As you might expect, Hogwarts Legacy is chock full of references to the original Harry Potter stories, with Easter eggs large and small dotted around the game. No matter whether you’re a superfan or an occasional movie-watcher, there is going to be something here for you, and some are quite tricky to spot.
Here are 10 book references you might have missed in Hogwarts Legacy.
10 Harry Potter references in Hogwarts Legacy
The Bloody Baron and other ghosts
You might encounter a few ghosts you read about in the Harry Potter books as they roam the halls of Hogwarts, like Peeves and Nearly Headless Nick.
You’ll also come across The Bloody Baron—you might have seen him around your house if you’re a Slytherin student. The Bloody Baron had a thing for Helena Ravenclaw but after she refused his hand, he went a little nuts and killed her. Yeah, Harry Potter can be brutal from times. Try finding him around the castle the next time you’re looking for chests or keys.
Hedwig the Owl
Do you remember Harry’s famous snowy owl, Hedwig? Although Hedwig isn’t technically in the game, there’s an owl that closely resembles her. Head up to the Astronomy Tower to spot her; otherwise, she pops up from time to time in the background a couple of times throughout the game. Players have wondered whether this is the same bird from the books or just a coincidence—you’ll have to find this Hogwarts Legacy Easter egg for yourself and come to your own conclusion.
Hagrid’s Hut
In the first Harry Potter movie and book, Ron, Hermione, and Harry visit Hagrid’s Hut. In Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll come across the Forbidden Forest where Hagrid’s Hut is located. Try not to miss it and make sure you follow the path.
You can find this location by heading towards the Lower Hogsfield Floo Flame. Make your way northwest of the Floo Flame and head south. You’ll also see a pumpkin patch near the hut that you can visit and check what Hagrid has inside.
Sirius Black’s Hogsmeade cave
Did you know that Sirius lived in a cave for a short time? If you travel to Hogsmeade, you’ll notice a cave near the Horklump Hollow. This cave is where Sirius Black hid with Buckbeak during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
You can also discover the location where Sirius Black was attacked by dementors in Prisoner of Azkaban by going to the Forbidden Forest. In this same location, a silvery deer will appear, similar to when Harry successfully cast a full Patronus.
The Polyjuice Potion bathroom
Hermione didn’t mind getting her hands dirty every once in a while. In The Chamber of Secrets book, she accidentally turns into a cat because she drank a Polyjuice Potion made from a cat’s hair. You can find the very bathroom she went to near Mr. Fig’s classroom.
In the last stall, you’ll discover that a student has been brewing Polyjuice Potion. Hopefully, they didn’t get this batch wrong and won’t turn into a cat—unless that’s what they intended!
The Follow the Butterflies quest
Ron says something interesting in The Chamber of Secrets as he follows Harry through the Forbidden Forest. He grumbles: “Why spiders? Why couldn’t it be butterflies?” The quest “Follow the Butterflies” was added to Hogwarts Legacy because Ron wished that he and Harry were following butterflies instead of spiders.
You can start this quest by speaking to Clementine Willardsey in Hogsmeade. It’s a small Easter egg that brought a smile to my face when I realized the connection.
Gladrags Wizardwear
You can customize your character extensively after you unlock clothing in Hogsmeade, but you probably didn’t notice the name of the place where you do so. Gladrags Wizardwear is a store mentioned in Harry Potter books during the Quidditch World Cup, first seen on a billboard in The Goblet of Fire.
The Goblet of Fire Casket
You can find the casket holding the Goblet of Fire in the Trophy Room, where you can also find the Hogwarts Herbology Award, received by your favorite teacher Mirabel Garlick. Try looking at all the trophies inside this room, and you’ll find the very casket mentioned in The Goblet of Fire book.
The casket is crucial for Potter Heads because, in the books, Dumbledore wanted to know if Harry put his name in the Goblet of Fire. He asked him and had a calm demeanor, however, the majority of people who have watched the movie will remember Dumbledore becoming livid to the point where he grabbed Harry and demanded an answer.
A reference to Tom Riddle
If you head into the restricted section of the library, you will find the very book that Tom Riddle used when he learned how to cast Horcruxes. Harry Potter fans know all about him and how devious he was during his time at Hogwarts, with the cunning schoolboy eventually revealed as Lord Voldemort. Sebastian will comment on the book and say it contains secrets of the Dark Arts.
Hermione eventually ends up reading it after Albus Dumbledore dies, so it’s an important book in the original story as it gave our trio some extra information they needed to destroy the Horcruxes.
Magical Menagerie
If you head over to the Faculty Tower, you’ll find a jewel-encrusted tortoise shell that was sold from the Magical Menagerie, related to Hermione’s feline companion she meets in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Hermione purchased her revolting cat, Crookshanks, at this very store. The shell itself isn’t interesting, but the story behind Hermione going to the Magical Menagerie is iconic after she purchased Crookshanks and annoyed Ron with him.
