guidebook

This is our guide to everything on TB. We've been around for a little while but that doesn't mean you have to know everything that's ever happened here. If you're curious, we'll fill you in. But as long as you're familiar with the current events and events of the last year or so, you'll be fine. We also have a Timeline here for easy access - each year summarized in a sentence or two.

how tb works

So we were made with one goal in mind: to roleplay the books with the addition of original characters and see what changes that makes. Now we are in Post-Potter so it doesn't matter so much now, but you can see that we have had changes to the plot (ex. Harry didn't marry Ginny) and that is why.

Our time also moves by quickly here. Every 2 weeks is a new roleplay month. So if September 1st was January, then on September 15th, it would be February on site.

We have no word count and accept all levels of writers. Everyone is welcome.

We also have a short application. While it may look spread out due to the coding, it is rather short. If you want to elaborate and add more to it, you can, but then it may take longer, of course.

expectations (or lack there of)

Our expectations of you is very little. We just want everyone to have fun here, including ourselves. You can read the rules for full information but here's a summary.

-- Respect everyone on here - member and staff alike.

-- Everyone has different levels of activity due to real life, muse, etc., which is why we have a very relaxed activity requirement. At least one roleplaying post every 8 weeks. Once it's at that point, you're clearly not active here anymore so you'll be unsorted but you are always welcome to return. (:

-- Get as involved or not involved as you want! If you want to be a big player in the plot, do it. If you want to just have some personal plots, do it. If you want to do slice of life, do it. If you want to rock the world, do it. The only thing we ask of you is that you are realistic. If you wanna be the next big bad, go for it, but you can't just suddenly be the big bad 5 minutes after making the character. You've gotta do things to get to that point for at least a few months first.

-- The above also includes aspects of the site. You don't have to buy things in our interactive shop, or you can buy everything! You can do classes, quests, Quidditch and more if you want, but you aren't obligated to. However, those are aspects you can dive into if you are interested.

lore

We are strictly by the books in terms of how magic works and creatures. However, there are some exceptions. We can make additions where J.K. Rowling hasn't written anything. For example, we have quite an international setting and have made up magical creatures in Africa based on real life lore.

It is also worth noting that because we have been around since 2006, we had to guess at things back then that Rowling never said. So some things about vampires or Veela may not be what you are used to so make sure to read the guide in Sign-Ups/Claims.

While we are open to making additions to our lore, we won't be making any changes or deletions to existing lore. So if you want to do something that directly conflicts with Rowling's description of something or how magic works in the Harry Potter world, then it will unfortunately not be allowed on here.

wizarding populations

For a rough guide on how many people live in TB's main countries:

England: 4,300
Hogsmeade (City State): 50
Ireland: 360
Scotland: 400
Wales: 225

misc additions/changes

These are some additions or changes to the Potterverse canon due to events on site. These are the main ones that may affect many so make sure you're aware of them.

Werewolves and vampires are allowed at Hogwarts as of 1999. Werewolves were temporarily banned from Hogwarts from 2004-2006.

Student werewolves now go to a retreat in Hogsmeade specifically built for them during their transformations. They stay there the whole time and have a library, common room and anything else they need. Ministry guards watch over during the night while they take their potions.

There are various magical creatures reserves we have set in our world here - a Hippogriff sanctuary in Norway, a unicorn sanctuary in France, a general magical creatures sanctuary in Italy (Castelluccio) (various smaller creatures + 1 dragon in the mountains), and the dragon sanctuary in Romania from the books.

The Daily Prophet is located in Hogsmeade after their headquarters in Diagon Alley were blown up in the Diagon Alley Fiasco of 2001. They never moved back.

Durmstrang started accepting Muggleborns since 2000. It was also attacked in 2012 and rebuilt with a brand new curriculum later that year.

The Triwizard Tournament was replaced by the Dodecawizard Tournament. For more information, check out the Student Life tab.

As of 2012, full Veela and Goblins are allowed to attend Hogwarts (they have a different curriculum and a special class just for them).

