# Hogwarts Gumshoe ### One more Harry Potter RPG Introduction Initially, I planned to use the *Bubblegumshoe* system for another campaign in the Harry Potter universe. It’s the system based on the *GUMSHOE* franchise, which, at its core, tells stories about solving crimes, in this case, taking place at a local high school in a small American town. I used the *Bubblegumshoe: Harry Potter* rules, which the Monkey Dice group posted on their blog in 2017. For reasons unknown to me, the article disappeared from the website and is no longer available. (but you can find it in the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201112013657/http://www.dicemonkey.net/2017/08/28/bubblegumshoe-harry-potter/">Internet Archive</a>). <br><br> However, after some sessions I modified the mechanics so significantly that it's hard to say we're still playing Bubblegumshoe. Rather, it's just another *GUMSHOE*’s modification, stitched together with solutions from *Powered by the Apocalypse*, *Fate Accelerated*, system-less suggestions posted on Reddit, and even the first edition of *Wolsung*. I added and mixed anything I found helpful to bring magic of the Wizarding World at my table. For this reason, I decided it was worthwhile to write down the rules in the single document so that players participating in the sessions wouldn't be surprised or misleaded by these or other solutions. Now I wish to share it with a wider audience. <br><br> There are four parts of this document: the introduction you're currently reading, character creation rules, detailed rules, and a short description of my vision of Hogwarts, which I've adopted as the setting for my scenarios. > **Version:** 1.10, 16.10.2025 > Feel free to contact me via Discord: Rodzenberg#8086 > My <a href="https://www.gmbinder.com/profile/Rodzenberg">GMBinder</a> account. You'll find the character sheet <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PvLuKpmYxt4JZ7TlxSo3YWcx77jqaGKk/view?usp=sharing">here</a>. \columnbreak ### System basics The only dice used in the game are standard six-sided dice (d6). The roll must be equal to or higher than Difficulty Numbers of the test (between 2 and 8) to succeed. The Game Master (GM) can make the test easier if circumstances, the student cliche and the character's motivations are favorable. Furthermore, players can also improve their character's chances by spending points from their general, social, or Hogwarts skill pools (if using magic), or by seeking the help of an NPC (non-player characters, generally led by the GM, but in some scenes they may ask players to roleplay the characters particularly connected to them, such as their Relations) who is particularly skilled in that particular area. Finally, they can re-roll a failed roll once per session if the test involves a field for which members of a given House are renowned. <br><br> However, many things don't need to be rolled. Primarily, this is the Hogwarts pool – the number of points next to each subject a character has learned indicates how good a character is in that area. Basic tips related to it are given to the character for free – simply because your character is good at **Potions**, you know that a bezoar is a good antidote to anything. However, in certain situations, the GM may offer you that, for spending a point in **Potions**, you can learn the list of ingredients for Polyjuice Potion, or help your less talented friends prevent their own toad from poisoning by giving it a potion brewed under the supervision of a sadistic teacher. <br><br> Points once spent, whether from the Hogwarts pool or a skill, can be refreshed under certain circumstances. This requires devoting valuable time and describing a scene from the character's life that fits the given topic. <br><br> **Composure** is a unique skill. It essentially corresponds to stress resistance and the character's overall well-being. This is the equivalent of health and sanity in other role-playing games, but here, losing all of them rarely results in a character's death or permanent madness. Rather, it's overstimulation, exhaustion, and sometimes physical damage requiring a prolonged stay in the infirmary. \pagebreakNum # Character creation Character creation consists of three steps: 1. Defining the concept: selecting the House, student type, character motivation and goal, favorite place, and choosing subjects to take at Hogwarts. At this stage, it's a good idea to discuss with the other players any connections between the characters, especially if they belong to different Houses. 2. Distributing points within three skill pools: Hogwarts, social, and general. 3. Creating positive Relationships (Likely and Love), a possible Hate Relationship, and choosing a hated subject. ## Concept ### Hogwarts House There are four houses at Hogwarts, and you can play as a student from each. Although the Harry Potter books are primarily Gryffindor stories, it's hard to imagine all players wanting to play as students from a single house. ### Motivation Hogwarts students are driven by various things. Draco Malfoy wants to fulfill his father's expectations at all costs, Ron and Ginny Weasley want to step out of their brothers' shadow, Fred and George want to escape poverty, and Cedric Diggory wants to give Hufflepuff some glory, which so often eludes this House. <br><br> Mechanically, acting out a character's motivations is rewarded or penalized with an additional modifier to the roll, usually +2/-2. When you act out a character's role, you can receive additional yes points, especially if it puts you in a risky situation (Harry earning more detentions from Umbridge and Snape or sneaking out at night is a prime example). And again, when you step out of character, the GM can penalize you with a negative modifier for stepping out of character. Crabbe and Goyle, disguised as first-year female students, standing watch outside the Room of Requirement, or Neville standing up to Harry as he goes out to get the Philosopher's Stone are good examples of such situations, as are Harry and Ron trying very hard to take care of the skrewts so that Hagrid doesn't feel sad. <br><br> > #### You must gather your party before venturing forth! >As Harry Potter books are mostly a Gryffindor story, it’s quite hard to imagine that all players would want to play as the students of a single House. The students in Hogwarts, despite all the phrases about unity, aren’t encouraged to find friends outside their common room. The situations when they establish some bounds are exceptional. They can inspire you to make your teams: >* **The friendship of the outcasts.** The friendship between Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood was established because of their loneliness. Ron’s sister was a very shy girl during her first years in Hogwarts, completely in the brothers’ shadows, embarrassed by her poverty, and full of guilt because of the role she took in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. She befriended Luna, who was constantly bullied by her classmates. They helped each other survive the hard times. >* **Twins in the different Houses.** Patil sisters were sorted to different Houses - Parvati was Gryffindor, and Padma was Ravenclaw. >* **Love interest.** Cedric Diggory (Hufflepuff) and Harry Potter (Gryffindor) were interested in Cho Chang (Ravenclaw). Percy Weasley (Gryffindor) dated Penelopa Clearwater (Ravenclaw). >* **Childhood friends.** Severus Snape and Lily Evans were friends before they got their letters to Hogwarts. Their relationship, however changed, survived the sorting to the different Houses. The breakthrough for the book series was the return of Voldemort and founding of Dumbledore’s Army, where there were a lot of students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. But the situation was exceptional, and it has to have a big impact on the story. <br><br> >The extracurricular activities give the chance to integrate in the wider circle. The chance wasn’t exactly used in the books, but the events such as Dueling Club in The Chamber of Secrets, Christmas dance in The goblet of fire, or the meetings in the Snail’s club in The half-blood prince can be an opportunity to gather the various students together. If the players play the students of the two final years, they can have their specialized N.E.W.T. classes with the people from various Houses. \pagebreakNum ### Stereotype It's common knowledge that every student is different, but it's also common knowledge that they express their individuality within a very similar framework. In the classic high school tropes, student types are defined by stereotypes like cheerleaders, nerds, jocks etc. At Hogwarts we won't find many of these types in the books themselves, but when we look at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a more ordinary school, we're sure to come up with something. <br><br> When I was running one-shots set in the Potter universe for *Fate Accelerated*, I suggested the following types as examples and inspiration: *rebel by choice, tomboy, social butterfly, heir, head in the clouds, autumn girl, cat lady, nerd, explorer, can't sit still, gang leader, big brother, little old man, loner, weird one, Quidditch player, troublemaker.