First year exams

"In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door any moment."

- Harry Potter in 1991

All first year students at Hogwarts are required to complete a set of examinations to get into the second year. There is one exam for each subject. In 1991, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger tried to balance studying for their exams with worrying about Severus Snape and Voldemort whom they thought were out to steal the Philosopher's Stone.

Charms
"Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk."

- The Charms exam

The Charms exam consisted in attributing animation to an otherwise inanimate object. In 1992, the students had to make a pineapple dance across Filius Flitwick's desk.

Transfiguration
"Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuff box."

- The Transfiguration exam

The Transfiguration exam consisted in transfiguring a being into an object. In 1992, the students had to turn a mouse into a snuff box. Extra points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, points were taken off if it still had whiskers.

Potions
"Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion."

- The Potions exam

The Potions exam consisted in brewing a potion from memory. In 1992, and in keeping with Snape's unpleasant sense of humour, the students had to produce a Forgetfulness Potion.

History of Magic
"One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented Self-Stirring Cauldrons and they'd be free..."

- The History of Magic exam

In 1992, the test lasted for one hour and the students were required to answer questions about the invention of the Self-Stirring Cauldron by Gaspard Shingleton.

Behind the scenes

 * It is weird that Gaspard Shingleton's (born in 1959) achievements are covered so prominently in the History of Magic exam, when it is revealed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that "Professor Bagshot doesn't cover anything later than the end of the nineteenth century" in her work, which is used as the textbook for the subject.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Pottermore