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All the exciting things we noticed during the Hogwarts Legacy demo 

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## The avatar creator is exquisitely detailed 

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This is your Hogwarts Legacy, so you want to make sure you look the part! From different hair types and hair colours, to scars and freckles, to a sliding voice scale, you can make yourself into the ultimate Hogwarts student you’ve always wanted to be. And we couldn’t resist putting on a pair of half-moon spectacles that reminded us of a favourite Hogwarts headmaster of ours...

## The Hogwarts landscapes are as lavish as you’ve come to expect

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We remember the days of the early noughties Harry Potter PlayStation games, where we could only run so far out into the Hogwarts grounds, itching to go beyond. Now, we can! Hogwarts Legacy has paid great homage to the Scottish Highlands, complete with stunning landscapes and lush greenery across different seasons. It’s certainly not just about the castle. Although the castle is also incredible, obviously.

## There are Harry Potter easter eggs everywhere


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Speaking of the castle, we were positively giddy with delight at all the references we spotted that harks back (or should that be forwards?) to Harry’s era of Hogwarts. Although we are in the late 1800s, Hogwarts is an ancient wizarding school full of protected history, so it’s not surprising that some of the mainstays of Hogwarts are there during the era we’re exploring. One big mainstay? Peeves the Poltergeist, who pops up out of a corridor to sing a little song for us, as is his way. We also spotted the bathroom that will one day become Moaning Myrtle’s old haunt (!) which comes with an enchanted mirror. Something for the hardcore fans – we also bumped into a talking bust of [Ignatia Wildsmith, the inventor of Floo Powder.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/famous-ravenclaws-through-the-ages)

## And every detail of Hogwarts is finely tuned     

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The developers of the game themselves have admitted that they keep getting lost in Hogwarts – so Merlin knows how well we’ll be able to navigate the famously labyrinthine castle. Even with a brief play-through, it’s clear to see how much detail is in every nook and cranny of our beloved school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with every portrait, statue and fountain designed with love and care.

When we were playing - we learnt quickly to speak to every character you can hanging around the castle – you never know who might have a little side-quest for you. We also recommend casting Revelio at any given opportunity, to unveil any secrets. 

## Duelling is challenging 

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Unleash your inner Auror by perfecting your combat skills in the game – whether you’re practicing at Hogwarts or going out in the wild to take on real foes. There will be spells you’ll recognise immediately that will come in handy for duelling or approaching people stealthily (such as Petrificus Totalus if you want to take someone down, Neville Longbottom-style!) and the game also encourages you to combine spells for maximum gains. We suddenly have a little sympathy for Professor Lockhart’s lack of talent in Dueling Club – it is quite the challenge to get this skill right! 

## Flight is therapeutic 


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Walking is a Muggle’s game – this game gives us the chance to do what we’ve always wanted: fly gracefully around Hogwarts on a broom. And, friends, it is just as [satisfying as it has looked in trailers](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/hogwarts-legacy-december-showcase-reveals-room-of-requirement-and-broom-flight). You can also go hang out on the Quidditch pitch of Hogwarts too, which will no doubt make you feel nostalgic for the Harry Potter-era matches! 

## And swimming goes swimmingly 

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Fancy a dip? If flying and strolling down the Hogwarts corridors isn’t enough, you can also take a splash in the Great Lake too. Let’s hope we don’t bump into any of ze Grindylows.

## Get by with a little help from your friends  

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The characters that you meet along the way in Hogwarts Legacy will be paramount to your adventure. In our demo, we got to meet Poppy Sweeting, a kindly Hufflepuff Hogwarts student who was very supportive during our gameplay, assisting in casting spells during one of our quests with her, which... spoiler, may have involved a dragon.

## You can pet a cat!!!

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Extremely. Important. Detail. Or should that be… im-paw-tant? The wizarding world is, of course, full of incredible enchanting magical creatures, many of which you’ll get to meet in this game – from dragons to Nifflers. But we did get over-excited at meeting this little cat along our Hogwarts adventures too. And yes, we did indeed pet them. 

__Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to launch worldwide for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 10, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will launch on April 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 25.__

What are you most excited about from Hogwarts Legacy? Check out our [frequently asked questions](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/questions-answered-about-hogwarts-legacy-game) page here, or visit our [handy Hogwarts Legacy page](https://www.wizardingworld.com/hogwarts-legacy) for more details, trailers and more.


Unpacking Hogwarts Legacy: Q&A with the experts behind the game 

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## Story development with Moira Squier 

Your Hogwarts Legacy is what you make it, but there are several storylines running through the game to move your journey forwards, from new characters to mysterious Ancient Magic – and even a few familiar faces from the Harry Potter stories. Narrative Lead Moira Squier has a deep history with the Wizarding World, having worked on earlier games you’ll remember from your younger days – and now, she’s headed up a team of talented writers to help make your Hogwarts adventure as real as possible.