* <br><br> The type of apprentice may grant a modifier to the roll in certain situations (usually +2 or -2). ### Goal This is a single sentence about the characters' plans unrelated to the adventure itself. Percy Weasley might have a goal at some point, "I will become Head Boy," Oliver Wood might write, "I will win the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor," Hermione might write, "I will convince as many people as possible of the dire situation of house elves," or "I will save Buckbeak from execution," and Harry Potter in Prisoner of Azkaban might write, "I will learn the Patronus Charm." <br><br> Mechanically, spending time on a goal restores your **Composure** points. Once a goal is achieved (or there's nothing left to do about it), you must choose another goal. ### Favorite place Everybody needs a haven after the hard day at school and discovering the mysteries. Visiting this location will restore one **Composure** point daily. <br><br> ### Class schedule All students take seven core subjects over five years. From third year, they take at least two additional electives. Core subjects include Astronomy, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and History of Magic (and Flying at the first year). <br>Elective subjects include Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Ancient Runes, and Art. Each class is for students of two houses. <br><br> After passing their O.W.L.s, students may choose to continue studying previously required subjects, but teachers generally only allow students who have achieved high grades in their exams to attend. <br><br> Core and elective classes end at 4:30 PM. There are two classes per subject. Astronomy is held once a week during the night period (NEWT classes for 6th and 7th year students are held on Saturdays). <br><br> Extracurricular activities (in the evening and afternoon periods): Ancient Studies, Spiritual Studies – for students of all years, usually 3+. The GM may decide that courses in other subjects are currently being held at Hogwarts if there is demand and instructors have been found. <br><br> Quidditch practice, student club activities – in the evening and afternoon periods, and on weekends – for students of all years. <br><br> NEWT classes: Advanced Arithmancy (replaces Arithmancy), Theory of Magic, Xylomancy (replaces Divination). > #### Inspirations >When I first ran one-shots in the Potter universe, I used *Fate Accelerated*. It was a very descriptive mechanic, so I had to prepare a number of examples and inspirations. I'm compiling them here because maybe one of these phrases will inspire you, whether you're creating your own characters or NPCs. <br><br> >Examples of obstacles a character must face: *Slytherins hate me, I never have money, I take care of my younger brother, I always have to be right, I act first, I think later; I can't say "no," everything has to go according to plan, girls make fun of me, I stutter terribly, I have trouble controlling my anger, I get offended easily, I like to show off.* <br><br> Other inspirations: *I'm the best student in my year, I understand animals very well, I'm good at Transfiguration, I can solve people's problems, my family is very rich, I know a lot about Hogwarts, I'm very handy, the dead talk to me a lot, I won't leave anyone in need, I'm sure I read that somewhere, I'm very brave, if not me, then who?* \pagebreakNum ## Skill pools ### Points for different pools So far, I’ve run the scenarios for fourth- and fifth-year students. The characters at this level allocate 10 points to the Hogwarts Pool, 40 points to general skills (of which **Composure’s** base is 4 points), 10 points to social skills, and 15 points to build the Relationships. Points from other pools cannot be transferred. <br><br> As a rule, if a character has 0 points in a skill (at the maximum level, this does not apply to spending all points from the pool), they cannot make tests for that skill. This means that in situations under time pressure or stress, the character becomes completely lost and confused, not necessarily incapable of doing anything at all. Neville Longbottom might be able to brew a potion correctly, but he couldn't with Snape bullying him and under the pressure of poisoning his toad. ### Hogwarts pool Hogwarts is a school of witchcraft and wizardry. The mysteries that the player characters will solve will involve various types of magic. The Hogwarts Pool is responsible for acquiring magical clues, the character's proficiency in using specific types of magic, and how the character performs during classes and school life. <r><br> 1 point in the pool indicates above-average abilities. 2 points represent a defining trait, a great natural talent, or dazzling proficiency. 3 points represent something you want your character to do repeatedly. Hogwarts pool points refresh after the lesson in a given subject. <br><br> Examples of the use of individual skills: <br>**Ancient Runes** - reading an inscription in an unknown language, identifying the origin of a magical item, identifying a curse inscribed on an item, knowledge of ancient languages. <br> **Arithmancy** - discovering a pattern or algorithm, disrupting the operation of a magical item, repeating a combination, disarming a magical trap. <br>**Art** - painting a magical picture, reading music, playing an instrument, interrupting a Veela dance. <br>**Astronomy** - predicting the full moon, determining the best star position for collecting herbs/making a potion, using charts and calculations. <br>**Charms** - summoning a broomstick, moving an item, reassembling a broken item. <br>**Defense Against the Dark Arts** - conjuring a Patronus, disarming an opponent, recognizing a cursed item, resisting the Imperius Curse. <br>**Divination** - reading omens, convincing the superstitious, knowledge of horoscopes, knowledge of known prophecies. <br>**Herbalism** - safely picking mandrake, growing magical herbs, knowledge of the plant's root weakness, identifying poisonous species. <br>**History of Magic** - identifying ruins, finding a matching myth or story, information about events taking place in a given location, biography of a person buried in a grave or depicted in a painting. <br>**Hogwarts secrets** - knowledge of secret passages, access to the Room of Requirement, shortcuts to another part of the castle, knowledge of the password for another House. <br>**Magical Creatures** - discovering what blast-end skrewts eat, approaching a hippogriff, calming an owl, persuading a house elf to provide information. <br>**Muggle Studies** - recognizing an enchanted object or person, recognizing a mechanical trap, using Muggle equipment, blending in with a crowd. <br>**Potions** - brewing a potion, knowing the antidote, finding a substitute, recognizing a potion by color/smell. <br>**Spiritual Studies** - recognizing a haunted place, tracking a ghoul, distinguishing a boggart from a wraith, etiquette for a death anniversary party. <br>**Transfiguration** - conjuring gills, petrifying an opponent, conjuring an animal from an object. <br><br> Points from the Hogwarts pool can also support general skill tests. The Chameleon spell will facilitate **Stealth**, and Alahomora will facilitate **Filch** an item. Occasionally, the GM might require a point from the Hogwarts pool to even allow a test—for example, **Magical Creatures** before an **Athletics** roll to stay on a hippogriff’s back. In either case, if the Hogwarts pool appears on the test, the character receives a +2 modifier to their roll. > #### Situations that fit multiple skills >Some situations defy clear classification or fit multiple situations. Knowing that a grinder has delicate fingers might stem from **Magical Creatures** or **Defense Against the Dark Arts**, conjuring a patronus in circumstances other than fighting dementors is essentially a **Charm**, and knowing the right time to gather magical plants as ingredients is a skill in both **Potions** and **Herbology**. In such circumstances, the GM should decide which skill is more appropriate, or simply allow the player to choose if they have points in both pools. ### Refreshing Hogwarts pool Attending extracurricular or co-curricular activities can refresh points in various skills. For example, Ancient Studies can refresh your **Arithmancy**, **Ancient Runes**, or **History of Magic** pools, while Dueling Club can refresh your **Charms** or **Defense Against the Dark Arts** pools. In any case, each activity should refresh points of one skill. **Hogwarts secrets** can be refreshed once a week, by spending two periods exploring the castle or by learning a new castle secret. \pagebreakNum ### General skills General skills refer to a character's abilities unrelated to magic (okay, there's **Broomstick Flying** too, but that's a bit of an exception). They address all of the character's senses, reflexes, agility, and maintaining composure in stressful situations. Most tests in the game are made for general skills. Spending 1 point from the pool increases the test's result by 1. <br><br> A skill's rating of 1-3 indicates that the character is reasonably proficient in it. A rating of 4-7 indicates solid, but not exceptional, proficiency. 