In 2014, Hogwarts built a Dueling Tower.

In 2016, Midlothian Passage was built in Edinburgh (similar to Diagon Alley).

In 2022, Scotland gained independence from the U.K.

jobs

We have a list of jobs in the Applications board, but they really are infinite. As long as it can work in the Harry Potter universe or as a Muggle, you can do it.

job changes

Your character doesn't have to keep the same job forever. Just reply to the job threads in the careers & jobs board to change it.

job qualifications

There are certain NEWT requirements to qualify for certain jobs. However, if you're making a brand new adult, that's up to you. But you can use that to know what subjects they would have had to be good at in school.

Adults 5+ years out of school can be hired based on life/job experience if they didn't get the NEWT back in school. Ex. If they got an E in D.A.D.A. but worked as an Auror for 5 years. They would still be a good candidate to teach D.A.D.A. at Hogwarts.

ministry descriptions

There are some Ministry jobs that aren't really obvious what they actually do or how they can be compared to in the Muggle world. Here is a quick run-down for you.

Auror - FBI

Magical Law Enforcement Squad - Police Officer

Hit Wizard - SWAT Team

Witch Watchers - Anti-Terrorism

Wizengamot - High court / Supreme court

International Confederation of Wizards - United Nations

Unspeakables - Scientists

student life

For all intensive purposes, this is about student life at Hogwarts. Roleplaying as a student at another school will be substantially different.

classes & exams

Classes occur here on TB. However, they are not mandatory. But they are fun and easy for your character to get to know many other characters quickly. Plus, you may win extra awards for being active in classes.

Exams are required but are super simple and all the answers are found on site. They also are only multiple choice so you never have to write a paragraph or anything like that.

quidditch

We roleplay Quidditch here too. It's at least 3 games per year. We have a system found in the Rules/Announcements board which is how we play the game fairly and make sure it progresses. It's a mix between roleplaying and a random number generator.

student events

We usually have at least one student event per year: a dance, party, tournament or something else. So keep your eyes peeled. It'll be an announcement on all boards.

dodecawizard tournament

Once every 5 years, six wizarding schools get together for the Dodecawizard Tournament. 2 Champions from each school compete for a total of 12 participants. It is hosted at a different school each year and the participants are 16+ as of Halloween of that school year.

During this year, if Hogwarts isn't the host, the host school will also be expanded on the main board so the main forums may be a bit longer than usual.

major events

These are some major events that your character would absolutely know about. If they were from a different country not in western Europe, they might not know about the British ones but the Wizarding Plague was worldwide.

Battle of Hogwarts (1998) - We all know this story. Big battle, many lives lost, and Voldemort defeated.

Diagon Alley Fiasco (2001) - A festival to mark the 3 year anniversary since the Battle of Hogwarts. It was ruined when three shops exploded (WWW, Madam Malkin's and Daily Prophet), killing ~30 people and injuring many.

The Kidnapping of Hermione (2003) - Despite the title, this was actually a huge battle. A few students even died. The beginning of Mortenero (8 founding members) got into the castle and battled to get to Hermione. Some others took advantage of the situation and their love of fighting as well.

British-Italian War (2002-2005) - After quite a few events including a few assassinations of high up Ministry officials, Britain declared war on Italy. There was even forced enlistment for a time.

Assassination of the Minister of Magic (2005) - "Harry Potter" assassinated the Minister for Magic. His name wasn't cleared until 2013.

Rise of Mortenero (2005-2013) - Mortenero was a blood purist group led by Giovanna Nero. They controlled the country for a few years too. The Order came back and Harry Potter started a new group called the Red Capes (2009-2013) who were more ruthless than the Order in doing what had to be done.

Wizarding Plague (2011-2013) - A Muggleborn extremist got ahold of the extremely fatal and airborne wizarding plague that was kept in quarantine in the Ministry since there was no cure. She kept the country at gunpoint, so to speak, and forced them to undo the pro-pureblood laws Mortenero put in place otherwise she would release the plague. The cure was created by Eliza Cunningham, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy after working on it since 2011 and administered worldwide June 2013. At the same time, the plague was activated and released. 98.2% of the wizarding world was saved. 18 out of every 1,000 people were not.

