Loudspeaker

[emmaholloway]

Do they have a loudspeaker in Hogwarts?

I know they did in the films but I wondered if they had one in the books. If not, how else would they alert people about things that were happening? Say if they needed to call an urgent staff meeting? Or to tell students that they all needed to return to their common rooms?

[MaiaMadness]

You know, I think they can probably do that with magic. Simply amplify a voice to make it ring all over the school. They're wizards, you know.

So, no, I don't think they have a loudspeaker per se, but if you need them to send a message to all the students, you could probably do it with the magically amplified voice of one of the teachers.

[Flobberworm93]

If they needed to call a staff meeting, they would probably use floo powder or owls or something like that, especially if they didn't want the students to know or they didn't want to disrupt a test/wake people up/whatever.

As for telling students to return to their common rooms, I agree that a magically amplified voice would do the trick.

[Raven_in_Lion_House]

I agree with MaiaMadness and Flobberworm 93 that they'd just magically amplify their voices if there was an urgent announcement. If it worked in a giant stadium filled with extremely excited fans for the Quidditch World Cup, why wouldn't it work in a school where classes are going on?

Also, I'd like to add that since a loudspeaker is a Muggle technology, it runs on electricity. According to Hermione, this means it would go haywire in a place like Hogwarts, where a ton of magic is being used.

[Striped_Candycane]

DEATHLY HALLOWS SPOILERS

Oddly enough, this remindes me of the Battle at Hogwarts, in particular the moment below:

Voldemort's voice reverberated from the walls and floor, and Harry realized that he was talking to Hogwarts and to all the surrounding area, that the residents of Hogsmeade and all those still fighting in the castle would hear him as clearly as if he stood beside them, his breath on the back of their necks, a deathblow away.

-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

This definitely proves the existence of a "loudspeaker" spell that could be used throughout Hogwarts. Whether it is the same as Sonorus , a deviation of this, or a different spell entirely is pure speculation. I personally don't think that it is Sonorus, because it sounded almost as if Voldemort's voice came from the walls and floors themselves, rather than just coming loudly from one point. Voldemort also didn't seem hoarse after using this spell, as Bagman was after the Quidditch World Cup...although admittedly he spoke a lot less!

[LucillaJoanna]

Isn't there a scene as early as COS where the studentry was told to return to their common rooms after Ginny's farewell note was found? So yes, with the risk of spamming, I further strengthen the suggestion of 'the loudspeaker spell'. Although it doesn't seem to be in as much use as its Muggle counterpart. Personal messengers are preferred in summoning students, as are small notes. In case of impromptu staff meetings, they probably also have far subtler ways of being conveyed, like the teachers' wands vibrating, etc.

[emmaholloway]

OK. Thank you very much.
I feel silly for not thinking of the amplified voice thing.

I'm all done here so you lovely mods can get rid of the thread now.