8 or higher suggests it's one of the character's strongest points. The general skill pool, with the exception of **Composure**, refreshes after a good night's sleep. <br><br> The pool of general skills includes three specific ones, which are the basis of confrontation: **Athletics** is responsible for resolving skill conflicts (fights and chases), **Persuasion** is responsible for social interactions, while **Composure** tells us how well the character (does not) cope with increasing problems, being the combined equivalent of health points and sanity known from other RPG games. <br><br> Examples of general skill tests: <br>**Athletics** - climbing a wall, jumping from a window, dodging, arm wrestling. <br>**Broomstick flying**- avoiding a Bludger, accelerating, turning suddenly, crash landing. <br>**Composure** - being caught in a lie, entering a haunted house, taking a Transfiguration test. <br>**Filch** - opening a chest, pickpocketing, burglary. <br>**First aid** - dressing wounds, administering artificial respiration, changing a dressing. <br>**Intuition** - reading clues, sensing motives, choosing the right book. <br>**Persuasion** - explaining oneself to a teacher, cheering on a Quidditch team, making a quick comeback to a snide remark. <br>**Preparedness** - spare potion bottles, an extra quill, a change of warm clothes, reading the appropriate chapter before the test. <br>**Repair** - binding a book, gluing a wand, replacing broomsticks. <br>**Stealth** - sneaking, hiding in the shadows, covering the tracks. ### Composure **Composure** is a unique general skill. Numerous rules and mechanics have been developed around its loss and restoration. Essentially, to fully utilize a character's abilities, you need a minimum of 6 points in your **Composure** pool. If you fall below this threshold, it's worth taking the time to regain at least a few points. This can be achieved by pursuing a character's goal, spending time in a favorite place, and briefly talking to NPC you Like or Love. Other players can also support a party member's **Composure** with a point in a matching social skill. > #### Why isn't there a list of spells and potions? >In most RPG systems set in the Harry Potter universe, the authors put a lot of time and effort into creating an extensive list of spells and potions available to players. These can be used for inspiration, similar to those we know from *Hogwarts Legacy*. However, in this system, the approach to spells and potions is different, focusing less on the specific magic used by the characters and more on what they want to achieve with it and how it impacts the plot. But if you want, you can just keep repeating *Revelio! Revelio! Revelio!* in every room you enter. I can’t stop you. <br><br> For more complex spells and potions—those that should have more of an impact than just providing a clue or justifying a roll modifier—the GM may decide to give them additional plot abilities. They can act as temporary Relationships, provide a benefit or a disadvantage to the target, or even enable rerolls. ### Preparedness or Hogwarts pool? **Preparedness** is a skill that provides support for a character when the player has forgotten something. It can be an opportunity to act out a short flashback in which we see the characters preparing for action. If the relevant items or actions are not directly related to the use of magic—taking a rope for a climbing expedition, spare batteries for a Muggle flashlight, or dragonhide gloves—this should be a **Preparedness** test. However, if a player insists that their character should have, for example, a bottle of a potion or seeds from a magical plant, the GM should probably request a point from the Hogwarts pool. <br><br> **Preparedness** doesn't always have to involve a test. The GM may request the spending of one or more points from this skill pool to ensure the character has what they need. ### Social skills Social skills combine the features of the Hogwarts skill pool and general skills. They can be used to gain clues – simply having points in **Gossip** should allow you to stay up-to-date on important events, and also show how a character functions in school and deals with teachers and peers. On the other hand, the pool refreshes daily, like general skills, encouraging frequent use of the benefits of adding points to the roll. <br><br> Therefore, social skills also have their own unique role in the mechanics. They can be used to restore **Composure** points of other characters in the party (1 point of a social skill restores 2 points of **Composure**, unless the characters are in love, in which case it's 3) and to increase the pool of points in Relationships. \pagebreakNum >#### Competent character in the confrontations >Physical and social confrontations are played using very similar mechanics. Most often, it's a test of a relevant general skill: **Athletics** in combat and pursuit, or **Persuasion** in social interactions. Participants add matching skills from other skill pools. In combat and chase, they typically use magic, so these are most often points in **Charms** and **Defense Against the Dark Arts** (although **Transfiguration** or **Herbology** are also possible). In verbal confrontations, these are more often skills from the social skill pool that are relevant to the scene. <br><br> In both cases, **Composure** points can be lost. Dropping them below a certain threshold (to 5 or lower in the case of social confrontations, down to 0 in the case of psychics-based confrontations) means difficulty or even impossibility in adding further points. A character fighting in the front of the group, whether with a wand or a sharp tongue, should have at least 8 **Composure** points. <br><br> In Quidditch, the basic skill is **Broomstick flying**. Social skills are also the most affected by the decline in **Composure** – starting at level 5, social skills only grant +1 to the roll, instead of +2, bringing them on par with general skills. <br><br> The number of points in a social skill pool roughly corresponds to their value in the Hogwarts pool. 1 point indicates above-average abilities. 2 points represent a defining characteristic, a great natural talent, or dazzling proficiency. 