There are usually seven secret passages in and out of the school, and in addition, the series describes the use of twin vanishing cabinets to create another. Filch knows of just four of these while the Marauders (James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew) and the Weasley twins know of all seven, though where some lead is unknown. The Room of Requirement may, on occasion, create an eighth passage out of the school. The only known instance of this occurring is a passage to the Hog's Head that forms in Deathly Hallows. Due to the nature of the Room of Requirement, it is possible that several passages to different locations could be accessed from the Room. The three passages out of Hogwarts that Filch does not know about are:

• A passage beneath the Whomping Willow, leading to the Shrieking Shack.


• A passage behind a mirror on the fourth floor, which is caved in. It leads to Hogsmeade, but it is not known exactly where.


• A passage beneath the one-eyed witch statue by the stairs to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, leading to the cellar of Honeydukes. Speaking aloud the word 'Dissendium' to the witch allows access to this passage; the hump on the statue then opens and reveals the hidden passageway.

A further link between two vanishing cabinets, one in the school and the other in Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley presumably works until Chamber of Secrets when Peeves (persuaded by Nearly Headless Nick) smashes the Hogwarts cabinet. The passage is reopened in Half-Blood Prince when Draco Malfoy fixes the cabinet. This passage is not shown on the Marauder's Map as it is not part of the castle itself.

Besides passages in and out of the school, there are also numerous short-cuts that lead from one part of the castle to another. These are often concealed in such fashions as a tapestry which hides a hole in the wall.