Unplottability

Unplottability
Type	Charm
Effect	Removes a location from plain sight or a map

"Well, you can enchant a building so it’s impossible to plot on a map, can’t you?"

— Hermione Granger regarding Unplottability

Unplottability referred to the deliberate magical concealment of several places around the world.

Unplottable locations were either magically hidden from plain sight or simply removed from maps. One of the main reasons for Unplottability was for individual safety and the protection of certain secrets, particularly schools of magic.

A Masking Spell could be used to achieve unplottability.

Known unplottable locations

Azkaban Prison, an unplottable location

• Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, the Durmstrang Institute, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Castelobruxo were all rendered Unplottable with powerful magic to protect their students and secrets from Muggles.
• 12 Grimmauld Place was made Unplottable to hide the House of Black and, later, the Order of the Phoenix.
• The Room of Requirement is Unplottable, making it the only known Unplottable location within an Unplottable location.
• The Chamber of Secrets may have been regarded as Unplottable due to its absence from the Marauder's Map.
• The Isle of Drear was Unplottable because of its native and highly dangerous Quintapeds.
• Azkaban was located on an Unplottable island in the middle of the North Sea to isolate it from the rest of the world.
• Several forests in Burkina Faso, Africa, had been made Unplottable by the Burkina Faso Ministry of Magic to preserve inhabiting Runespoors.
• Queerditch Marsh was Unplottable to preserve its historic significance.

Behind the scenes

• J. K. Rowling stated that wizards could make themselves untraceable in a manner similar to making buildings Unplottable, so that they could not be found by someone simply sending them an owl.
• On the old version of Pottermore, two Unplottable locations were depicted on the map in the background of the home page, which would show when the user had signed in: Hogwarts Castle and the Isle of Drear. The reason behind this is unclear, though it may simply be artistic licence, as the map featured other inaccuracies, such as London and Hogsmeade being very close.
• Despite Hogwarts being unplottable, it showed up on the Marauder's Map. This may suggest that while outside maps cannot record unplottable places, maps made to detail a place while at the place are still allowed.
  • Despite Hogwarts being Unplottable, both the Map Chamber and Wizard's Field Guide show the school on their maps; the former is likely due to Ancient Magic, and the latter is likely due to being a government-approved tome, though neither has been sufficiently explained.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mentioned only)
• Quidditch Through the Ages (Mentioned only)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
• J. K. Rowling's official site (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)