First, let me introduce myself: my name is Solomon Lear, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am also the Head Administrator of this site but not the site owner, however I run this site in place of the site owner.

Before welcoming you to the greatest school of magic, I wish to give you some guidance and tell you a bit about our community. We are a Harry Potter site that works within the same universe as Harry Potter (so this is not an AU or "Alternate Universe" setting), Harry Potter did go to this school and he graduated in 1998. The present year is 2019, so Harry, Ron and Hermione have graduated many years ago. This site is looking for unique characters run by players as we make an original story years after the events in the Harry Potter series. Please do not try to make a character from another book series or from Rowling's work, we want to see something creative by you.

1. Hogwarts.io is a roleplay website with a rating of 2-1-2 (via RPGrating).
   • Language (2): Swearing is generally permitted, with some limitations. We do not allow racial or ethnic slurs (except mudblood) and we do not allow players to swear out of character at each other.
   • Sex (1): Mild sexual innuendo and references permitted. We do not allow graphic content of a sexual nature in this community.
   • Violence (2): Explicit violence is permitted but we do not allow mentions of suicide attempts, self harm or severe mental illness in this community.
2. Roleplay messages here are expected to be 200 words long as a minimum. 
3. We are a brand new community, just over a year old and many of the cool things we hope to do are still under development. You are on the ground level of this site that we hope will last long term.
4. We have recently released a Pet System, pets do cost galleons so you will not be able to start your time at Hogwarts with a pet however when you earn enough money consider purchasing one.
5. We have recently released a Race System/Abilities System so that players can have access to some special races (such as half-Veela). You cannot apply for or mention special abilities or powers or races in character creation. You need to have an approved account because the systems involved in these abilities and special races requires a fully informed player. If you are planning on playing a special race (like Veela) or have a special ability like Parselmouth, don't discuss those special powers or traits in your application. You will be asked to edit that out.
6. We are in a public beta of a Quidditch System, we will be doing some special work on brooms as well. Soon this will be open to everyone.
7. We have a unique Spell System, meaning that you learn spells by taking classes and through experience with your peers. Players will not be able to metagame automatically knowing spells because their off-screen parent, friend or sibling taught them but they will be able to learn spells in class. So as a new student you will not be able to Avada Kedavra on your enemies when you first join the school nor will you have access to "An Idiots Guide to Dark Magic" or the schematics on how to make a Philosopher's Stone in your backpack but you will have many opportunities to learn some neat and amazing spells.

Click on the frame, located at the top right of the page and click on "Profile". Write down a description of your character's pre-Hogwarts history with at least 220 words.

We are looking for the following:

• What is their personality?
• What do they look like?
• Tell us a bit about their history, we will not be accepting obviously abusive backgrounds.
• How or when did their magic first surface. You need to be magical to attend Hogwarts!
• Please pay close attention to your spelling, a human reads this. 

Finally, add a picture of your character: do not forget that your character is only eleven-years old, they should look the part.

• Please do not use selfies (this is for your personal safety).
• Do not use images of your real-life (RL) friends or another player's RL picture.
• Do not use a picture of a canon character from the Harry Potter series (such as Draco), we want unique characters in our setting.
• Remember that your image must be a face claim and human.

Having any connections to canon characters
Ex: “My Father is Draco Malfoy”
This rule is self explanatory, however, any sort of canon relation is not allowed. Even characters that aren’t  main, such as the Lovegoods, cannot be validated. However, having a similar last name is allowed, if the bio clearly states that they are not related.

Having a character that isn’t human and/or has  special abilities
Ex:  Being a werewolf or a seer
We have an Ability and Race Registry, please don't discuss special powers or races in your initial character creation post.

Having a character that is not 11 years of age
This does not need an example, and again, is a self explanatory rule. We all start at 11 years of age, when joining Hogwarts. No characters above this age will be accepted.

Having a selfie as a user avatar
Due to security, and wanting the best for our players, it is not allowed to have a selfie as a PFP. This is something that the Validation Team actively checks.

Having a picture that does not represent an 11 year old child
Naturally, the user avatar must be of an 11 year old human child, if it is not, then the account will not be validated.

Having explicit violence, self harm, or other triggering topics in the backstory section
Having a tragic backstory is a popular thing for most of our users, however, we have younger members on the site. To make sure that we do not expose our younger members to triggering content, this rule is in place. Remember that we do accept certain violent and traumatic upbringings, however, they must not be talked about in graphic detail. The validation team might ask you to alter your back ground or to omit certain references to keep us within the site rating.

Overly powerful characters
Ex:” At the age of 11 I am the next dark lord, ready to take over London for good. I can shoot fire from my hands and am super strong I can also read minds and control animals!”

Everyone starts at the same level, while learning one or two spells that are at a first year level may be okay for some of the pure or half bloods, having a character that knows spells far beyond their age and skill limit.

Once you are set, you will be able to purchase supplies on Diagon Alley, where all shops are located. You will have to buy all the items listed in the Supply List in order to get your account validated.

You need to go shopping!

Click on "Owls received" to find the Supply List. Then, click on the  Floo Network, at the bottom left of the page. Chose "Diagon Alley" and by hovering your mouse on the Diagon Alley panel on the left side of the page, click it, and choose the shops you would like to visit.

Yes, of final note is the fact that we only allow one account per user. This means that we do not allow multi-accounts and obviously we do not allow banned users to return to our community unless their ban was temporary. We actively check new accounts for this and monitor existing accounts as well because having multiple accounts would grant a user a potentially unfair advantage over other players and it would be very difficult for the staff to manage players with multiple identities.

If you have a friend or a family member that is also a part of our community presently or in the past, please have them contact us so we can validate your account.

Before you finish shopping: Make sure you are happy with your overall character. We will not allow new accounts (a deactivation of your present account so that you can make a new one) until six months after your registration date. Six months is a long time to spend with someone. Make sure it is someone you like! 

Please also note that there are some things that are not within your character's control such as what house you are sorted into (which is a weighted tool that is based on the answers you give) or your wand which is truly a random event. We will not deactivate your account so you can "try again," because on the Pottermore site you got something else, or because you were "distracted" when you did your sorting, because this is your first RP opportunity where you deal with your in character elation or disappointment regarding your house or wand.



Now that your supplies have been bought, your biography has been completed and you have been approved to enter Hogwarts you will be allowed to enter the vicinity of Hogwarts and be part of the Sorting Ceremony where the Sorting Hat is expecting you. The House you will be sorted into will become your second home for the rest of your years at Hogwarts. And remember the sorting hat is never wrong... (So think carefully about your answers because your House cannot be changed.) 

Once you have been granted a House you can start roleplaying right away. We have an active Discord community that you are also free to join. You will get more information regarding our rules and how to get access to our discord once you are validated.

A common question many of us are asked is: when can I start to take classes. It will take you ten days of waiting from the time you are validated and twenty posts by your account for you to be able to access the homework system. 

Do not hesitate to visit the Bulletin Board, created especially for new members. You will find there many pieces of advice to ensure you a smooth integration. If you have any questions, you can email us at the muggle email address below.

Another place that is worth a visit is the Owlery where you can send out in-character owls to your family (as solo topics) or you can send in character owls to the friends you meet in Hogwarts. If you are looking to meet someone new, consider signing up for Quill Palls.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at the following e-mail.