3 points represent something you want your character to do repeatedly. Social skill pool points are refreshed after a good night's sleep. >#### We need a healer! > When things get rough and dark in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, only the friendly face and calm voice can save the day. <br><br>Characters can restore some **Composure** points spending the points from the social skills. Often it will be **Reassurance** but telling a good joke with **Performance** or serious and mature **Adult Talk** can help to cheer up or calm down the party. Remember to get hold of some points of those pools, especially when the party goes somewhere without their Relationships. <br><br> Examples of social skill tests: <br>**Adult talk** - asking a teacher about horcruxes, extending a visit to the hospital wing, persuading parents to buy a new broomstick. <br>**Deception** - hiding fear, feigning interest, making empty threats. <br>**Flattery** - reading all the teacher's books, admiring someone’s Quidditch skills, asking for the autograph. <br>**Flirt** - inviting someone to the school ball, complimenting their outfit, dancing. <br>**Fraud detection** - sensing someone’s motives, critically reading an article. <br>**Gossip** - spreading lies, gathering information, navigating informal hierarchy. <br>**Intimidation** – instilling fear, blackmail, extortion. <br>**Negotiations** - persuading parents to spend a specific expense, settling a dispute, haggling. <br>**Performance** – hyping up the crowd at a quidditch match, a spectacular duel, a stage performance. <br>**Provoke** - playing on ambition, targeted insults, provocative smiles. <br>**Reassurance** - motivational speeches, making people laugh, being there in difficult times. ## Relationships Characters are not in void. During their time at Hogwarts, situations when there are no other people within their sight or hearing will be exceptions. Some of the people they meet are particularly close to them, while others are the constant bane of their daily existence. ### Like and Love Positive Relationships are Like and Love. These can be friends, parents, or school staff, but also animals or castle ghosts. <br><br>Like the Hogwarts skills and pool, Relationships are also assigned a pool of points that you can use during the session. <br>You start with 15 points, and a minimum investment of 5 is required to establish an initial relationship. So, typically, each character will start with three "extra cast" characters—NPCs who will become your Relationship. The GM may offer to add an NPC who hates your character—in which case you'll receive an additional 3 points for additional relationships. <br>Every Relationship has a special skill, created by you. You can use Relationship points to utilize these special skills, and sometimes even engage that character in something important and risky for you. Alternatively, you can use these relationships to facilitate other skill tests or gain clues. Positive Relationship pools refresh one at the end of the session, and a Relationship actively participating in a scene refreshes 1 to 3 points of its pool at the end of the session. \pagebreakNum <br>Examples of Relationship skills: *knows all ghosts in the castle, Excellent at Potions, Writes History of Magic essays, Duellist, Hogwarts Gatekeeper, Ministry of Magic employee, Ravenclaw Prefect.* ### Hate The Hate Relationship is a pool of points for the GM to use to make your character's life more difficult. Mechanically, it can raise the **Composure** loss threshold, increase the difficulty of a test, add a handicap to your test, or add an unexpected obstacle narratively. At the end of each session, the GM decides whether the Hate pool has increased or decreased as a result of the character's actions. \columnbreak ### Hated subject Each character also chooses a hated subject—a school nemesis who works specifically to make life difficult for the poor Hogwarts student and, like any Hate Relationship, starts with three tearjerker points for a witch or wizard. >#### Canon characters as Relationships > I've allowed my players to choose the employees of Hogwarts as their Relationships: Hagrid is a good companion who every student that loves Magical Creatures, it turned out that Draco Malfoy wasn't a first student favorized by Severus Snape, and Peeves helped one student in fight against Filch. It's a good way to bond your scenarios with the setting. # The rules ## Basics ### Rolls GM may require the players to roll. Regardless of the type of roll, it is made with one or two six-sided dice. Before rolling, the GM may assign modifiers to the roll for applicable circumstances, such as student type or motivation, and also announces the difficulty level of the test – the minimum roll result combined with the modifiers, which determines whether the test is successful. After specifying the modifiers and Difficulty Numbers, the player decides whether to use points from their Hogwarts pool, skills, or Relationships. Only then should the roll be made. ### Modifiers The most common positive modifiers are: spending a point of Relationship or a general skill (+1), spending a skill point from any other player's pool to support a test (+1), matching student type (+2), matching character motivation (+2), spending a point of a social skill (+2 or +1 depending on the position on the Composure Track), spending a point of the Hogwarts pool (+2). <br><br> The most common negative modifiers are: spending a point of Hate (-1), playing against the character's motivation (-2). ### Difficulty Numbers The Difficulty Numbers indicates the minimum roll a character must achieve for their action to succeed. The Difficulty Numbers range from 2 to 8, with an average of 4. ### Raises Any roll that exceeds or falls short of the test's Difficulty Numbers by 2 is a raise. The GM may impose additional consequences on such a roll, varying the degree of success or failure. <br><br> ### Rerolls A character may reroll one failed roll during a session if it involves an action for which the inhabitants of their House are known. Furthermore, a player with an Inspiration Point may also reroll an unsatisfactory roll. The GM may decide that a powerful magical effect of a spell or potion, or appropriate preparation, may grant the possibility of a reroll, but these should be exceptional. The result of the reroll is binding, even if it is worse than the first. ### Advantages and disadvantages In special circumstances, such as surprise, when preparations are deemed sufficient, or as a result of a powerful spell or potion, the GM may order a given roll to be made with a disadvantage or an advantage. This means rolling two dice instead of one. In the case of a disadvantage, the lower result is used as the basis for calculating the result, while in the case of an advantage, the higher result is used. ### Supporting Other players can support a character's actions by allocating points from their skill pools and Hogwarts. Each such point adds +1 to the character's roll. Relationship points cannot be used to directly support rolls, although if Relationship is asked to help another player by doing something risky, the GM should consider this when determining the Difficulty Numbers of the roll. \pagebreakNum ### Clues Clues are information necessary to solve a mystery. They are typically obtained by having points in the Hogwarts pool. Even if a character has already spent all their points, they still receive a basic clue for free. The GM may suggest spending one or more points from the pool to provide the player with more complete information. Clues can also be obtained, under appropriate circumstances, by spending a point from the pool or passing a social skill test. ### Refreshments A refreshment is the moment when the Hogwarts, Relationship or skill pool returns to its original, maximum level. General skills refresh after a good night's sleep. Social skills refresh after a good night's sleep, and one of them also refreshes after winning a confrontation with a Hate Relationship. <br><br> An item in the Hogwarts pool refreshes after a lesson in a given subject, with the exception of **Hogwarts Secrets**, which refreshes after spending two periods exploring the castle or discovering a new secret. <br><br> One Relationship pool refreshes at the end of each session and requires a scene with this NPC. <br><br> The Hate pool refreshes automatically each session. <br><br> After the end of a scenario or a longer time skip, all pools refresh. ### Inspiration An Inspiration Point allows you to reroll a single roll, whether made by a player character or the GM. It can also reduce or increase the roll's result, or instantly refresh a chosen Relationship, skill (except **Composure**), or one subject from the Hogwarts pool. <br><br> An Inspiration Point is awarded by players at the end of each session to a distinguished player. You cannot have more than one Inspiration Point. ## Tests ### Simple tests The most common type of test is a normal test - it means a single roll in which you must equal or exceed the Difficulty Number (from 2 to 8). ### Opposing tests An opposed test is a test in which the Difficulty Number is determined by the opponent's roll. To win such a test, you must score higher than the other side. Before rolling, all participants declare how many points they spend from their pools. <br><br><br><br> ### Contests Contests occur when two characters, often a player character and NPC controlled by the GM, actively attempt to thwart one another. Typically each character attempts to beat a Difficulty Number of 4 but the difficulty can be different in the further rolls. If both characters win or lose the test, they roll again. ### Confrontations Confrontations are a special type of conflict resolution during a session. They are most often skill-based, in which case **Athletics** is