## What were your immediate thoughts when you came on board this project?

For years, we wanted to do this: an open-world RPG. But it just never worked until now. The content wasn’t there, the tech wasn’t there… we weren’t ready for it, but now it’s right. And when they asked us to help on the game – I thought, what a privilege. It’s like a dream come true, I wanted this game myself for decades.

We really wanted to pick a time period where there were no heroes, no Newt, no Harry - it’s you. We wanted to make sure it’s close enough to our time period that the language was still familiar enough that we weren’t in medieval times or something, but we were far enough away from a few things the fans know. So, Voldemort isn’t going to pop in tomorrow, for example!

It’s your own complete world. And the Victorian era is gorgeous from a design perspective. So, it allowed us a lot of creative leeway. 

## How different is late 1800s Hogwarts to 1990s Hogwarts? (Harry’s era) 

It's pretty similar in a good way. This castle, the design team did an amazing job. We’d see things in the films cutting from place to place, but in the game, you see everything. You can run, you can fast-travel, but most of the time you just wander around the castle – going, “what’s that?” Maybe there’s a puzzle to solve… maybe there’s a picture, maybe there’s a room you didn’t know existed before. I’ve been watching people playing the game and going, “wait, what’s THAT room?” And I’ve played the game for so many hours I can’t count. It’s familiar, you know you’re at Hogwarts, but the detail, the intricacies and the explore-ability is just greater than anything we’ve ever done before. 

## How was it helping to create new characters with the writing team? And how was it introducing new ones?

All the writing team got together and would pitch ideas. We wanted a diverse collection of professors, students, vendors in the shop, etc. People called upon their own experiences. Hopefully you play the game and see a character and go “That’s like my sister”, or an uncle, or anything like that. And we really wanted to tie it to the familiar world – so you’ll hear there’s a Weasley, a Rookwood… Professor Black is a known character as a portrait in the books, so fleshing him out, we really loved. 

[For the new characters], we have Everett and Sebastian and Poppy and all these great personalities and backstories and really feel like friends to me. I think everyone did a really good job with that – and the characters will put you in predicaments where you have to react to. You compensate your friends, and they compensate for you and it’s a real relationship. 

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## Combat with Troy Johnson 

Duelling will be a key feature in Hogwarts Legacy, with players getting the opportunity to combine spells they recognise, or even use other techniques against foes, such as strategic uses of plants and potions. We’re sure you all remember Professor Sprout utilising Mandrakes at the Battle of Hogwarts!

## What are all the different ways we can use combat in Hogwarts Legacy?

The wonderful thing about our combat system that we really wanted to emphasise and offer the players is “play your way”. Are you the type of witch or wizard who wants to go into combat and be masterful at spell-casting? Do you want to learn every different spell? Do you want to learn different combinations and express yourself that way? Or do you want to invest ahead of time by growing plants and brewing potions? And taking that time and making sure you put in the effort so that when you get into battle you can just dominate the battlefield with those tools instead?

Or do you want to be using the Dark Arts? Do you want to learn the Unforgiveable Curses? Do you want to have that raw power fantasy of Dark magic to destroy everything in your path?

## What are some of the spells we know from Harry Potter that will be effective for us in the game? 

Do you want to use the Disillusionment Charm to sneak up behind everybody and use Petrificus Totalus to knock people out one at a time and thin that field before engaging in combat? it’s totally up to you. We wanted to make sure we gave that fan fantasy to anybody no matter who they were and how they wanted to play. 

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## Easter eggs with Chandler Wood 

Chandler Wood is Community Manager at Avalanche, who spoke to us about some of the little details we can expect to find in this gargantuan game. But naturally, we don’t want to give too much away, so we’ve asked Chandler to be cryptic!  

## Not giving too much away, can you tease any fun easter eggs players can discover in Hogwarts Legacy, if they know where to look?

We may have a lot of little things throughout the game that people may recognise. I would say to look out for a certain sea creature who may want to be fed toast… especially if you’re part of a particular house! Just hanging around the Black Lake, there may be something you can find. I would also recommend, in the Forbidden Forest, finding a certain lake, and keeping an eye out for maybe something there that may call back to iconic moments in the franchise! 

There’s so many little things going down off the grounds of Hogwarts. You may find a shed that, in our time, holds some tools to help upkeep the grounds… But at some point the shed will may become someone else’s home...

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## Look and feel with Boston Madsen

Boston is a Senior Environment Artist on Hogwarts Legacy, helping hone the beauty and craftmanship of Hogwarts and the world around it. 

