Getting into Hogwarts - Wards? Gates? Tunnels? Please help!

[birdsofshore]

I have so many questions about this. We all know that you can't Apparate into Hogwarts. But what are the ways you CAN get in?

1) If you arrive at the gates unexpectedly, can you get a message to the Castle to ask to be let in (a Patronus?)? Is there a bell or something? Or do you only get in if you're an expected (and welcome) guest?

2) Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were able to fly and sail to Hogwarts - was this because they were expected? Did Dumbledore lower the wards? Or can anyone just fly over the walls and get in? (with a broom, a flying motorbike, a thestral, a dragon?)  Could anyone just swim across the Lake and get in?

3) Do the boundary walls go all the way round and enclose the Forbidden Forest? Maps like this seem to suggest they do:



Or are there ways to sneak in via the Forbidden Forest?

4) House-elves can Apparate into Hogwarts - could a house-elf bring a person in by Side-Along Apparition?

5) Are there any other ways in? There are the 3 tunnels Harry knows of (do these all lead to Hogsmeade?) Do we know how long it takes to walk from Hogsmeade to the Whomping Willow? I know Fred and George say there are other tunnels that Filch doesn't know about, too.

This started off as research for a fic, and now I'm just curious. I'd love to know your thoughts - backed up with canon if at all possible :)

Thank you ♥

Comments

[smallbrownfrog.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that apparating is blocked because it's more precise and more of a hazard. If five or six people could apparate into Dumbledore's bedroom in the dead of night with no warning and no way to spot them coming, that would be much harder to defend against than someone flying or walking up to the castle, then entering the castle, then walking through it, then breaking down Dumbledore's door, and then (if he had held still for all of that) grabbing or killing him.

[birdsofshore]

YES you're so right.

that would be much harder to defend against than someone flying or walking up to the castle, then entering the castle, then walking through it, then breaking down Dumbledore's door, and then (if he had held still for all of that) grabbing or killing him.

and LOLOL at this