Battle of Hogsmeade (2012) - The Muggleborn extremist got the three main groups (Mortenero, Order and the Red Capes) all to meet at Hogsmeade and cursed the town for everyone to have more aggression. It was an all out fight and many buildings and friendships were destroyed. In time,they were rebuilt.

Battle of Edinburgh (2017) - The Ministry raided Liberamach's headquarters and killed one of their leaders, Five Kerr.

British Civil War (2020-2022) - The Ministry went to war with Liberamach and the free peoples of the north.

Scottish Independence (2022) - Scotland became independent from the U.K.

site timeline

1991 -- Harry Potter and his friends begin their first year at Hogwarts. Along with the help of his new friends, Harry Potter stops Voldemort from getting the Philosopher's Stone, but the Dark Lord still lingers on...

1992 -- Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year. The Chamber of Secrets is opened and Harry Potter (unknowingly) defeats one of Voldemort's horcruxes and the monster that lived in the Chamber.

1993 -- Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts. Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. Dementors guard Hogwarts for extra security measures.

Spring 1994 -- Sirius Black escapes the hands of the dementors with the help of his godson, Harry Potter. Peter Pettigrew escapes to return to his master.

Fall 1994 -- A group of ex-Death Eaters create havoc at the Quidditch World Cup. The Triwizard Tournament is hosted by Hogwarts.

Spring 1995 -- Voldemort used the Triwizard Tournament to get ahold of Harry, transporting him to a graveyard via portkey and using his blood to get a body back. He returned and started his ascension to power once more.

Spring 1996 -- Umbridge took over Hogwarts. Harry was led to the Ministry to retrieve a prophecy for Voldemort. Amelia Kirsch stepped into the way of Bellatrix's spell and died instead of Sirius Black.

Fall 1996 -- A new Death Eater returns to Hogwarts. Hormones take over Harry and the rest of his year and many attempts on Dumbledore's life fall flat.

Spring 1997 -- The Death Eaters penetrate Hogwarts and Severus Snape kills Dumbledore. Draco Malfoy and Giovanna Nero run off with their Death Eater families.

Summer 1997 -- The Minister is killed and Voldemort takes over the Ministry of Magic. All muggleborns go into hiding and it is declared that all children of age are required to go to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione begin their search for Horcruxes.

Spring 1998 -- Harry Potter defeats Voldemort and his Horcruxes.

Summer 1998 -- Kingsley Shacklebolt is named Minister for Magic and Minerva McGonagall is the new Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Summer 1999 -- The 'Reaper', as is named by the Ministry of Magic, killed over seventeen people in the past year, targeting those who travelled from the future many years prior.

Fall 1999 -- The Triwizard Tournament happens at Firenze Academy. However, it was turned into the Dodecawizard Tournament: 6 schools participated with 2 Champions from each school.

Spring 2000 -- One of the Champions from Salem Academy (Melinda Wilkins) won the Dodecawizard Tournament.

Spring 2001 -- The Reaper escaped from Azkaban.

Summer 2001 -- A Festival was put on at Diagon Alley to celebrate the victory over Voldemort and the Death Eaters. It was attacked by Giovanna Nero. Many shops were destroyed and many were killed.

Winter 2001 -- Stuart Thawley becomes the new Minister for Magic. They increase the hunt for Giovanna Nero for the Diagon Alley Fiasco.

Spring 2002 -- An Italian assassinates the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Head Auror. The Italian Minister states that their Ministry did not condone the act. Thawley is not convinced.

Fall 2002 -- Britain declares war on Italy, fed up with all of their aggressions and meddling in Britain.

Spring 2003 -- Giovanna Nero and a band of blood purists attack Hogwarts, killing and injuring many, all to kidnap Hermione to torture and make an example of her.