## What were some of your favourite easter eggs to work on?

I love the books and there’s a lot of little lore pieces. I’m really, really glad we have the house hourglasses, as I don’t think we really got to experience those very clearly in the movies. I thought they turned out beautifully, the design. 

And there are people that show up in portraits referenced in different parts of the books and there are little areas that show up in J.K. Rowling’s writing to look out for. 

## Do you have any tips on how we can interact with the game to find anything special?

Definitely tickle the pear! Also maybe knock on some barrels. And if you are not of a certain house, go see what happens when you hang out at someone else’s common room! 

## What’s one tiny detail you think nobody will notice?

Honeydukes candy wrapping! In the 1800s, the concept team and the artists on Hogsmeade put a lot of time into thinking of what was authentically 1800s – so we couldn’t use cellophane or plastic. We had to use materials that might be used then. That’s a tiny, tiny detail that I love the authenticity. We’ll see if people notice! 

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## Direction with Alan Tew  

Alan had the enviable job of Game Director on Hogwarts Legacy - but even Alan admits that he still finds things during the experience that surprises him!  

## What is one tiny detail in the game that you think nobody will notice? 

OK, I’m going to be coy, but I got really excited about this. You imagine I’ve played the game many times. But I still find things I didn’t expect or didn’t realise. One day, I was wearing certain items - you can adjust your fashion, do what you want to do – but I was shocked, my jaw dropped when a character commented on how I looked! It made me laugh. 

Another thing is the stained-glass windows going into the Great Hall, that actually change with the seasons. I discovered that as we were doing other things! 

## If you could drag one character from Harry’s era and put them in the game, who would you choose? 

I mean, maybe as a friend, just because I love the character so much, I love the idea of having Luna as one of the characters I could hang out with in the universe. I’m a proud Ravenclaw. 

## What are you most proud of?

It is so hard not to answer: the castle itself, Hogwarts! It’s a massive challenge to bring the school to life. Most games don’t start with a building larger than most game cities! And just plop you right in the middle of the game. So, Hogwarts is really big, it’s got to be something that feels like home. It’s got to be something you keep coming back to. Every little detail needs to please fans, it needs to have a great gameplay space, there are so many places that need to be familiar. It’s impossible for me not to be incredibly proud of the job that the team did. Just bringing it to life, making it feel alive. When all the music hits, and all the visuals hit, and you’re just in that place and it’s that thing you always dreamt of when you read the books? Like, to actually be there? Sometimes it just has that feeling. And I can just drop the controller, it just doesn’t matter. I’m just blown away that I’m there. And I just love that feeling. And I just think the team knocked it out the park. 

***

__Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to launch worldwide for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 10, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will launch on April 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 25.__

[Visit the official website for more details](https://www.wizardingworld.com/hogwarts-legacy) – or visit our page here, where you can catch up on all the latest updates and trailers, and learn how to link up your Harry Potter Fan Club account for some extra in-game goodies.

Play Hogwarts Legacy and unlock exclusive items in our very own Portrait Maker 

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If you succeed at certain tasks in Hogwarts Legacy, here at Wizarding World, we will reward with a few exclusive items for your Wizarding Portraits, to make your experience even more spectacular. Just make sure your accounts are linked and away you go to find your prizes.

[If you haven't yet discovered our Portrait Maker - you can do so here!](https://www.wizardingworld.com/portrait-maker)

The assortments of rewards will range from special brooches to a very cool wand, so be sure to keep an eagle eye out as you’re playing the game. You never know what you might unlock.

## Wait, how do I link my account again?! 

1. [Pop over to this link](https://www.wizardingworld.com/legacyconnect) to begin the process and login to your account with us. If you need to create a profile from scratch, of course you can do that too, right here.

2. Once you’ve completed the [Wand Ceremony](https://my.wizardingworld.com/wand) and [Sorting Ceremony](https://www.wizardingworld.com/sorting-hat) you will be asked to click the copy button, which will send you an 8-digit code. 

3. Now go to the [WB Games website](https://account.wbgames.com/home) and either create an account or login to your existing one. 

4.	You may be prompted to connect to us straight away – in which case, paste your 8-digit code in. And just like that, your accounts should be linked, no Binding Spells required!

For more details on account linking, and even more details on in-game rewards, [our handy guide should help.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/how-to-connect-your-account-on-hogwarts-legacy)

__Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to launch worldwide for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 10, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will launch on April 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 25.__

__Also - for those with early access to the game, this feature will be available from February 7th.__

For beginners, for novices, for Harry Potter superfans going 20 years-strong, dig deep into the Wizarding World with our collection of features.

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Prophecies and predictions of the wizarding world

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Warning: this feature is all about predicting the future, so there are spoilers for the Harry Potter series, *Cursed Child*, and the *Fantastic Beasts* films.

