Classes are 45 minutes (was Hogwarts: A tight schedule)

[kelpi_osu]

No: HPFGUIDX 43918

In the hardback, original American edition of GoF, on page 297 it 
states:

"Double Potions was always a horrible experience, but these days it 
was nothing short of torture.  Being shut in a dungeon for an hour 
and a half with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed 
determined to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to become 
school champion . . ." (chapter 18)

So, since a double class in 90 minutes, it appears that a single 
class is 45 minutes.  I think this would be the schedule fourth year:

Monday: (p. 193)
Herbology with Hufflepuffs (45 minutes)
Care of Magical Creatures with Slytherins(45 minutes)
Lunch
Double Divination (90 minutes)
Dinner

Tuesday:
History of Magic (p. 347)
Charms p. 296-297
Lunch
Double Potions with Slytherins (90 minutes)
Dinner

Wednesday
???
Charms p. 391

Thursday: 
??
Transfiguration p. 385
Lunch
DADA p.210 (I think this is double because on page 232 Harry states 
that "as he hobbled out of the DADA class an hour later . . ." and 
when you add the time it took for all the students to be put under 
the Imperious Curse, it makes sense...) 
Dinner


Friday:
History of Magic (p. 396 indicates it's on Friday after lunch, but 
with double potions that isn't possible...  P. 569 confirms it's 
Friday morning)
????
Lunch
Double Potions (90 minutes) p. 235


This was the best I could do from the text.  Maybe someone else 
caught something that I didn't.  Wednesday's classes aren't really 
mentioned much.


So, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors and the Slytherin 4th years 
have 180 minutes of Potions a week.  Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs must 
have the same, so that's 360 minutes or 6 hours of Potions for 4th 
years a week.  If everyone has the same amount of Potions, Snape 
would be teaching 42 hours a week.  

However, in SS on page 135 it says that the Gryffindor has double 
potions once a week with Slytherins.  So, 90 minutes a week,times 2 
for Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw house equals 180 minutes or 3 hours of class 
a week for first years in Potions.  Since we earlier estimated that 
it should be 6 hours a week, we subract 3 hours from our previous 
total.

42 hours a week-3 hours of unused time=39 hours of teaching for Snape.

However, in CoS it indicates that the 2nd years had Potions twice a 
week with the Slytherins.  So, that's 90 minutes total (b/c the 
lesson wasn't double)plus 90 minutes for Hufflpuff/Ravenclaw- 180 
minutes or 3 hours.  

39 hours a week-3 hours unused time=36 hours teaching for Snape a 
week.

Now, in PoA it seems the third years only have Potions once a week, a 
double, on Thursday mornings (p 123).  So, once again, that means 90 
minutes for Slytherin/Gryffindor times 2 for the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw 
double Potions=180 minutes a week, or 3 hours.  

36 hours a week-3 hours of unused time=33 hours a week.


33 hours of teaching doesn't seem that bad, but once again we only 
know the schedule based on years 1-4.  Older students may have 
Potions more or less than this.  However, if years 5-7 have potions 
the same amount of time (6 hours a week per level) then Snape would 
be teaching 33 hours a week.

Hope this helps!  Let me know if I messed up somewhere.


Kelpi

ps All the texts referenced are American hardback editions.