the primary skill, or social, in which case **Persuasion** is the most important. During a Quidditch match, the most common challenge is **Broomstick flying**. <br><br> When conducting a confrontation, I suggest the three-roll rule, used in many narrative systems. This means that the confrontation must be resolved in a maximum of three opposed tests, and the side that wins the most tests wins and achieves its goals. <br><br> A confrontation can be preceded by preparation – devising an interesting strategy, choosing a location and time, practicing spells. The GM should reward good preparation with modifiers and even easier rolls. <br><br> The confrontation itself consists of opposed rolls. When the players' opponent is an NPC, the GM determines the roll modifier, usually from +2 to +8. An additional effect of losing a roll is that the losing side loses as many **Composure** points as the difference in the rolls between the two sides. The consequences of any drop on the **Composure Track** are taken into account in the next roll. <br><br> After losing a roll, if you are not eliminated, you can either concede or continue the confrontation. According to the three-roll rule, a confrontation is resolved by a maximum of three direct opposed rolls. <br><br> The GM may order that both sides choose one character to roll, with the rest merely supporting them, or that all participants roll equally. In the first situation, the rules for supporting rolls are used; in the second, all participants in the confrontation on the losing side lose a number of **Composure** points equal to the difference in their roll and the highest result of the current round. <br><br> Between opposed rolls, you can perform other actions that can help eliminate or maintain the advantage – sneaking closer, summoning a broom, or taking a potion are examples of such actions. <br><br> Winning a confrontation against a Hate Relationship allows you to regain 3 **Composure** points and refreshes one pool of one social skill. \pagebreakNum ### Progress Clocks Sometimes, a test result requires a series of rolls made at different times to achieve the success. You can track that process by using the Progress Clocks. A Progress Clock is a circle divided into segments. The more complex the problem, the more segments in the progress clock. A complex obstacle is a 4-segment clock. A more complicated obstacle is a 6-clock. A daunting obstacle is an 8-, or even 12-segment clock. <br><br> You can use the Progress Clock for brewing the potions, planting and harvesting the plants, and preparing for the tests or quidditch matches. <br><br> The GM determines the Difficulty Number of each roll and the number of successes required to successfully complete the action. Raises can count as additional successes, positive modifiers, or even advantages for next rolls. <br><br> Progress Clock is also a good way to show the next steps of the Threat’s danger if it’s not stopped by the character. ## Composure ### Composure Track As things go darker, the character's ability to use his or her own resources and those of those who support him or her decreases. <br><br> **6+.** No mechanical effects. <br>**5-1.** Social skills only give +1 to tests and restore 1 Composure point. <br>**0 do -5.** Hogwarts pool and social skills cannot be used. You have to pass the **Composure** test (Difficulty Numbers 4) to continue the confrontation. <br>**-6 do -10.** Using Relationships costs double. You have to pass the **Composure** test (Difficulty Numbers 4) to continue the confrontation. <br>**Below -10.** You lose control of your character until you regain Composure. ### Entry Threshold Entering certain locations immediately results in the loss of 1 or 2 **Composure** points. <br><br> **1:** Classroom of a hated subject, any teacher's office, participating in a subject with higher-year students (including Quidditch practice), Hospital Wing. **2:** Forbidden Forest, Forbidden Books section, Filch's office, office of the teacher of a hated subject, secret passages. <br><br> The GM can use a Hate point to raise the threshold. \columnbreak ### Sample Composure test stakes **3 Composure points:** being stood up on a date, a test in a subject, a drastic rule violation, arguing with Love. <br>**4 Composure points:** getting into a fight, a disciplinary conversation with a teacher, arguing with Love. <br>**5 Composure points:** hurting Love, a surprise attack, being interrogated by Ministry of Magic officials. <br>**6 Composure points:** witnessing the casting of an Unforgivable Curse, hurting Love, being arrested, being left behind while escaping. <br>**8 Composure points:** finding a corpse or witnessing someone die. > #### Cyclopean and blasphemous things >**Composure** points, whether through tests or the GM's arbitrary decision, can also be reduced by experiencing terrifying and disturbing events. Seeing the petrified Mrs. Norris and the inscription announcing the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, first seeing a Dementor's hand on the train in *Prisoner of Azkaban*, or experiencing a dream about Nagini attacking Arthur Weasley in *Order of the Phoenix* are certainly moments from the books that correspond to such a situation in the game. In such circumstances, the GM may decide to make a test or automatically drop 1-3 **Composure** points. ### Loss of Composure as a Relationship cost and out of role actions Anytime your Love Relationship is weakened, you lose 2 **Composure** points. <br><br> You can lose 1 or 2 **Composure** points if you play a scene that doesn't align with your character's motivations. This may be a clue that it's worth changing at the end of the session. ### Regaining Composure You regain 1 **Composure** point after a good night's sleep. You regain 1 **Composure** point when you visit a favorite place (daily). <br>You regain 1 **Composure** point when you perform an action related to the character's goal (daily). Another player can spend 1 social skill point to regain 2 **Composure** points to you (3 if you're in love).<br><br> You will regain 3 **Composure** points after winning a confrontation with Hate. You can use Relationship points to regain **Composure** by reenacting a scene with an NPC (1 Relationship point/1 **Composure** point). \pagebreakNum > #### Regaining Composure with general skills or Hogwarts pool >Regaining **Composure** by other players are important, often heart-warming scenes when the characters show care, friendship and compassion to each other. Usually it takes place between the intense scenes, and it can be crucial for the next steps of the party. <br><br> >It’s quite common that the characters have no points in fitting Social skills points to spend. There’s a temptation to use **Persuasion** instead. I allow that sometimes in the one-shots, however I don’t think it’s an optimal solution. Regaining **Composure** is an important part of the mechanics, and crucial part of the story. <br><br> > I recommend spending the points from the different skill pools instead of **Persuasion**. The player can use **Athletics** to carry a friend’s backpack, or **First aid** to disinfect the scratches or wounds. Maybe some equipment was damaged, so it’s possible to sew or glue it using **Repair**. You can have the chocolate frog to spare by spending 1 point of **Preparedness** and we all know that chocolate is crucial in fighting evil. Still, those should be desperate measures for desperate times. Restoring **Composure** is a powerful plot device, the occasion to roleplay many scenes that can be important for the party. > <br><br> > Of course, it’s possible to use **Potions** for having a vial of Wiggenweld Potion, **Herbalism** to eat some refreshing and juicy fruit or **Charms** for using some healing spell. Using magic in the middle of the action serves the resource management’s aspect of the game. But I think that using General skills can be used in a more creative way. Using 1 point of General skill should restore 1 **Composure** point, using 1 point of **Hogwarts pool** restores 2 **Composure** points (+1 if the characters are in love). ## Relationships ### Using the Relationship pool You can use Relationships to: * get support for your roll (1 Relationship point/+1 to the roll); * restore **Composure** points as a result of playing a Relationship scene (1 Relationship point/+1 **Composure** point); * use the special Relationship skill (2 Relationship points); * make the Relationship do something risky for you (2 Relationship points); * do not spend **Composure** points to enter the Threshold location if the Relationship is related to the location you are entering (1 Relationship point). ### Refreshing Relationships At the end of a session, you can refresh the pool of one Relationship that was relevant to the scenario's action. After completing a scene in which a Relationship NPC was actively involved, its pool is refreshed by 1-3 points. ### Deepening Relationships You can deepen one Relationship, increasing its pool. You can increase your Relationship pool by 1 by spending 2 points of a matching social skill and, in the next session, playing a scene with the Relationship NPC that demonstrates the strengthening of the relationship. ### Weakening Relationships You can reduce your relationship pool by 1 by spending 1 point of the matching social skill. If you reduce your Love pool, you also lose 2 points of **Composure.