## The vague predictions of the Hogwarts centaurs

Possibly the most accurate predictors of the future but almost certainly the least helpful, the members of Hogwarts’ centaur herd were concerned – as Bane once angrily reminded Firenze – with what was foretold by the planets. This also meant they were concerned with nothing – as Hagrid once told Harry and Hermione – closer than the moon. It was their life’s work to study the skies and divine future events by the positioning of what they saw there. If this all sounds a bit uncertain, well, it was. As Firenze told his Divination students, not even a centaur’s knowledge was foolproof.

Still, they did correctly predict wizardkind was heading towards war because of the brightness of Mars, a planet named for, er, the Roman god of war. So that’s something.

## Trelawney’s two real prophecies

As the great-great granddaughter of a great Seer, [Professor Sybill Trelawney](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/sybill-trelawney) certainly believed she could predict the future, but she generally relied more on superstition than dedicated study. In fact, there were only two definitive examples of her making accurate predictions and she didn’t seem to recall either one, after the fact.

We know both of Trelawney’s real prophecies involved Voldemort and Harry. We also know the first one might not have involved Harry at all if Voldemort hadn’t interpreted him as “the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord,” when he could just as easily have picked [Neville Longbottom](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-neville-was-the-chosen-one). And if Snape hadn’t been interrupted in his eavesdropping, Voldemort might not have marked either boy as his equal, so things could have been different for everyone. Basically, Trelawney’s first great prediction was about as concrete as a centaur’s. Looks like she did have something in common with Firenze. 

As for the prophecy itself, it may have secured Trelawney a job, but we’re not sure it did anyone who heard it much good. Snape inadvertently sent his master to kill the one person he loved; Dumbledore had to guide Harry whilst knowing he might have to die; Voldemort unknowingly transferred some of his powers to Harry; and Harry, of course, lost his parents, was sent to live with the Dursley’s, and became a Horcrux. You know what? Maybe they’d all have been better not knowing.


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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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## The *Cursed Child* prophecy

*“When spares are spared, when time is turned, when unseen children murder their fathers: then will the Dark Lord return.”*

You’d think Delphini Diggory might know not to put her faith in a prophecy, seeing how her father’s interpretation of Trelawney’s turned out. But no. The words above, apparently delivered by Bellatrix Lestrange’s husband Rodolpho, set her on a path almost as destructive as Voldemort’s own. There were indeed Time Turners and unseen children and, right at the centre of it all, there was another Potter. We don’t know much about the future, but that sounds like history repeating to us. 

And was it actually worth it? Without that prophecy, perhaps Delphi might have been able to get past her own past and move on. But, you know, like father like daughter.

## The Predictions of Tycho Dodonus

First revealed in *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*, Seer Tycho Dodonus’s book of predictions included a prophecy that some took to refer to Credence Barebone. Basically they believed Credence – an Obscurial later revealed to be Aberforth Dumbledore’s son – was actually Corvus, a long-lost child from the pure-blood Lestrange line. One line in this prophecy referred to a “great avenger” and Yusuf Kama – Corvus Lestrange’s older half-brother, who’d lost his mother because of Corvus’s father – believed that meant he’d have to kill Corvus in order to avenge his family.

Complicated, right? Never mind, because none of it was true. Corvus actually drowned as a baby after his half-sister Leta swapped him for Credence, angry at his constant crying onboard a ship that later sank. So Credence was not who he (briefly) thought he was, and Yusuf had nobody to take revenge on after all.

Which leaves us with another misinterpreted prophecy that caused nothing but pain. We have to say, predicting the future often demanded a high price. So maybe the Hogwarts centaurs were right to be vague.


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Fred and George sat down in Grimmauld place, wearing matching shirts and smirking.

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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## Fred and George’s Quidditch World Cup bet

OK here’s something: a wizarding world prediction that involved no wars, no Time Turners, no Horcruxes, and no deaths. It did, however, involve a shady politician and a pair of jokers with their eyes on the prize. Because if predicting the future is a gamble, why not go all out and place an actual bet on it?

In fact, [Fred and George](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/fred-and-george-weasley-infographic)’s uncanny prediction about the Quidditch World Cup – that Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch – was more prophetic than anything else on this list because it actually happened as they said it would. And, not that we condone gambling or anything, but at least this prediction didn’t set anyone off on a destructive path. Unless you count Fred and George as destructive. Ahem. 


Things we predicted about Harry Potter that turned out to be dead wrong 

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Here's a few of the top things that people suggested, quite a few times over, in some cases. And we must say – your Seer skills were slightly off, but as we know from [Professor Trelawney](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/sybill-trelawney), the art of Divination can be a bit… hit and miss. 

