Hogwarts Legacy is the upcoming RPG from Avalanche, letting players take on the role of students at the school for witchcraft and wizardry. It may be set in the Wizarding World of the 1800s, but that doesn’t mean some familiar names won’t crop up as players explore the school’s ever-changing hallways, grounds, and secret passageways.
The Harry Potter universe is filled with famous families going back generations, some of whom will very likely appear at the turn of the century. Here’s what the most famous Wizarding families from Harry Potter were up to in the late 1800s, and how they might appear in Hogwarts Legacy.
The Weasleys
Because of the fact that Wizards can live to a far older age than muggles in the Wizarding World, it only takes a few generations to get back to the late 1800s. In the case of some famous characters like Dumbledore, no generational leap is needed at all, with the headmaster attending Hogwarts between 1892 and 1899.
On the other hand, Arthur Weasley’s father, Septimus Weasley, was a pure-blood wizard whose marriage to Cedrella Black caused her to be struck from the Black family tree, just as Sirius Black would be years later as revealed in Order of the Phoenix. The Weasleys were considered one of the only remaining pure-blood families until they rejected the idea of the “Sacred Twenty-Eight," which was an pure-blood supremacist idea set out by Cantankerus Nott in his book the Pure-Blood Directory. This claimed that there were just 28 remaining pure-blooded families in Great Britain.
This book and the Weasleys rejection of it came out in the 1930s, which could place Septimus Weasley’s birth at some point in the late 1800s. If both Septimus and the young Cedrella Black are included in Hogwarts Legacy, players may start to see their romance first blossom. There may be particular reasons, however, that Cedrella’s interest in Septimus could still fall under scrutiny at Hogwarts.
The Blacks
At some point in the late 1800s, Phineas Nigellus Black became Hogwarts “least popular headmaster,” again according to Sirius in The Order of the Phoenix as he explains his family tree to Harry. Phineas was a pure-blood supremacist whose students returned his dismissal and disdain. Other members of the Black family alive in the late 1800s includes Elladora Black, who attended Hogwarts from around 1861 to 1868. It’s possible the family is still reeling from the death of the 8 year-old Sirius Black the First, who lived from 1845 to 1853. With so many members of the Black family, players are likely to see at least one in attendance at Hogwarts.
The Malfoys
Draco Malfoy’s grandfather, Abraxus Malfoy, was involved in the plot to force Muggle-born Minister for Magic Nobby Leach to step down in 1968. He is said to have died of Dragon Pox, which according to Slughorn was a relatively common disease for elderly Wizards. If he was elderly for a Wizard around the time of the Harry Potter books, it is very possible that he was at Hogwarts towards the end of the 1900s.
The next major known member of the Malfoy family tree is Septimus Malfoy, who was an extremely influential member of the Ministry for Magic in the late 1700s. It’s unlikely that he’d still be alive by the time setting of Hogwarts Legacy, but it remains possible that there’s an unknown generation of Malfoys that fits in between that could be present during the events of Hogwarts Legacy.
The Lestranges
The Lestranges are known as the most fanatically supremacist Wizarding family in the world of Harry Potter, going as far as marrying within their own family to maintain their assumed superiority. From 1835 to 1841, Radolphus Lestrange served as the Minister for Magic. It is likely they still have a significant political presence by the end of the century as they would play a big role in the First Wizarding War, though that would take place nearly a full century after the plot of Hogwarts Legacy.
However, the next well-known Lestrange is Leta, who became friends with Newt Scamander when they attended Hogwarts together around 1910. It is possible her father, Corvus Lestrange, could have been present at Hogwarts during the time of Hogwarts Legacy. It’s known that he was born before 1879, which could put him at around the right age to attend Hogwarts at the same time as the player.
The Potters
Harry Potter’s great-grandfather Henry Potter served as a member of the Wizengamot – the high court of law and parliament within the ministry – from 1913 to 1932. During that time, his belief that Muggles should be helped during the First World War helped lead to his family’s exclusion from the Sacred Twenty-Eight.
Henry Potter could easily appear as a character in Hogwarts Legacy, though this inclusion of the Potter family at all might cause some problems for the game. For a start, the developer will likely be keen to tell a story which feels distinct from the books and movies, and including an H. Potter in attendance at Hogwarts may feel a bit too on-the-nose.
For the same reason, the most well-known Wizarding families may be excluded from the game, including the Weasleys and Malfoys, who may be considered too closely associated with individual characters in the books or movies. However, large families like the Blacks and Lestranges whose long family lines were mentioned in the original story may be far more likely to make an appearance, with their presence as families in the Wizarding World not intruding too much on the plot of the game.
Ultimately, the inclusion of any known Harry Potter characters or families will remain to be seen. However, it’s very likely that keen-eyed players will be able to spot references to pre-established lore in Wizarding World of the late 1800s. Whether the game will strike the right balance between referencing the original works and telling a new story remains to be seen.
Hogwarts Legacy is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
