Muggle lover) from the tree.