A Guide to the Wizarding World

[THE PHOENIX]

A Guide To The Wizarding World

Hallows and Horcruxes is an AU Harry Potter roleplay that keeps certain elements of canon intact but allows for the members to shape their own story within the Harry Potter universe.

While our plots and stories are ever changing, the background and the laws of the wizarding world remain intact to a certain extent. In order to ensure that new members understand the story of H&H up to the point of our current plots, we have created this guide to the wizarding world to help answer background questions.

While some elements are not confirmed within the canon dogma of Harry Potter, we have incorporated them in order to strengthen elements of the world structure. If you have any questions about how the world works according to the plotline of Hallows and Horcruxes, please be sure to read this and our other guides thoroughly. If your question is still not answered, please feel free to post your question in our questions board, or send it in a PM to The Phoenix. Thank you!

[THE PHOENIX]

The Basic Background

Hallows and Horcruxes has started its journey through the world of Harry Potter during the time of the Half-Blood Prince storyline. This means that we started in Harry Potter's sixth year - or 1996. So what does this mean for our setting, and the creation of new characters in the Hallows and Horcruxes version of the Harry Potter universe?

1. THE PAST IS UNCHANGED

The first thing you need to know is that everything that took place between books one through five remains unchanged. This includes historical references, though we will get to the History of the Wizarding World shortly.

What this means is that although we are an Alternate Universe, we have chosen to keep the past strictly canon. Which means that Sirius Black did die, and will not be returning from the grave, the Dark Lord was resurrected and killed Cedric Diggory, and these elements will not be changed.

Certain elements of the canon history can be changed, but this will be falling under our Wizarding History section which will be coming up shortly. Until that point, presume that nothing can change.

2. CANONS ARE TO BE KEPT CANON AT REGISTRATION

Once again, we are an AU community, but that doesn't mean we will accept Voldemort petting kittens and Harry Potter calling Hermione a mudblood. When applying for a canon character, keep them as canon as you can. As your character moves through the plots and twists of Hallows and Horcruxes, they are welcome to change as you see fit.

If you feel you are not happy with the Canon Couple your character is in - you can change that throughout the course of the site. If you feel you want your character to have a different relationship with another character than is portrayed over the books and movies, you are welcome to explore it over time - but remember to keep the development accurate. No randomly having Hermione decide Draco isn't so bad - make it believable, or don't do it at all! Just remember to keep to canon when you start, and then simply let your character grow as time progresses.

3. DUMBLEDORES ARMY

Hallows and Horcruxes does not accept OC characters within the history of the DA. This is because it automatically causes canons such as Harry, Ron and Hermione to know and have a relationship with an OC that had an effect on their past. As we do not want to change the fifth year too extensively, there is a permanent ban on original DA members.

There are plenty of canons within the DA that J.K. Rowling does not extensively go into, which means it is more than possible to pick up someone like Terry Boot and create someone all your own who was a part of the DA. Otherwise, this history is canon only.

4. THE ORDER

The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organization created in the first war by Albus Dumbledore to combat the Dark Lord and his forces. The Order has been reinstated in light of recent events and will have its role to play in the storyline of Hallows and Horcruxes.

Original Order supporters and members are welcome, but it is strongly advised that any application in which someone supports the Order or is a member of the Order has a section explaining how they came to learn the Order existed. For those who become a part of it, please speak to one of our existing Order members and see if they would be willing to be your character's recruiter. We would like to see realistic Order members, not random ones!

5. DEATH EATERS

The marked followers of Lord Voldemort are among the primary antagonists within the Hallows and Horcruxes plotline and just as in the books and movies, they are many. This of course means that original Death Eaters are just as welcome as canon ones, and just as needed.

However, it should be noted that original Death Eaters from the First Wizarding War will be heavily monitored. Not many Death Eaters from that era escaped Azkaban, and most that did lost favor in some way - while those who landed in Azkaban are now rather unstable.