__And one last thing – you can definitely expect spoilers if you continue to read on!__

## That Harry and Hermione would get together (and other hypothetical Hogwarts romances) 

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By far, one of the top predictions fans had about how the Harry Potter series would end was thinking it would be Harry, not Ron, who ended up with Hermione, romantically speaking. In fact, a lot of fans still disagree about this – and still think Hermione and Harry would’ve been a great match. As for us, we couldn’t possibly comment – but we did compile a list of times where [we noticed the sparks between Harry’s two best friends.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/8-sweet-hermione-and-ron-moments-before-they-got-together)

And, it’s comforting to see that in *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, Ron and Hermione are still very much in love – and still bickering. 

When it came to matters of the heart, this wasn’t the only couple people wrongly predicted. A lot of you thought Luna and Neville may get together – but we know that Neville actually settled down with Hufflepuff student Hannah Abbott, while [Luna went on to have a family with Rolf Scamander](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/witches-and-wizards-you-might-not-have-realised-were-related), Newt Scamander’s grandson. Although, in the film, things are a little different, with Neville going to search for Luna after the Battle of Hogwarts, saying he is ‘crazy’ about her. So, to those that predicted this one – you weren’t that far off! 

## That Dumbledore might not have actually died


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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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and the Half-Blood Prince

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We all remember that horrific moment when we flipped the pages of *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* and realised the terrible fate that would befall the Hogwarts headmaster, whom we had grown to love so much across the series. It even became the top spoiler of its time, with people desperately trying to avoid it! And some of you were so bereft, you thought that Dumbledore might not have actually died, and that Severus Snape may have faked the situation. Alas, alas, the pair had always planned for this to really happen.

Although Dumbledore truly had left us, we still got to meet him again in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, during an otherworldly experience with Harry at a ghostly King’s Cross Station, somewhere between living and dying – or at least, that’s our interpretation. And, at the very end, we see his headmaster’s portrait looking on proudly after Harry has finally vanquished Lord Voldemort. In *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, Dumbledore’s portrait continues to provide sage advice to Harry all those years later. And after all, as Dumbledore himself once said, “you think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us?” 

## That Harry would’ve ended up Defence Against the Dark Arts professor 

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The members of Dumbledore's Army standing together in the Room of Requirement

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The post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts has long-been thought to be cursed, due to the short tenure that teachers tended to have when occupying the post. Nonetheless, a lot of you assumed that this would be Harry’s future job – who better to break the curse than The Boy Who Lived? And of all the subjects of Hogwarts, this was the topic where Harry really thrived - and certainly knew a thing or two about defeating Dark Arts on an extra-curricular level too!

But Harry would actually go on to become an Auror at the Ministry of Magic, and then later, working as the Head of Magical Law Enforcement – which was a bit more paperwork-heavy. We have no doubt Harry would’ve made a fantastic teacher (look at his work during Dumbledore’s Army!) but it makes sense that his talents would take him all the way to the top level when it came to defending the wizarding world.

## That Neville would be the one to kill Bellatrix Lestrange 

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We can understand why a lot of you went for this one. It makes thematic sense that Neville might be the wizard to put an end to the truly evil ways of Bellatrix, due to the fact she was partly responsible for torturing his parents into insanity. But Bellatrix was not short of enemies, and with good reason. Perhaps Lord Voldemort’s most loyal Death Eater, Bellatrix was responsible for the deaths of Dobby, Sirius and Tonks by the end of the Harry Potter series, meaning that any number of characters could have had a good case for wanting to exact their revenge on her. In the end, after narrowly missing Ginny Weasley with a Killing Curse, Molly Weasley was the one to finish things – with her iconic line – “Not my daughter, you…!” Yeah, you know it ends. And we’re glad Molly got her moment to shine during the Battle of Hogwarts, protecting her family at all costs. 

Of course, [Neville got his moment too](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/why-neville-longbottom-was-always-a-true-gryffindor) – this once-shy Gryffindor got a true hero’s ending when he destroyed one of Voldemort’s most beloved Horcruxes, Nagini. And if there was ever any doubt which Hogwarts house Neville should have been in – he did the deed with the Sword of Gryffindor. 

## That Regulus Black may not actually be dead 

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Harry Potter grabs the Slytherin locket from the cave.

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This is an interesting theory that came up a number of times from fans – the idea that Sirius’s murdered brother Regulus, who tried to defect from the Death Eaters, wasn’t actually dead at all, and may come back in a surprising and dramatic way at the end. Perhaps he could’ve faked his death somehow, or miraculously escaped his tragic fate? Alas, it was not meant to be, but Regulus didn’t die entirely in vain – by swapping the Slytherin locket with a fake one, Harry was ultimately able to procure one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes before it fell into the wrong hands. (Although the Black family house-elf Kreacher was hardly a help.) Nonetheless, this is a great prediction! T[he character of Regulus continues to be absolutely fascinating. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-regulus-black)

## That it was aaaaall a dream

Oh come on, guys, we know you were pulling our leg when you suggested this one. Yes, quite a few of you thought that the entire wizarding world was just in Harry’s head, and he would wake up back in his little cupboard at Privet Drive at the very end. Thankfully, this did *not* happen. And anyway, as a great wizard once said: just because it’s happening inside your head, that doesn’t mean it’s not real. 