Summer 2003 -- Hermione Granger is tortured for months in a remote cabin in Spain by Giovanna Nero and then released in terrible shape in Diagon Alley with a message to the Minister: 'You're fighting the wrong war.'

Fall 2003 -- People start to doubt Thawley a little, though most are still supportive of him.

Winter 2003 -- Hogwarts hosts an International Cultural Exchange for a weekend, inviting staff and students from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Xanadu, Augustine, Selveira, Salem & Dahshur to visit Hogwarts.

Summer 2004 -- Minister for Magic, Stuart Thawley, forces enlistment in his army (the National Defense Squad) in his desperate effort to win the war against Italy. Many are imprisoned to Azkaban for not showing up for assignment. Harry Potter leads a rescue for many of them and subsequently reinstates the Order to deal with the 'Giovanna problem' as the Ministry is too distracted with Italy.

Fall 2004 -- The Dodecawizard Tournament happens at Beauxbatons. The partcipating schools were Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Salem, Xanadu and Augustine.

Spring 2005 -- The war between Britain and Italy rages on as an internal struggle between the Ministry, Mortenero and the Order escalates.

Winter 2005 -- Harry Potter assassinates the Minister for Magic, Stuart Thawley. Or so all evidence points towards. Harry's extreme disappearnce, even from the Order Members, doesn't help his case. Emily Burke becomes the new Minister for Magic.

Summer 2006 -- Giovanna Nero is pardoned when sufficient proof shows that she was actually kidnapped for the past five years in Canada. At least, there's a lot of evidence to prove it, and she has friends in the Wizengamot, so it must be true. Harry Potter is imprisoned for the assassination of the Minister for Magic, Stuart Thawley. Hogwarts starts to teach Dark Arts Theory.

Spring 2007 -- Sirius Black, Katie Bell and James Porter break Harry Potter out of Azkaban.

Fall 2007 -- Theodore Whitlock III becomes the new Minister for Magic. It is now against the law to marry your first, second or third cousin.

Summer 2008 -- It is now illegal for purebloods to marry or pro-create with non-purebloods. Any marriage between a pureblood and non-pureblood no longer exists. Harry Potter releases an article in the Quibbler protesting against the Ministry and their new marriage law and requesting everyone to stand up and be their own hero. He starts running around in a red cape and saving people, even muggles (not using magic). Some muggles mistaken him for the muggle comic book hero, The Flash.

Spring 2009 -- Purebloods now get a bonus of 25 Galleons per child per month for each Pureblood child they have.

Summer 2009 -- Harry Potter showed up at Hogwarts to draw Mortenero to him so they could battle. Both the Red Capes and Mortenero fought, but neither side was victorious. It was a stalemate and both sides went their separate ways unchanged.

Fall 2009 -- The Dodecawizard Tournament (Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Firenze, Salem, Augustine) was hosted in Augustine.

Spring 2010 -- Willem Tuinstra, a Durmstrang student, won the Dodecawizard Tournament. Eliza Cunningham and Hermione Granger start to remember things from timeline1.

Summer 2010 -- An arranged marriage program was developed by the Ministry, which is optional and only for Purebloods to keep the magic strong.

Summer 2011 -- Muggleborn extremist, Caroline Greysmark, takes over the Ministry, threating the world with releasing the wizarding plague if anyone tries to take it back. Purebloods are all fired from the Ministry and not allowed to enter.

Winter 2011 -- The arranged marriage program has been disbanded. Marrying or procreating between a pureblood and a non-pureblood is also legal once more. Any marriages that were seen as illegitimate and therefore non-existent due to the previous law are now legitimate once more. No new ceremony is required to prove the marriage legal.

Spring 2012 -- Clara Dyer is elected the new Minister for Magic.

Summer 2012 -- An all out battle between Mortenero, the Order and the Red Capes breaks out in Hogsmeade. Much damage occurred to Phoenix Rising and Dervish and Banges. Everyone there was affected by a curse to make anyone in the area far more aggressive.