If creating an OC Death Eater from the First Wizarding War, it is requested that you PM SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE to discuss who recruited you, how your Death Eater served, why they escaped Azkaban or how Azkaban has affected them. Note that these Death Eaters will be considered Senior, and therefore higher in the hierarchy than new recruits.

With new recruits, again please PM SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE if you have any questions involving your characters recruitment, as one does not simply walk into a Death Eater camp and ask to join up. There is a process to these things!

6. THE HALLOWS

These are very, very powerful canon elements and are pretty much the Makers of Sues, which means they will not be escaping their canon destinies.

The cloak belongs to Harry Potter, and will remain a Potter family heirloom.

The stone is in the possession of Albus Dumbledore, and when the time comes will be lost and possibly destroyed after Harry Potter makes use of it in the Final Battle.

The Elder Wand is currently in Albus Dumbledore's possession, and its progression of ownership to Harry Potter shall remain canon, as too will its destruction. The Hallows will be destroyed or kept and will not fall into the hands of original characters at any point.

As for Horcruxes, please see those under Wizarding Laws.

[THE PHOENIX]

Wizarding World History

The history of the Wizarding world is extensive in J.K. Rowlings canon, and we at Hallows and Horcruxes took the liberty of changing just a few things in the course of our AU. This section of wizarding history addresses the changes made by Hallows and Horcruxes, and the changes we will accept by our members. Most of these 'changes' are mainly expansions on the things we know little about, or bits of curiosity we have chosen to make a defined aspect of Hallows and Horcruxes.

1. THE FIRST WIZARDING WAR

The First Wizarding War took place between the years of 1970 and 1981, though the foreshadowing and build-up toward the official outbreak began as early as the 1940's. These dates are canon, and will not be modified in any aspect in order to ensure that character creation does not get confusing.

Specific events and attacks made during the First Wizarding War are limited. We know of the Longbottoms and the Potters, but very few think to address obscurely mentioned events such as the Prewett brothers, Edgar Bones, and Caradoc Dearborn to name but a few. Due to this, Hallows and Horcruxes allows its members to expand upon these events to a degree.

Members are welcome to create OC families that were attacked or destroyed during this time, as it is certainly a believable aspect of war. They are also welcome to create individuals who lived through the First War as young adults between the ages of seventeen and twenty one - this would place them roughly within the age groups of people such as Severus Snape and other Marauder Era individuals.

If a member wishes to change a canonly known element, such as the attack on Edgar Bones for example, please PM SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE to ensure that aspect has not already been developed.

2. THE TABOO

The taboo placed upon Voldemort's name is never canonly stated as having been an aspect of the First War as well as the Second War, but for the sake of Hallows and Horcruxes, we state that the taboo started in the First War.

This taboo is the reason why, even after ten years of peace, the wizarding world still shuddered and shook at the mere mention of the Dark Lord's name. 'You-Know-Who' became the staple to protect people from attack, and though the Dark Lord was gone, the memory of what his name could invoke still inspired great and terrible fear.

3.  CANON FAMILIES

Certain canon families can be expanded upon, researched, developed and changed to varying degrees - but only if these canon families are very obscure in the books. Think of Mulciber and Avery - they never even received first names, so they're good to expand on and have been extensively added to here at Hallows and Horcruxes. Or maybe Sally-Anne Perks and her family - a character quite literally mentioned only once in the entire series is a fantastic place to begin expanding.

Canon families that play major roles, such as any of the major pureblood families (Black, Malfoy, Weasley, etc) or belong to major character roles such as Dumbledore or Granger, cannot in any way be altered.

If you are curious about a family you would like to make changes to, check the Pureblood Registry. If you still have questions, PM THE PHOENIX to discuss the matter. Please do not ask to change a major canon family.

[THE PHOENIX]

Wizarding Laws

The laws of the wizarding world are more in depth in J.K. Rowling's universe than most sites give them credit for. We at Hallows and Horcruxes appreciate the laws J.K. put in place for her world and have, to a degree, expanded on some, while choosing to enforce others. This is because we wish to provide as realistic a wizarding world as can be provided outside the actual works of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, while still incorporating our AU elements and the ideas of our members.

1. THE DECREE OF SECRECY

It is often believed that the Secrecy Act came into play in 1689, as much of the wizarding world went underground at this time – however, this was when discussions were first set in motion. The Act itself did not become a legal mandate until 1692. The International Confederation of Wizards, including delegations of goblins, centaurs and merpeople, met to enact the statute.

These dates are provided to us in J.K. Rowlings additional works, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as well as Tales of Beedle the Bard in which Albus Dumbledore discusses the act and the point in which the wizarding world went underground.

The Secrecy Act is something that is deeply important to the wizarding world and something that the Wizarding War places at considerable risk. How this will affect Hallows and Horcruxes and its plotlines in the future is unknown, but what should be recognized is the following points:

• It is illegal for a witch or wizard to reveal themselves to a Muggle without the consent of the Ministry of Magic. This means that background stories involving Muggle and Wizarding parents should include mention of the difficult decision to reveal the secret or not, and how that decision ultimately affected the family.
  
  
• It is illegal to do magic in front of Muggles. This means that background stories and plots involving acts of magic around Muggles will not be tolerated without good reason, and good reason is subject to admin perspective. As such, be sure to think such acts through carefully and be willing to accept consequences to characters who partake in such acts.
  
  
• A lot of people presume that it is the Headmaster of Hogwarts who informs the families of Muggleborns about the existence of magic and the decree, because it was mentioned very briefly that a member of Hogwarts staff tends to deliver the news to the families.
  
  There's been a lot of discussion on it, and for the sake of H&H we chose to go for the more logical suggestion that prevails through the fandom that the Ministry manages this, which is noteworthy for those of you making Muggleborn characters, original or otherwise.
  
  As the Decree of Secrecy is very much a matter of wizarding law, it doesn't really make sense for ordinary teachers to be breaking the news to Muggle families - nor does it seem plausible for one member (The Headmaster) to visit all these families themselves without the copious use of a Time-Turner.

2. UNDERAGE MAGIC

Underage magic is not only illegal, it is also heavily monitored by the Ministry of Magic, but it does have its systematic flaws. Is it possible in character creation to utilize and manipulate those flaws? Yes, to a degree. Will we accept all manipulations on this law? Not necessarily, and definitely not without very good reason.

• Underage magic in Muggleborn households.
  
  Never going to happen. Due to the fact that the house is considered Muggle by the Ministry, any magic on these premises will be blamed upon the resident wizard or witch if they are underage. As magic before Muggles is illegal, disciplinary action may be required depending on the age of the witch or wizard, and the severity of the action.
  
  
• Underage magic in Half-Blood households.
  
  This one will be very tricky and will be considered a grey area that has the potential to get the adult wizard in just as much trouble as the underage one. Magic before Muggles is illegal no matter what the age, so if one parent is a Muggle there is a high chance for trouble. If the magic comes from the parent and not the child, disciplinary action will be taken even if the other parent is fully informed; just because they know magic exists does not mean a witch or wizard is fully authorized to show them magic willy nilly. If the magic comes from the child, like in Muggleborn cases, disciplinary action will be taken according to the age of the child and the severity of the action.
  
  
• Underage magic in pureblood households.
  
  And here we find our ultimate loophole; magic in pureblood households. This is not strictly monitored due to the fact the Ministry expects magic to be very frequent in pureblood households and it becomes much more difficult to follow the Trace in such scenarios. This is where one will find the biggest wiggle room for the underage laws.
  
  As long as a child remains within family property, where magic is frequently cast, pureblood children can use underage magic. Its not legal, but many pureblood wizarding families overlook this and very, very few get caught. Many of those who are caught can afford to pay to have it overlooked, as well. As previously mentioned this is where the wiggle room truly rests.
  

While I'm sure some of you love the idea of all the wiggling room presented by pureblood families, it must be stressed that original pureblood lines are banned from Hallows and Horcruxes. This means no original character can have a pureblood parent that is not canon, so make sure you check the Pureblood Registry, linked above.

We encourage building up obscure canons and have put a great deal of time and effort into the Pureblood Registry for those of you who really, really want to play a pureblood character, so please make use of it!

3. WEREWOLVES

Werewolf rights have been in contention with the Ministry since 1310 and the codifying of magical laws began falling into place. For centuries, werewolves were considered inhuman beasts, and there were even divisions in the Ministry dedicated to the slaying of them.

Over time, the definition of 'werewolf' came under stress as people began fighting for their rights as human beings, as opposed to beasts. The Ministry first made an effort toward offering werewolves rights in 1637 with the creation of the Werewolf Code of Conduct.

In the original Werewolf Code, it was decreed that any lycanthrope whom wilfully attacked humans could - and would - be slain. It was also decreed that werewolves were to register themselves and keep clear of people during their moon phases.

As time progressed, the definition of 'werewolf' bounced back and forth between Beast and Being, and eventually the divisions for slaying werewolves were cut out of the Ministry due to the demands of activists and eventual changes to the Werewolf Code.

In 1817 it was written that the slaying of a werewolf without just cause would be constituted as murder and would therefore be illegal. This caused some outrage among certain pureblood families and unrest among those who made a living by hunting and slaying werewolves during the full moon. Nevertheless, the decree remained.

Werewolves are, to this day, highly prejudiced against. Very few people will employ a werewolf for any given length of time, and the one known remedy for assisting them in keeping their wits during the fullmoon is excruciatingly difficult to make and possesses ingredients that are not easy to come by, making it an expensive potion that few werewolves can afford.

The Ministry for Magic is far more lenient on the slaying of werewolves than it pretends to be, and werewolf activists are not as well heard as everyone likes to pretend. Creating a werewolf is permitted, and in fact encouraged here at Hallows and Horcruxes as we love to see our world expanded.

However, creating a werewolf means leading a hard life, and risking prejudice and even the possibility of being hunted simply for being what you are - rather like a muggleborn, what with the war going on, except much larger. It is also a very considerable character flaw, so be sure to find ways to balance that. Remus is, as a man, very gentle and kind, while Fenrir as a man is just as ferocious and cruel as he is when he is a wolf; there are just as many ways to be a werewolf as there are to be a man, so keep that in mind!

As of March 1997, werewolf hunting is once again a legalized practice.

4. VAMPIRES

These folks are not vastly covered in J.K. Rowlings universe, but taking what we know and combining it with how Hallows and Horcruxes works, Vampires are just as despised, prejudiced against and low on the totem pole as werewolves are.

The first thing you must know if you choose to make a vampire character is that the vampires of J.K. Rowlings world were nothing like the ones in Twilight, nor even the ones in Anne Rice's works. They do not sparkle - and if they do, your application will be deleted without warning (this IS your warning) - nor are they all powerful denizens of the night.

Vampires are classified as beings, and have rights according to the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans which was set by the Ministry for Magic. In 1817, the twelfth paragraph was added stating that the slaying of a vampire without just cause would be constituted as murder and would therefore be illegal; just as it was done for the werewolves, the Ministry remained more lenient on the killing of vampires than they claimed to be.

Vampires are despised by centuars and merpeople, are not considered human, are not wizards - but can carry the magic gene. They are sensitive to garlic and sunlight, and in JK Rowlings universe are sickly, gaunt beings. Here at Hallows and Horcruxes, we have created a unique vampire race original to us, so we encourage you to take a look at them in our Species List.

5. HORCRUXES

It goes without saying that these are illegal. However it should be noted that here on H&H they are also banned. We do not believe in allowing many little Voldemorts to run amuck upon our lovely wizarding world. There is but one Dark Lord, and only one individual who may have horcruxes, and that is Voldemort. Please do not create a character, or request at any point to make a character, with a Horcrux unless that character is Voldemort and he happens to be free. Thank you.