Hogsmeade weekend trips

Hogsmeade weekend trips were special trips that the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could take on certain weekends to Hogsmeade village. Only third year students and above were allowed to go, with the permission of a parent or guardian. Staff of Hogwarts could come too, but they could also visit any time they wanted.

1993-1994
In 1993, Harry Potter missed his chance to go when the Dursleys did not sign his permission form. Despite this, he attempted to persuade Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge and Professor McGonagall to sign it; Fudge refused on principle (as he was not Harry's legal guardian), while Professor McGonagall reminded him that only a parent or guardian could give permission. A number of students offered to help Harry to get into Hogsmeade. Most noteable was when Dean Thomas offered to forge his uncle's signature for him, but Harry declined, stating that it wouldn't work as he had already asked Professor McGonagall to go. At the beginning of the Christmas holidays, Harry managed to subvert the rules and get into Hogsmeade when Fred and George Weasley gave him the Marauder's Map. Harry also used his Invisibility Cloak during his second trip. When Sirius Black gained entrance to Gryffindor Tower, having stolen the passwords to the Fat Lady's painting from Neville Longbottom's bedside table, Neville was banned from all future trips for the year.

1994-1995
Before the 1994–1995 school year, Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, sent Harry a note giving him permission to visit Hogsmeade. Harry used one of his trips as an opportunity to visit Sirius in his cave near the village to talk about the Triwizard Tournament and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

1995-1996
In 1995, Hermione Granger and Harry led the first Dumbledore's Army meeting in the Hog's Head, which was coincidentally owned by Albus Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth.

On Valentine's Day, Harry went on a date with Cho Chang to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, though it ended with an argument; with Harry promising to meet with Hermione earlier, and Harry refusing to talk about Cedric Diggory's death, Cho left a confused Harry alone after her attempt to make him jealous as a method of gauging his feelings for her failed. At Hermione's arrangement, Harry also gave an interview to Rita Skeeter about his experiences in the Little Hangleton graveyard the previous year, conducted in the Three Broomsticks pub. It was later published in The Quibbler. Professor Umbridge banned Harry from going to Hogsmeade, adding to the misery that she inflicted on him during his fifth year.

1996-1997
Ron Weasley's birthday fell on what would have been another day for a Hogsmeade trip, but it was later cancelled. Ron was accidentally poisoned in Horace Slughorn's office early the same morning. When visiting Ron in the hospital wing, Fred and George expressed their intention of buying Zonko's Joke Shop as a Hogsmeade branch of their joke shop.

Behind the scenes

 * It is established in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that only third years and above may go to Hogsmeade. But in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Colin Creevey's brother Dennis, a second year, attended the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army in the Hog's Head Inn. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Nigel Wolpert, a second year student is also shown to be present in the Hog's Head. It is possible, however, that these students were there against the rules, just as Harry was in his third year.
 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, certain plot elements from the two trips in the book were used as a single trip in the film, with only a few minor changes to the material used.
 * In addition for the Prisoner of Azkaban film adaptation, since Sirius's letter which gave Harry visitation rights was omitted, it created a continuity error to how Harry could visit Hogsmeade freely in the later films.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)