The Patronus crossword

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Think of a happy memory...

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Visit our [puzzles page](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) for more challenges!

The most comforting Harry Potter characters

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## Lily Potter

Harry’s mother celebrated her birthday on 20th January – basically the depths of winter for those of us in the northern hemisphere – but almost from the beginning, she was a ray of light. In her pre-Hogwarts days, [Lily](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-lily-potter) tried to spare her sister Petunia’s feelings as she prepared for her new life as a witch. At school, she maintained her friendship with Snape for as long as she could, but still had the courage to stand up to him when his fascination with the Dark Arts took him down the wrong path. And she didn’t spare her future husband either: when James Potter was being an arrogant, bullying toe rag, she had no qualms about calling him out.

But it was her love for Harry that showed her true character. She was willing to die to save him, without any hesitation. Of course, her sacrifice literally kept Harry safe, but the example she gave him – of prioritising love over anything else, and of exceptional bravery in the face of danger – was just as important. He might have grown up without her, but Lily blazed a trail her son couldn’t help but follow.

## Hagrid

The gentlest of gentle giants, [Hagrid](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/every-time-hagrid-made-us-feel-better-about-things) was a hugely positive force in Harry’s life. Always there to provide warmth, support and tooth-breakingly hard rock cakes, Hagrid also gave Harry some of the most uncomplicated moments of excitement and adventure he ever had in the wizarding world. From that first trip to Diagon Alley to the rescuing of Norbert to those afternoons pottering about in his small wooden hut, Hagrid took Harry under his wing and looked after him quite as well as any of his own magical creatures. 

## Newt Scamander

Years before Harry, [Newt Scamander](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/why-newt-scamander-is-a-different-kind-of-hero) was another slightly reluctant (and occasionally quite stubborn) wizarding world hero with a seemingly impossible Dumbledore-set task ahead of him and a love for magical creatures that easily equalled Hagrid’s. 

But Dumbledore obviously had a knack for selecting heroes, because for all his reluctance, everyone warmed to Newt. As with Hagrid, his love for fantastic beasts was incredibly endearing, but it was his stubborn determination to do the right thing – even if, as he told his brother Theseus, he didn’t want to pick a ‘side’ – that made him the humble Hufflepuff hero he was.


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## Dobby

Loyal, enthusiastic, and with a [flair for fashion](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/dobbys-guide-to-fashion), Dobby was small in stature but made up for it in personality (and also in gift-giving prowess – his painting of Harry was a particular favourite of ours.)

OK, first impressions were a little mixed, given his attempts to sabotage Harry’s return to Hogwarts and, later, to knock him off his broom mid-Quidditch game. It wasn’t clear at the time that he was trying to save Harry’s life, but now we know better. Dobby’s loyalty towards Harry was already well-established before Harry helped free him from the Malfoy’s, but after that his devotion knew no bounds. He was always there to help out, from giving Harry the Gillyweed that allowed him to rescue his ‘Wheezy’ during the Triwizard Tournament to finding the DA a place to practise to that final moment of sacrifice, when he rescued Harry and the others from Malfoy Manor and paid the ultimate price for his bravery. Dobby died a Free Elf, as fiercely loyal to Harry as he had ever been.

## Luna Lovegood

Quirky, creative, and completely unembarrassable, [Luna](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-kindness-of-luna-lovegood)’s beliefs were as strange as they were varied and she was not averse to the odd conspiracy theory (Rufus Scrimgeour as a vampire, anyone?)

And yet her knack for getting right to the heart of things gave her a unique kind of wisdom. She certainly offered Harry comfort when he needed it: sharing her own experience of grief when he was mourning Sirius; delivering a simple but heartfelt eulogy for Dobby; identifying when Harry needed time away from the crowds after the Battle of Hogwarts. She might have believed in a lot of false stories, but when it came to empathy and understanding she was truly wise.


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## Mrs Weasley

[Molly Weasley](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-molly-weasley) was the embodiment of maternal comfort. Her cosy but haphazard home provided a refuge, not just for her own family but for Harry and numerous other friends and relatives. She regularly cooked up a storm of comfort food. And every Christmas, she provided each of her family members with the cosiest and most comforting item of clothing ever to exist: a Weasley jumper.