** You can only weaken one relationship per session. ### Creating new Relationships Once per session, a player can create a new Affection relationship with an NPC they meet during the session (including in flashbacks). Spend 2 points of the matching social skill to gain 1 point in the relationship pool.Alternatively, a player can create a new Love relationship if the plot justifies it. Spend 4 points of the matching social skill to gain 1 point in the relationship pool. ### Hate The GM uses the Hate pool to torment a character. They can spend a point of Hate to, among other things, increase the Difficulty Numbers of a test, add a disadvantage to a character's actions, or increase the **Composure** threshold. <br><br> The Hate pool refreshes after every session. The changes in the Hate pool depend on story events, but may also involve spending points from the Hogwarts pool or matching social skills. ## End of the session ### Relationship management At the end of the session, each player can: * refresh one Relationship pool; * add 1 point to the Relationship pool by spending 2 (Like) or 4 (Love) social skill points; * weaken one Relationship; * create a new Like or Love Relationship, if the plot justifies it. \pagebreakNum <br>At the end of the session, the GM decides whether the Hate pool in existing Relationships changes and whether characters gain new Hate Relationships. ### Experience Points At the end of the session, each player should be asked four questions: 1. Did we learn anything new and important about your character? 2. Did your character contribute to solving the mystery? 3. Did your character learn anything new or use knowledge acquired in the previous session? 4. Did your character face or help to ward off a threat? <br>If at least three questions can be answered "yes," the character receives 3 Experience Points; if less, 2 Experience Points. If the players cannot honestly answer any questions with a "yes," they receive 1 Experience Point. <br><br> Each player can award 1 Experience Point to another character. <br><br> The Social skill point, Hogwarts pool point, Composure point, and an additional skill in an existing Relationship cost 20 Experience Points. <br><br> Increasing the General skill by 1 point costs 10 Experience Points. ### Awarding Inspiration Finally, players award one character an Inspiration Point. This should be awarded to the person who most distinguished themselves at the table, whether through roleplaying, attitude, commitment, or ingenuity. ### Goal, favorite place, and character motivation After the session, the player may change the character's goal, favorite location, and motivation if they deem it narratively justified. >#### The ultimate fantasy >The ultimate fantasy of TRPGing in the Harry Potter universe is to accomplish a campaign that would cover the whole 7 years of education in Hogwarts. When I recruit people for one-shots and campaigns or simply discuss playing in the Wizarding World it’s a common, repeating topic. Is it even possible? <br><br> >I don’t know. I mean, there are plenty of problems with such scales at the mechanics level. How quick should the character develop? If the skill points wouldn’t increase what else can be changed? Relationship pools? Some progress clocks? <br><br> >Generally, people who ask for the great campaign are those people who don’t have much experience with the TRPGs. Usually they have plenty of experience with RP servers and fanfics with the OC characters. It's a very different kind of entertainment. The things that more or less work in the literature do not necessarily support the TRPG game. I usually answer to those people that I look for the players for the single adventure or campaign. If we have fun, we can always play further. And from my experience, those people aren’t interested. So I find it a good way to avoid the problems with the expectations before a game starts. We need to share some common ground. ><br><br> >I don’t think that this set of rules supports the gameplay that covers 7 years of education in Hogwarts. I have no experience with creating mysteries for the characters below fourth year. This ruleset focuses on the adventures that are limited to months, not years. \pagebreakNum ## Threat Establishing a Threat is the most challenging element of creating a mystery in the Harry Potter universe. We compete with Voldemort who had seven books to shine, and the whole plot that established Harry Potter in the Chosen One narrative and this is rather not a way we want to follow. <br><br> The Threat must have the stakes - there must be something that can be lost if the characters don’t stop the chain of events. <br><br> The examples of the Threats from the saga are: Slytherin’s Heir will attack until somebody dies and Hogwarts will be closed; dementors will make Harry sick enough so he will eventually quit quidditch’s team/his team won’t win the cup; Buckbeak will be executed; Fred and George Weasleys won’t make their shop because they don’t have enough money and test subjects; Voldemort will kill Malfoy if Draco doesn’t kill Dumbledore. The first three books are more mystery focused, in the later books you need rather to look at the sub-plots to get the inspiration. ### Tone In my opinion the narrative about “maturing and darkening tone” was rather the marketing strategy than the actual reflection over the genre. From the beginning we had drinking the unicorn’s blood, full description of regrowing the bones in the arm, the threat of being eaten alive by the giant spiders and a desperate fight against the wraiths that can literally suck the human soul. There are a lot of really dark themes in the Wizarding World that you can explore during your sessions. <br><br> The general tone of the books is that the characters can overcome the obstacles on their way. Sometimes they needed the help of an adult wizard which didn’t turn out well in *The Philosopher’s Stone* with Dumbledore (he wasn’t in Hogwarts) and almost ended tragically with Lockhart in The *Chamber of Secrets*. On the other hand, the mentoring and tutoring role of Lupin is seen through the later books, not only *The Prisoner of Azkaban*. <br><br> Sometimes the characters need the allies - Dumbledore’s Army in *The order of the Phoenix*, or the resources - like the clues that Barty Crouch Jr in disguise got Harry to help him survive the Tournament, or the sword of Godrick Gryffindor to destroy the horcruxes in *The Deathly Hallows*. All of the mysteries and threats in the books were initially out of the reach of the characters but they could manage the threat with the preparedness, investigation and help. Translating it to the GM’s tasks during the creation of the mystery means that introducing the Threat or dark themes you should give the players the tools to fight or resolve them. The Harry Potter universe is about fighting the dragons, not escaping and hiding from them. >#### Time period >Choosing a time period is a crucial point for the creation of the mystery. Playing close go 1990s gives you an opportunity to use the existing elements of the setting - teachers, some students and even events. On the other hand, you can get lost in the too detailed preparations. People can get stressed by the urge to be faithful to the canon and that can kill the fun of the game. ><br><br> >Personally, I focus on the 1980s and first fall of Voldemort. Death eaters in hiding, struggling for normalization after the war, and most of the cast gives the feeling that we play in the Harry Potter universe, but it leaves some space for freedom and creativity. And there’s always this new Defence against Dark Arts’ teacher you need to create. ### Stakes The stakes are an important part of the success of the mystery. Why would character risk? Can’t they just walk away? There must be a price for going away from the