Summer 2013 -- The cure for the plague was finally created by Eliza Cunningham, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Caroline Greysmark released the plague. The cure was administered worldwide and saved many people, though there were a few casualties. The purebloods were allowed in the Ministry once more. Mortenero disbanded. The Red Capes and the Order also disbanded as they had no purpose without Mortenero or the plague to fight. Harry Potter was finally found innocent for the assassination on the late Minister for Magic, Stuart Thawley.

Fall 2013 -- The Unbelievers was founded by Five Kerr, Willem Tuinstra, and Bailey Dawson on the principles of getting out the truth that the Ministry hides and doing good when you see wrongs happening. They have lost faith in the government and believe that only regular people can take care of themselves and each other now. Anonymous was also founded by senior Mortenero members.

Fall 2014 -- The Unbelievers publish their first issue of their paper to expose the truth: The Daily Citizen. It is instantly banned at Hogwarts, but that only fuels students' desires to read it.

Winter 2014 -- Dahshur School hosts the Dodecawizard Tournament. Also in attendance are: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Firenze, and Salem. It is Dahshur's first time participating and also hosting.

Spring 2015 -- Dahshur Champion, Nisah Amari, wins the Dodecawizard Tournament. It' the first time the host school ever won the Dodecawizard Tournament.

Summer 2015 -- The Unbelievers change their name to Liberamach and their goals. They now aim to make their own government outside the Ministry and decide to start with Edinburgh. They take over Edinburgh Castle, making it their headquarters. Many members move in.

Spring 2016 -- In June, a 'polyjuice fiasco' happened at Hogwarts, where various students and faculty had their pumpkin juice spiked with polyjuice potion, turning them into various villains of the past. What ensued was an all out chaotic battle until people figured out what happened. There were no casualties.

Fall 2016 -- Hogwarts gets their first muggleborn Headmistress: Eliza Cunningham. The Sorting Hat is replaced by the Sorting Scarf. More professor positions are added at Hogwarts.

Winter 2017 -- In January, Lucius Malfoy was elected as the newest Minister for Magic.

Spring 2017 -- In May, the Ministry raided Edinburgh Castle, killing the only known leader: Five Kerr. They deny any allegations they did this. Liberamach was left scattered, having to become mobile and more secretive.

Summer 2018 -- After various deaths internationally from an unseen force or being, various governments finally stepped up and protected their citizens from the Big Threat. Various safe zones were created - people moved back to castles and enjoyed that Hogwarts-styled life. Each major wizarding school also became a safe zone and various adults nearby got to live back at their alma matter once more.

Summer 2019 -- Everyone went back to their homes after there were unrelated incidents from the Big Threat for 6 months, not since March 2019. It was never solved, however, so people were still nervous.

Fall 2019 -- Durmstrang hosted the Dodecawizard Tournament. Other schools in attendance were: Hogwarts, Salem, Selveira, Xanadu, and Augustine.

Winter 2020 -- In December 2019, The Ministry officially went to war with Liberamach and the free people in the north, throwing wizarding Britain into a civil war.

2020 -- Year of the Five Battles. There were five main battles (and many skirmishes) in the start of the civil war. They took place all over the country.

Winter 2021 -- Percy Weasley was elected as Minister for Magic. He started work on resolving the civil war as peacefully as possible. However, the first peace talks with Liberamach failed.

Fall 2021 -- After Headmistress Cunningham became a fugitive for helping a Liberamach member the previous term, she returned to Hogwarts and Lilith's reign of terror was over as she returned to only being Head of Slytherin.

Spring 2022 -- Muggle and wizarding Scotland had a referendum for independence. It passed and became an independent country from the U.K.

Summer 2022 -- Eliza Cunningham hosts a Muggleborn Festival in Hogsmeade for any current or incoming muggleborn students and their parents. It is attacked by Giovanna Nero and everyone in attendance experiences a different ancient curse. Giovanna Nero is a fugitive once more.