For Harry, of course, the comfort that she gave him was about much more than hearty meals. When she hugged him after Cedric’s death, we saw just how much she cared…

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Mrs Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet, bent down, and put her arms around Harry. He had no memory of ever being hugged like this, as though by a mother.

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and the Goblet of Fire

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Plus, she may have been warmth personified, but Molly had a core of steel. We all remember her battle with Bellatrix. Which just goes to show: never underestimate a mother.

The laugh out loud wordsearch

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Play today's wordsearch all about the surly Hogwarts potions professor, Professor Severus Snape.

Play our Severus Snape wordsearch

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Let's go.

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For more crosswords and wordsearches, [visit our puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) or you can also enjoy Wizarding World challenges in our app. Scan the QR code below to check it out.

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The Astronomy wordsearch

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Dumbledore and Snape in the Great Hall looking down. The enchanted ceiling is showing a galaxy pattern.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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Reach for the stars with today's puzzle, and see if you can complete it it in your fastest ever time.

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For more crosswords and wordsearches, [visit our puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) or you can also enjoy Wizarding World challenges in our app. Scan the QR code below to check it out.

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Number Magic: Hogwarts edition

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How are your maths skills? Find out as you apply mathematics to magic in our latest puzzle - all about our favourite subject: Hogwarts.

Play away...

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Want even more puzzles? [You can play our crosswords and wordsearches in our puzzles collection. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)

All the times January signalled the start of something new

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Here’s our run-down of some important moments that happened in January…

## When Harry discovered Tom Riddle’s diary

Alright, we don’t know exactly when Harry discovered Tom Riddle’s diary after it had been discarded by Ginny in [Moaning Myrtle](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-moaning-myrtle)’s bathroom. But it was definitely after Christmas and some time before Valentine’s Day, so late January seems likely.

Regardless of the exact date, the fact that Harry was the one to find and keep it was pretty significant, because that diary was his first real interaction with Voldemort. Much later, Harry’s connection with the wizard formerly known as Tom Riddle would be marked by scar-hurtingly real dreams and visions, but in those early days, Riddle used his diary to reveal certain aspects of his self to Harry. It also underscored the similarities between Harry and Voldemort in a way that would come back to haunt him: both bought up in a Muggle world; both orphans who felt more at home at Hogwarts than anywhere else. The fact that Riddle twisted the truth and manipulated Ginny into opening the Chamber of Secrets also gave Harry first-hand insight into his mind, and these insights would later prove invaluable when it came to defeating him.

## Harry’s first Anti-Dementor lesson

Harry might initially have been motivated to ask [Lupin](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-remus-lupin) to teach him how to ward off Dementors after plunging headfirst off his broom, but learning how to form a Patronus helped him do much more than win the Quidditch Cup. Without Lupin’s instruction, Harry would never have been able to rescue Sirius from the Dementor’s Kiss, save Dudley from an unexpected Dementor attack in Little Whinging, or help shepherd Muggle-borns to safety when he, Hermione and Ron infiltrated the Ministry of Magic in disguise.

And so one of Harry’s greatest magical achievements began in an empty History of Magic classroom, one Thursday evening in early January, with Professor Lupin, a Boggart, and a deep-seated desire not to lose control during a Quidditch match ever again.

## When Dumbledore refused to accept Hagrid’s resignation

Rita Skeeter’s scoop about Hagrid being a half-giant was seemingly published shortly after Christmas, and when the students of Hogwarts returned in January, Hagrid was nowhere to be seen. He’d hidden himself away in shame, and – in a move that was most unlike Hagrid – he also refused to see Harry, Ron and Hermione and even resigned from the teaching role he’d previously loved.

Luckily for everyone (except perhaps those who preferred Professor Grubbly-Plank’s style of teaching), Dumbledore was also in a refusing mood and would not accept Hagrid’s resignation. Which meant Hagrid could hold his head high and return to his teaching post, with everyone knowing the truth. 

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## Harry’s first Occlumency lesson

Like his Anti-Dementor lessons with Lupin, Harry’s foray into that mystical mind-reading branch of magic called Occlumency with Snape also began in the dark days of January. Overall this extra tuition was much less successful, though, perhaps in part because Harry’s motivation was severely lacking. He’d requested Anti-Dementor lessons himself, but with [Occlumency](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/a-guide-to-occlumency), it was Dumbledore who suggested he needed the help.

Except of course the most obvious factor in the failure of his Occlumency lessons was his teacher. Not because Snape wasn’t good – even Lupin acknowledged that Snape was a superb Occlumens – but because the animosity between Snape and Harry was never going to make for a positive teaching environment. Who wants to let their mind be attacked by any teacher, let alone a teacher with such an obvious dislike as Snape had for Harry? Still, the failure of those lessons paved the way for Harry to reject everyone else’s assertion that he should shut Voldemort out, and later he was able to actively use that connection to ultimately help him defeat Voldemort.