quest. <br><br> Not every mystery has to be the dramatic clash between good and evil, where defeat means certain and painful death. Maybe quidditch’s season would be canceled or the character will be kicked out from the team. Maybe the authorities decide that Hogsmeade is too dangerous to let the students go there on weekends. Maybe the family’s reputation will be ruined or there will be no chance that the character will pass O.W.L from the Potions to have the chance to become an auror. <br><br> Think how you can bind the characters’ goals with the mystery. Maybe investigation will be a chance for the students to achieve their dreams. Those are the tools you need to persuade the players to invest in the scenario. <br><br> Using the Relationships of the characters is also a good place to start planning the mystery. Thinking of the stakes should involve at least one NPC that is important for every character in the party. ### Trigger The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Goblet of Fire selected the fourth participant. Harry’s scar hurt. Somebody conjured the Dark Mark. Dementors attacked the Muggle boy. Sirius Black escaped from the Azkaban. Somebody tried to break into the Gringott’s Bank. All of those events were the triggers that started a new mystery. <br><br> Think about the trigger as the opening scene of the book or movie. It’s good if the characters or their Relationships were present, and that the trigger involves some action. \pagebreakNum > #### "Have a biscuit, Potter” >The famous scene from *The Order of the Phoenix* when McGonagall told Harry to take a biscuit and be careful is a good example of isolation of the main character in facing the Threat. Characters are the students in school, so if they’re in danger they just should go to the nearest teacher and receive help. We see in the books that the teachers in Hogwarts keep neglecting the needs of the students not only with the supernatural threats. Everyone is aware that Malfoy bullies Harry for years and just ignores that fact. Every time Harry goes to the teachers to share his fears and accusations he’s turned down by them. It repeats itself even when Harry proved that his judgement was correct in many ways. <br><br> >It’s a good idea to ask every player the following question: “For sure the teachers in Hogwarts failed you when you needed them. What happened?” to introduce the moment when the characters realized that nobody would really help them and they are on their own. ><br> >You can make the progress clock to alert the authorities. The numbers of the segments establish Difficulty Numbers of the test of fitting social skill (usually **Adult Talk**). The clock can be on the maximum track - for example 12 - so it’s impossible to alert the authorities at the beginning of the scenarios, but the further actions of the characters and the threat can lower the number of segments to make the roll possible. <br> >The isolation can be triggered by various reasons as well. Maybe their involvement is caused by the rare and suspicious ability - Ron agrees with Harry in *The Chamber of Secrets* that he shouldn’t tell teachers that he hears voices. Maybe alarming the authorities will expose some illegal actions like revealing that Dobby and Hermione broke into Snape’s office to get the ingredients. Maybe the dark spell prevents the character from getting help - Ginny wasn’t able to tell anybody about Riddle’s dairy. Finally, the characters might just feel that this threat is their personal business and they should handle it alone - just like Harry’s looking for Sirius Black in *The Prisoner of Azkaban*. ><br> >And what if the authorities know? Won’t they just make sure that the characters will survive until the end of school year by giving away all freedom the characters have? The threat of being imprisoned in Gryfindor's common room for Harry’s own safety scares him enough to make very risky actions. And this is an important reason for every teenager. ### Threat’s Progress Clock It should say something about the nature of threat. Investigating and experiencing the trigger scene usually sets up the whole scenario. <br><br> You need to plan the Threat’s next steps. It shows what will happen if the characters don’t interfere. Progress Clock is a good tool to use. For the single scenario, it can be just 4 segments. Tom Riddle in the diary will feed on Ginny’s fears, he’ll make her kill all the cocks in Hogwarts, he’ll send the basilisk to hunt down the Muggleborns, and eventually he will force Ginny to go to the Chamber of Secrets to kill her. <br><br> You don’t need to start at the first segment. Usually there’s a story that proceeds the trigger. Tom Riddle opened the Chamber as a Hogwarts student. He used killing Moaning Myrtle to create his first horcrux - the diary. He framed Hagrid. <br><br> There are clues to gather, in the ordinary TRPG game it’s possible to stop Tom Riddle earlier than in the last moment. **Defence against Dark Arts** can show the strange behavior of Ginny Weasley. The characters can use **Care of Magical Creatures** to investigate the spiders’ fear and the nature of the basilisk. Any fitting social skills will help with talking with Moaning Myrtle after realizing (maybe thanks to **Spiritual Studies** that the ghosts often haunt the places connected with their death), and **Hogwarts secrets** will reveal the pipes and the story behind the girls’ restroom. I recommend thinking about at least three clues connected with each segment of the Progress Clock. Of course, you can’t predict all the possibilities but at least those clues will help you to improvise the fitting outcomes for the players’ investigation. ### Threat’s reactions Usually the Threat doesn’t wait patiently as the characters ruin the masterplan. During planning the segments of the Progress Clock you should think how the Threat reacts when the characters’ involvement becomes obvious. Will basilisk target them? Will Ginny try to destroy the evidence that links the story with Tom Riddle? <br><br> The other approach - more accurate with the plot of the books - is based on the Threat lurking in the shadows when the characters focus on their school life, fighting their proxy wars with their Hate. In such situations maybe the main Threat won’t react, but maybe you need to prepare the Progress Clock for the equivalents of Snape, Malfoy and Umbridge to track the usual school struggle. \pagebreakNum # Hogwarts ### School life in Hogwarts What does it mean to be an ordinary student at Hogwarts? Not the chosen one, not the elite user of the ancient magic, but just a background person who attends the lessons and tries to spend the teenage years in the best possible way? <br><br> Paradoxically, the answer isn’t as simple as supposed to be after 7 Harry Potter books and numerous appearances of the school of wizardry and witchcraft in other media. Devoted fans who have tried to establish the core facts about magic education in the Wizarding World struggle with many inconsequencies and contradictions. And it’s not surprising, as Hogwarts plays certain roles as a scene, a plot device, and the justification to introduce some world-building elements. It’s fair to say that whatever serves the storytelling in literature, not necessarily can be helpful in other media, or even can cause trouble in a different story. <br><br> The TRPG game needs an established setting. Every participant must agree on certain things about the world the characters live in. I assume that the players and the Game Master read the canon books or at least watched the movies, so they have a certain vision of the education at Hogwarts. On the other hand, not everyone needs to be deeply engaged in the never-ending discussions in fandom. So, let’s think about this chapter as the introduction to the dispute about how Hogwarts will look in your adventures. <br><br> ### How many students attend Hogwarts? Hogwarts got bigger during the series. J. K. Rowling prepared the list of the original 40 students who began their education in the same year as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We see the traces of this conception in the series - we know only five Gryffindor boys who share the same dormitory with Harry. At the first flying lesson, there are twenty brooms prepared for the Gryffindor and Slytherin students. Even two books later, when Harry’s classmates fight a boggart during the first Lupin’s lesson, we have an impression that there are around ten students present. It’s easy to count that Hogwarts in *The Philosopher’s Stone* has around 280 students. <br>Probably Hogwarts became bigger thanks to the