Discipline at Hogwarts

In Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the many underage wizards and witches are kept under control by the teachers through the many rules set there. Any miscreants are usually punished by the teachers or the Ministry of Magic, and the form of punishment depends on the severity of the mischief.

During the 1995-1996 school year, when Educational Decree 25 was activated, Dolores Umbridge had the right to override the punishments given by other teachers, and alter them to her own wishes.

House Point Deduction
This is one of the most common forms of punishment in Hogwarts. When a student has committed some minor mischief, they usually lose House points. As the House Cup competition is a sign of pride for each house, losing points would set them back from winning that pride. This form of punishment may seem a little unfair as one student may drag the entire house down with him.

All teachers, prefects and Head Boy or Girl have the authority to dock house points from students. However, prefects have no authority to dock points from other prefects. During the reign of the Inquisitorial Squad, the members were given special permission to dock points from anyone they desire, even prefects.

Detention
This is another common form of punishment of the school. When a student has caused a certain level of mayhem, they are usually given detention. This punishment is the most varied form, as there are many ways for the students to serve it. The length of the detention can also be determined by the teacher providing it.

Such examples can include doing something dangerous (such as entering the Forbidden Forest to help Rubeus Hagrid) or doing physical labor and other tasks without magic.

When Dolores Umbridge became a professor, she gave one of the most cruel forms of detention in the history of the school. She forced students to spend hours a day for a week at her office, using a Blood Quill to write lines, which causes the words to cut into their hands to draw blood as ink. This detention usually starts from 5:00 pm, so the students don't have much time for dinner.

All teachers have the right to hand out detentions to students, regardless of whether it seems fair or not. Professors Snape and Umbridge tend to abuse this authority by giving it to students they dislike (mainly Harry Potter), while excusing favorites.

Suspension/Removal of Privileges
Teachers can sometimes suspend or remove certain privileges of students, such as Quidditch and visits to Hogsmeade.

In Harry's second year, Snape suggested to suspend Harry from Quidditch during the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, but Professor McGonagall rejected that. Three years later, Angelina Johnson was threatened by Professor McGonagall that she would lose her position as Captain for the team is she shouted loudly again in the Great Hall. Later that year, when Harry and George Weasley attacked Draco Malfoy for insulting their families, Umbridge stripped them of their privilege to playing Quidditch and confiscated their broomsticks. Fred Weasley also lost his permission because he was George's twin brother. Although Fred and George retrieved their brooms and escaped Hogwarts, Harry was returned his privilege and Firebolt when Umbridge was sacked.

In his third Neville Longbottom lost his privilege to go to Hogsmeade when he left a list of Gryffindor Tower's passwords for Sirius Black to steal. Harry also lost his privilege by Umbridge two years later after his interview with Rita Skeeter about Lord Voldemort's return. Both of them regained their privileges at the end of their respective years.

Suspension
To be suspended from school is to be removed from there for a certain amount of time. Although this practice has not been shown in the series, Snape usually suggested for Harry to be suspended for reasons that he thinks is justifiable.

Expulsion
To be expelled from Hogwarts is the final and worst punishment given to the students. The rule-breaking they committed is usually severe enough to have injured others. The student is removed permanently from school, and is forbidden from practicing magic any further. They also have their wands confiscated and destroyed.

There are other reasons for expulsion. under the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, for underage wizards and witches, if they perform magic outside of school, especially in front of Muggles, then they are given one warning letter. A second offense may result in a hearing or expulsion. Only if the situation is life-risking, then they have permission to perform magic.

Under the reign of Umbridge as High Inquisitor, she has placed Educational Decrees 24 and 27, both of which would lead to students being expelled if they dare open an unauthorized organization and carry The Quibbler, respectively.

Rubeus Hagrid was the only known student to have been expelled, in his third year, for a crime that he did not commit (he was framed by Tom Riddle). Over fifty years later, his name was cleared by Harry and his friends.

Harry Potter has faced many times when he was closed to being expelled, mainly by Snape and Umbridge. However, thanks to quick thinking and help from more fair teachers, he was saved from these situations.