## When Harry asked Cho to Hogsmeade

It wasn’t all doom, gloom and pent-up anger in the Pensieve though: whilst waiting for his first Occlumency lesson Harry also (with a little prompting) managed to ask Cho Chang out on a real, actual date to Hogsmeade.

OK, the date didn’t go well, and by the end of the school year Harry had much bigger things to worry about than the failure of his fledgling relationship with Cho, but never mind, at least he asked her out. And we did tell you that not every new start lasted that long. Even in the wizarding world, January’s January, after all.


Why was Snape so good at Occlumency?

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## Because he knew how to compartmentalise

[Occlumency](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/a-guide-to-occlumency) is about partitioning up and blocking off parts of your brain, something Snape knew all about. Even before he started working against Voldemort, he’d spent years putting his emotions in boxes. His childhood wasn’t happy, with all the information he gave Lily about Hogwarts suggesting he was desperate to leave his home life behind. And he spent a long time coveting the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, despite being a seemingly committed Potions teacher.

Then, of course, there were his unreciprocated feelings for Lily. We don’t know if she ever suspected, but it seems likely he never told anyone else. Certainly, he asked Dumbledore to keep his love for Lily a secret. Dumbledore, of course, gave his word that he would never reveal what he saw as the best part of Snape – and after that, Snape locked his love for Lily away from everyone else, and almost literally took it with him to the grave.

## Because he had a lot of practice

His extreme remorse over Lily’s death gave [Snape](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/pottermore-severus-snape-infographic) the motivation to effectively fool Voldemort for many, many years. Dumbledore himself said he would trust the dangerous job of spying on Voldemort – giving him just enough information not to become suspicious – to nobody but Snape. 

When you break down what Snape did over those years, it was pretty impressive. Keeping Harry safe, whilst also apparently feeding information to Voldemort that put him directly in danger. Making an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy to prevent Draco killing Dumbledore, when he knew Dumbledore was dying anyway. Letting Death Eaters take over Hogwarts, while leading Harry to Gryffindor’s sword. Pretty much everything he did was two-sided. Even in the alternate, Voldemort-flavoured reality we witnessed in *Cursed Child*, Snape was working undercover. He really was that committed to the double-agent life and, as he himself told Harry, being good at Occlumency was an essential part of the job.

## Because he was inscrutable 

Harry was never good at Occlumency because he was too hot-headed. He was used to thinking on his feet, used to displaying his emotions, used to acting first and reflecting later. Snape, on the other hand, was cold, calculating, and patient. After all, he waited 17 years to avenge Lily’s death, following Dumbledore’s plan with careful precision, always keeping his feelings firmly to himself. Such patience helped him perfect the art of Occlumency. He rarely rushed into things in the way that Harry did, which meant he could (usually) calmly organise his thoughts when the situation required it. Even when Harry blurted out his concern for Sirius in front of a bemused Professor Umbridge, Snape’s response gave nothing away. 

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

Snape looked round at Harry. His face was inscrutable. Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not, but he did not dare speak more plainly in front of Umbridge.

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## And yet – he couldn’t shut out every emotion

If Occlumency was about shutting down essential parts of yourself, even ignoring your own instincts in certain circumstances, then, for all the reasons listed above, it is no great surprise that Snape was so good at it. He lived a double-life for a long, long time. But there was one emotion he could never keep entirely hidden: his bitter jealously and deep resentment of Harry’s father.

When Dumbledore decided Harry needed to learn Occlumency, he instructed Snape to teach him because he felt doing it himself would expose Harry to more harm. This was an uncharacteristically terrible decision. Dumbledore knew Occlumency was about emotional self-control, and he also knew both Harry and Snape were prone to losing their emotional self-control whenever they were in contact with each other. Snape might have thought he’d protected his particularly negative memories about James Potter by using a Pensieve, but Harry’s impulsive curiosity – so at odds with Snape’s calculated and methodical manner – meant that was a disaster waiting to happen. 

When he realised Harry had seen what his father had once done to him, Snape reacted with actual violence. He pushed Harry to the floor, threw glass jars at his head and chased him out of the room. Just the memory of James Potter had enough power to make him forget himself. All his inscrutability deserted him. Which is proof, if proof were needed, that nobody’s mind is completely invulnerable. Not even Snape’s.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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## Because he was motivated

But for the most part, Snape was able to shut down his mind effectively. When he was not being goaded by the memory of James or the reality of his reckless son, Snape’s abilities as a double-agent were unmatched. And it all comes back to that central reason. The essential part of himself that he boxed up and locked away. The best part of himself, according to Dumbledore. His love for Lily. His “[always](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/always-why-the-princes-tale-is-the-most-emotional-chapter).”