movies. J. K. Rowling admitted that the number of the students sitting at the tables in the Great Halls looked exactly as she imagined - so there had to be at least 480 witches and wizards attending the school. In the books, we have an example of the greater number of students in the description of O.W.Ls’ exams in *The Order of Phoenix*. \columnbreak We can read about around 100 tables, each for every participant. So, it would mean that Hogwarts’ student population counted around 700 students in school at that time. The author agreed that there were more Gryffindor students in Harry’s year. They just took no part in the plot. <br><br> The number of students has a huge impact on your story. How many people attend the same class as the characters? Respectively: 10, around 18, 25? As there are some subjects that two houses attend simultaneously, does it mean a quite intimate group of twenty students, or a lecture for a half of a hundred teenagers? How many dormitories are in the Houses’ towers/dungeons? And how big do the common rooms need to be to gather all the students from a particular house at once? The Gryffindor’s common room is described as cozy - it’s rather an odd description for a space that can contain 120 or even around 200 people. <br><br> I chose the number of around 480 students as a starting point for creating my scenarios. Classes between 15 and 20 people, enough to combine in the larger groups that can still have more practical subjects like Charms, Potions, or Herbology. This is also Hogwarts’ population from the movies that so much influenced the common image of the school of magic, and it can inspire your adventures easily. ### How many subjects are taught in Hogwarts? The number of subjects is another mystery. We are sure about the classes that Harry attended, and we know about all the classes that were elective in the third year, as Hermione chose them all in *The Prisoner of Azkaban*. So, we have the established canon of the core Hogwarts course, the mandatory seven subjects in 1-5 years: astronomy, chams, defense against the dark magic, herbology, history of magic, potions, and transfiguration. The first-year students also have Flying lessons. Harry and Ron chose divination and care of the magical creatures, and Hermione took “everything” which meant arithmancy, muggle studies, and ancient runes. Those are elective subjects we have confirmed from the books. We know that there is also the Apparition course for adult students - which is optional and requires payment. <br><br> The other HP media (the movies, and the computer games) and the interviews with J. K. Rowling expanded that list. For now, we have 23-25 subjects in Hogwarts that are (or at least should be) taught either as elective classes at years 3+, optional at N.E.W.T.s level, or "sometimes offered” if "there is sufficient demand", as the author said about Alchemy. In most cases, we have no further data than the name of a subject. \pagebreakNum The expanded list includes four subjects concerning art and music, respectively Art, Music, Muggle Art, and Muggle Music. Three subjects can be interpreted as the N.E.W.T. courses of the core and elective classes: Ancient Studies (probably the higher level of History of Magic and/or Ancient Runes), Advanced Arithmancy (more developed than O.W.L Arithmancy), and Xylomancy (the specific form of Divination). This interpretation can be argued as Harry in *The Half-Blood Prince* continues his O.W.L. classes without changing their names. The Magical Theory is an N.E.W.T. class. We know as well that Alchemy is taught only if “there is sufficient demand” in the two final years of education, and we know - from the same quote - that there are more subjects that are taught in that way. It’s more even than we know about Ghoul Studies. That specific subject has its classroom at the Marauders’ Map in The Prisoner of Azkaban, and we know no more about it. We need to close our list with Field Studies - a subject introduced in the 2010s, and Dark Art which replaced Defense Against the Dark Art when death-eaters were controlling Hogwarts in 1997. <br><br> Every serious attempt to create a reliable timetable in Hogwarts ended with a conclusion that all teachers and students would need the time-turner to be able to handle the lessons they should attend. Even with some simultaneous lessons it is hard to stuff them in a single schedule. <br><br> While running my scenarios I based the timetable on the tool *Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Class Schedules*. Its author assumed that there are 14 double slots for the courses to fill a school week between 8.00 A.M. and 4.30 P.M., with no lessons on weekends except the N.E.W.T courses of Astronomy. You can find it <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/b93g9f/harry_potter_and_the_hogwarts_class_schedules_a/">here</a>. <br><br> I decided that Muggle Art and Muggle Music don’t look like whole, independent subjects, but rather like a part of Muggle Studies and Art. As the N.E.W.T. classes can combine the matter of specific courses, it looks logical to me. <br><br> I left Advanced Arithmancy and Xylomancy as the N.E.W.T. continuation of Arithmancy and Divination. I couldn’t imagine how students without passing the basic courses in those subjects could attend them. Magical Theory and Alchemy look like advanced combinations of various types of magic, and they look good as separate subjects. <br><br> I’ve found Ghoul Studies and Ancient Studies as the most challenging to categorize. I like the theory that Ghoul Studies not only mention the Ghouls, but the creatures such as Poltergeists, ghosts, and so on. I’ve renamed them into Spiritual Studies. Ancient Studies require a lot of various skills and knowledge, learning ancient languages, handling artifacts, and so on. The two-year N.E.W.T. course looks small for those issues, so this is why I decided to leave those subjects as extracurriculars but available for the younger students (third year+), as the form of seminary seems to suit those subjects better. \columnbreak ### Slytherin’s paradox Slytherin is a hard case for the TRPGs in the Wizarding World. The fandom has discussed the House of Snake for years and it seems that there are conclusions that it’s not just a proxy wannabe-Death Eater faction that has to do evil dues when Voldemort is busy somewhere else. *Hogwarts Legacy* introduced Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt who fit the role of the cunning, intelligent, ambitious and likeable students perfectly. <br><br> On the other hand, there are many players who are really interested in playing stereotypical Slytherin students - pureblood supremacists, interested in the Dark Arts, sarcastic bullies from rich families who can easily break the scenario with constant acting against the rest of the party, as they don’t see the fellow characters as “worthy enough”, as they can be Muggleborns or just Hufflepuffs. <br><br> In such cases I prefer using the methods that are useful in dealing with evil characters in the different settings and genres. As the GM you need to remember that you don’t have to agree for every character idea, even if it’s as basic as playing the established canonical Slytherin student. I usually ask the fellow questions: why does this character hang out with the rest of the party? What are the positive traits of your character? Why should the rest of the party trust the character? If the player doesn’t have the satisfying answers, I most likely reject the character. Of course, there are methods to bind the characters to the plot but it requires initiative, cooperation and maturity from the player. It’s rare to see it in the players that can’t answer the questions I wrote down above. ### Yule Ball and other proms Yule Ball in *The Goblet of Fire* is one of the rare occasions in the saga when social gathering doesn’t mean the feasting in the Great Hall. Gilderoy Lockhart in *The Chamber of Secrets* organizes the Valentines in Hogwarts. And however Ron and Harry react to them like the clumsy boys at their age should, it’s quite surprising that such events are such exceptions in school life. Many fanfics develop the idea of balls, proms and other events occurring cyclically. From the game perspective is another occasion to gather students from different Houses together outside their common rooms. They can help with Relationship development, achieving the characters’ goals, introducing the NPCs outside of the castle (crew, artists or guests) and - as everyone’s attention is centered on the prom dates and school gossip - the needed distraction to further investigation.