Shopping in Diagon Alley
Every witch and wizard remembers their first visit to Diagon Alley: a bustling street lined with vendors hawking their extraordinary wares. The vibrant energy reaches its peak during school shopping in the summer. From broomsticks to boomslang skin to Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, you can find it in those wondrous stores.
Being properly equipped is essential in the wizarding world, whether you're buying school supplies for your first year at Hogwarts or stocking up for cursebreaking an ancient tomb.
Starting Equipment
Wizards and witches start their journey at a very young age and most of their expenses are covered by their parents or Hogwarts. Because of this, a typical student will be given a Student's Pack and a small amount of spending money.
Equipment Packs and Family Finances
Because a first-year student at Hogwarts is typically 11 years old, a character starting at level 1 will depend on their family to buy their school supplies. Their financial situation decides how much spending money they start with and what quality of equipment they receive.
Choose from the options below, and use this starting wealth instead of the starting wealth granted by your background.
- Hand-Me-Down Student's Pack. Includes a patched-up schoolbag, 3 sets of darned and worn work robes (black) with name tags sewn in, a crumpled pointed hat (black), a 10-foot roll of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of black ink. When receiving this pack for the first time, it also includes a pouch containing 5 sickles.
- Standard Student's Pack. Includes a standard schoolbag, 3 sets of plain work robes (black) with name tags sewn in, a plain pointed hat (black), 2 10-foot rolls of parchment, 3 quills, and 2 bottles of black ink. When receiving this pack for the first time, it also includes a pouch containing 15 sickles.
- Wealthy Student's Pack. Includes a rip-proof schoolbag, 3 sets of luxurious work robes (black) with name tags sewn in, a fancy pointed hat (black), 3 10-foot rolls of parchment, 5 quills, 2 bottles of black ink, a bottle of emerald green ink, and a bottle of scarlet ink. When receiving this pack for the first time, it also includes a pouch containing 2 galleons.
Hogwarts also requires some fundamental supplies from a potioneer's kit, like a full-size cauldron and measuring scales, and herbologist's tools, like dragon-hide gloves. Despite them being on the official shopping list, these items won't be carried around in isolation by your average Hogwarts student and require the appropriate toolset to keep them handy.
Allowances
- Students with a 'wealthy' or 'standard' upbringing can receive a weekly allowance from home. This amount - fixed each week - can either be paid in cash by owl, or families can arrange for Hogwarts to release a sum each week from a trust set up at the start of the school year.
Mandatory requirements for 1st years
Extract from PC's Hogwart's Letters:
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:
UNIFORM
> Three sets of plain work robes (black)
> One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
> One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
> One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all student clothes should carry embroidered name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales