How long is a year? Each “year” here is not really a year, because I really don’t want to keep people for seven years, that would be absurd, and ten year olds now would be seniors in high school by the time they graduated. Instead, a “year” at Hogwarts will be six weeks. This means that you can graduate in…can anyone do math? You can graduate in 42 weeks, which is less than a year. After that, you can either be a professor at Hogwarts, or be let out into the world. Don’t worry, you can be a professor without having gone through the 42 week school process! See below
How do I become a student? Simply send an e-mail to profcassity@Hotmail.com saying that you’d like to enroll. Please include your name and e-mail. You’ll be contacted with further instructions.
How do I become a teacher? Again, send an e-mail to profcassity@hotmail.com saying you’d like to be a professor, your name, and what subject you’d like to teach.
Do I have to be a first year? I don’t care if you’ve read them twenty times each, you’re a first year. No questions asked.
Do I have to use my real name? NO! Not only that, but it’s more fun if you have an alias. It gets you into the spirit of things!
Can I be a Harry Potter character? Another big NO!!!!! I will not accept applications with any first name or surname of any character even vaguely mentioned in the books (and I know them all, I think, so don’t test me). So please, no Harry Marvolo Dumbledore, because that’s no fun at all.
Is this an RPG? In a way, yes, but mostly no. This isn’t done through chats or message boards, but mainly through e-mail. So if you have an e-mail account, you're set. There are several chats and message boards sprinkled around campus, but the focus isn’t to use chats. Of course, it is a Role Playing Game in that it’s a game where you’re expected to assume a character, but it’s not particularly in depth, and if you never want to talk to another student at all, you don’t have to.
Do I have to do my homework? Unless the teacher of the class has specified otherwise, the standard policy is that you lose no points by not doing homework, but you can always gain points by doing it. So, in effect, you do lose points because you aren’t gaining what you could. But I understand that sometimes those silly muggles in your life (teachers, parents, siblings) can get in the way and prevent you from doing homework. Although I do want to hear that everyone’s at least tried to break into the cupboard beneath the stairs where the Dursleys are hiding your schoolbooks.
What if I don’t like the house I’m in? The short answer: Tough. The long answer: We’re exceedingly sorry, but unless you lied on your application, we feel you fit where you do. The sorting hat and the school work together, but we will NEVER say “well, there are too many Gryffindors and not enough Slytherins, we’ll even out the number a bit by moving this person there.” If there’s a serious debate, we may go with the least populated, but never if it’s a clear decision. Also, please don’t rig your sorting essays by slipping in keywords that assure you a house. These include “brave,” “cunning,” ”clever,” ”loyal,” and other things of that sort. I can see right through that, and may decide to put you in Slytherin for being so manipulative. I love Slytherin, by the way, I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as the books make it out to be. I will not, however, favor Slytherin. That wouldn’t be sporting at all!
I forgot a password, what do I do? Write to your prefect if it’s your common room password, using the e-mail address that you’ve been using for everything else. If it’s a textbook password, write to the headmaster. But please, keep a list of all passwords that are given out. Also, do not ask for passwords from students other than prefects or Head Boy and Girl. If this is seen on a message board or chat, points will be taken off your house, no matter how well intentioned you were.
Where are the textbooks? The textbooks are all in the library. You must buy them first at Diagon Alley, after which you will be contacted with a password for each book. Keep a list of these passwords. Once they are bought and you have received the passwords, you may go to the Library and type in the password for the book. Please, do not give these passwords out to others. You had to pay for them, they should too.
How do I earn house points? The easiest way is to go to classes and do homework! Other than that, you can report things that are wrong with the site, as well as do some of the activities around the site that can earn you points (these are marked). Prefects, teachers, and I can all take off or give out house points. So be nice to us!
Can I be an Animagus? No. Occasionally, very very very very very rarely, a particularly good student will be noted by the administration and professors and may have a shot at being an Animagus. But if you ask, your chances automatically go down. Also, the students chosen will be in a higher grade level. So, except for very special cases, the answer is no, you may not. And please, no illegal Animagi either.
How can I earn money? By being a teacher (teachers get <> galleons a week), or by using your allowance. Each student will be sent an allowance from home that will be infused into their account. Other ways include helping out with the site in various ways.
How do I become a Prefect/Head Boy or Girl? When it comes time to appoint prefects, send your name in to your head of house (found in your common room). They will pick from the list of names sent in who should be prefect. After that, the administration will choose from the prefects which two should be Head Boy and Girl. The best way to be considered for either is to be an involved member of the school. Post things on the message boards, chat, and always do your homework. No one’s going to expect you to be superhuman, and if you miss a lesson or two the world won’t end, but the more involved you are, the better known you’ll be, and the more you’ll be considered.
How does Quidditch work? It’s being worked on, but here’s what we’ve got now. As of now, there will be a players-only message board that can be viewed by everyone but only posted on by players. The players can communicate there to help each other in scoring points. The way to earn points is to find the hidden links all over the pages (they won’t be too hard to find), and click on them. The links will go to a page that has a trivia question as well as a name on it. The name, for example, is “Hufflepuff Seeker,” which indicates that only the Hufflepuff Seeker may answer this question. The Hufflepuff Seeker can go to their board and ask for help, or they can send in the answer to the question. Other Quidditch players, and no one else, may give help. The seeker will get 150 points for answering their question, the beaters will each get 15 points per question, the keeper will get 25 points per question, and the chasers will gain 10 points per question. The chasers and beaters can work together in that they can all answer the questions meant for their positions. However, they should communicate. If two answers are given for one question, the question will not count, unless they are sent within the same five minutes or so, in which case the first will be accepted. There will be one question for the seeker, two for the keeper, three for the beaters, and five for the chasers. For more information, go to the Quidditch pitch. To be on the quidditch team, send an e-mail to your head of house.
How do classes work? The professors will change the lessons every few days, you should check them every three or so. When you view the new lesson, you should read it and send the homework to the professor who teaches that class. They will tally up your house points and your house will be credited. For questions about an individual class, talk to that teacher.
Which classes do I go to? Upon your enrollment, you should have been sent a list of which classes to attend. To summarize, in case that got lost:
First Year: Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, HOM, DADA
Second Year: Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, HOM, DADA
Third Year: Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, HOM, DADA, as well as two of the electives. Electives: COMC, Divination, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy
Fourth-Seventh Year: Potions, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, HOM, DADA, as well as three of the electives. Electives: COMC, Divination, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy
What are the rules of classes? Each class is different, but the standard rules are as follows:
Turn in homework for points
Respect the teacher
Do not share passwords for textbooks
Do not copy homework from others
Each teacher will let you know on their class page if there is deviation from this for their class specifically.
Can I be a teacher and a student? We’d really rather you didn’t, because so much of this site is trying to be realistic. If Hermione could have been a student and a teacher, I imagine she would have done so…therefore…we’d really like it if you picked one and made it the best you can make it. We know you can make two characters and no one will ever know, but we ask that you don’t do that. Please.
Can I have more than one student character? We’d really prefer if you didn’t. Obviously, there are ways of doing it so that we’ll never know there are two of you. But instead, why not put all of your energy into the one you’ve already got? Play Quidditch, become a prefect, and excel at all of your homework.
What are these weird abbreviations?
Here’s a brief glossary:
COMC = Care of Magical Creatures
HOM = History of Magic
DADA = Defence Against the Dark Arts
SS or PS = Sorcerer’s Stone or Philosopher’s Stone, the first book
CS or CoS = Chamber of Secrets, the second book
PA or PoA = Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book
GF or GoF = Goblet of Fire, the fourth book
OP or OotP = Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book (not released yet)
FB = Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
QA = Quidditch Through the Ages
JK or JKR = J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books
HP = Harry Potter, of course!
RPG = Role Playing Game
FAQ = I don’t think you need this…Frequently Asked Questions
