Defence Against the Dark Arts

Defence Against the Dark Arts
Professor	Galatea Merrythought Quirinus Quirrell (1991-1992) Gilderoy Lockhart (1992-1993) Remus Lupin (1993-1994) Bartemius Crouch Jnr. (1995-1996) Severus Snape (1996-1997) Amycus Carrow (1997-1998)
Textbooks	The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection Gilderoy Lockhart's books (1992-1993) The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts Defensive Magical Theory Confronting the Faceless
Book information
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Last appearance	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Defence Against the Dark Arts is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is studied in the first year until at least the fifth year. Its purpose is to prepare students to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, including Dark creatures, curses, jinxes and hexes. It is an important and popular subject. It includes reading and practical work like duelling.

The post for Defence Against the Arts professor was infamously jinxed by Tom Riddle when Albus Dumbledore refused to let him teach it. For decades at the end of every school year, the professor left for various reasons until Voldemort was killed.

About

Every student has to study the subject in the first year to the fifth year when they take their O.W.L.s. They have the option of studying it for their N.E.W.Ts if they achieve the necessary pass grade. It is a very popular subject. If they achieve a good grade, it is very appealing for employers in their future careers. To advance to N.E.W.T. level, students need at least an "Exceeds Expectations" in their O.W.Ls. The subject is based around teaching defence against Dark forces. Specific creatures and topics have to be taught each year depending on age group but the professor could adjust it. Dolores Umbridge in particular thought there was no need to actually use wands and predominantly taught her students theory with books.

For a few decades, the subject was unable to keep a professor for longer than a year. Tom Riddle had applied for the teaching post but Albus Dumbledore didn't trust him because he knew he was deep into the Dark Arts. He refused to let Tom have the teaching post so he jinxed it with the inability to keep a professor for longer than a year. It was difficult to find anyone to take the job.

History

In Lockhart's very first lesson, second year students had to answer 52 questions about Lockhart. The answers could be found in the books he wrote. It was not about defence or the Dark Arts. He later introduced the class to Cornish pixies. He lost control of the pixies and ran away, leaving Hermione Granger to sort it out. He then started to get students to act out scenes in his books instead of teaching, including the story of how he defeated the Wagga Wagga werewolf. In June 1993, Defence Against the Dark Arts was cancelled because Lockhart had lost his memory and Dumbledore couldn't find a new professor in time.

In June 1994, Professor Lupin staged an obstacle course for third-years. They had to get across a Grindylow habitat, cross potholes of Red Caps, ignore a Hinkypunk trying to encourage you to go the wrong way into boggy land and face a Boggart inside a trunk. Harry passed, Ron failed to ignore the Hinkypunk and Hermione failed to defeat the Boggart because she was upset at facing her worst fear, which was being told she had failed everything.

Curriculum

First year

• Curse of the Bogies
• The ways of treating werewolf bites

Second year

Lockhart's first lesson

Gilderoy Lockhart spent Harry Potter's second year teaching about the things he had purportedly done by reading his own books and having students act out scenes in his stories. Because of that, it is unknown what a proper, standard education for a second year should be like. The only creature that did get taught was the one he brought to his first lesson:

• Cornish pixies

Third year

• Boggart - homework was to summarise a chapter about Boggarts
• Red Cap
• Kappa
• Grindylow
• Hinkypunk
• Werewolf - homework was about finding and killing werewolves
• Vampire - included homework

Examinations

• Third year: an obstacle course including Grindylows, Red Caps, Hinkypunk and Boggart

Books

• The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

Known timetables

Years	Day	Period
Third year	Monday	Third
	Thursday	Third
	Friday	Third
Fourth year	Thursday	Fourth or fifth
Fifth year	Monday	Fifth or sixth
	Friday	Sixth
Sixth year	Monday	First or second

Known teachers

Picture	Teacher	Year	Reason for leaving
	Quirinus Quirrell	1991-1992	Possessed by Voldemort until he was abandoned and died.
	Gilderoy Lockhart	1992-1993	Hit by a Memory Charm that bounced back at him.
	Remus Lupin	1993-1994	Angry parents discovered he was a werewolf and he resigned.
	Bartemius Crouch Jnr.	1994-1995	Death Eater impersonating a former Auror, Alastor Moody who was caught at the end of the year and given the Dementor's Kiss.
	Dolores Umbridge	1995-1996	Unpopular professor attacked by centaurs and sacked for incompetency.
	Severus Snape	1996-1997	Killed Albus Dumbledore and joined the Death Eaters.
	Amycus Carrow	1997-1998	Death Eater sent to Azkaban at the end of the Second Wizarding War.