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Since there are different sources of information for [[Harry Potter books|Harry Potter]] [[canon]] and sources do, on occasion, conflict with one another, the following guide is to be used on the [[Harry Potter Wiki:About|Harry Potter Wiki]]. In order to simplify the different areas that exist as sources for canon information in the [[Harry Potter universe]] we have devised a three tier system summarised below. Please remember any type of [[fanon]], information created by fans using the Harry Potter characters, is not considered canon at all and must be marked as such, unless made canon by a legitimate source.
   
  ⚫
Although there are different levels of canon, this does not mean relevant information cannot be included in situations where there are conflicting canon sources. Ambiguous continuity should always be noted. If an "official" canon source has been chosen, (e.g. J. K. Rowling has said that a fact was a mistake and it was meant to be something else), the information from the conflicting source should still appear in the article in the "Behind the scenes" section.
⚫
Since there are different source of information for [[Harry Potter (series)|Harry Potter]] [[canon]] and source do, on occasion, conflict with one another the following guide is to be used on the [[Harry Potter Wiki]]. In order to simplify the different areas that exist as sources for canon information in the [[Harry Potter universe]] we have devised a three tier system summarized below. Please remember any type of [[fanon]], information created by fans using the Harry Potter characters, is not considered canon at all and must be marked as such, unless made canon by a legitimate source.
  
   
  ⚫
Basically put, everything is canon unless specifically contradicted by a "higher" source.
⚫
Although there are different levels of canon, this does not mean relevent information can not be included in situations where there are conflicting canon sources. Ambiguous continuity should always be noted. If an "official" canon source has been chosen, (e.g. J. K. Rowling has said that something was a mistake and it was meant to be XYZ), the information from the conflicting source should still appear in the article (Behind the scenes maybe?).
  
   
  ⚫
==Canon tiers==
⚫
Basically put, everything in Canon unless specifically contradicted by a "higher" source.
  
  +
===Tier One: J. K. Rowling===
−  
  ⚫
These sources come from [[J. K. Rowling]] herself. She either wrote them herself, or was involved in writing/developing them. When J. K. Rowling contradicts herself, the newest source is to be taken as the "most" canon.
⚫
==Canon Tiers==
  
  +
*Books set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
⚫
*'''JKR''' - These sources come from [[J. K. Rowling]] herself. When J. K. Rowling contradicts herself the newest source is to be taken as the "most" canon.
  
  ⚫
**The seven ''Harry Potter'' novels:
−
**Books
 
  +
***{{PS}}
⚫
***The 7 Harry Potter novels
  
  +
***{{COS}}
⚫
***[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]
  
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***{{POA}}
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***[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]
  
  +
***{{GOF}}
−
**[http://www.jkrowling.com jkrowling.com]
  
  +
***{{OOTP}}
  +
***{{HBP}}
  +
***{{DH}}
  +
**Companion books to the these novels:
  ⚫
***''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)|Quidditch Through the Ages]]''
  +
***''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (real)|Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]''
  +
***''[[The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)|The Tales of Beedle the Bard]]''
  +
*Short stories set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
**[[Harry Potter prequel]]
  +
*Original scripts for films and plays set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  ⚫
**''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)]]'' (written by J. K. Rowling)
  +
**''[[Harry Potter and the Cursed Child]]'' (co-developed by J. K. Rowling and considered canon by her<ref name="goldstein">[https://twitter.com/jk_rowling J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling)] on Twitter: "[https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/615498601809211393 The story of #CursedChild should be considered canon, though. @jackthorne, John Tiffany (the director) and I developed it together.]"</ref>)
  +
*Other writings and statements pertaining to the ''Harry Potter'' universe
  +
**[[J. K. Rowling Official Site|J. K. Rowling's Official Website]]
  +
**[[Pottermore]]
 
**Interviews
  
**Interviews
  +
⚫
*'''JKR Involved''' - These sources do not contain information directely from the "mouth" of J. K. Rowling, yet they are projects that she was involved in.
  
  +
===Tier Two: JKR Involved===
−
**Movies
  
  ⚫
These sources do not contain information directly from the "mouth" of J. K. Rowling, but they are projects based on works by her, and in which she was involved in some capacity at some point.
−
*'''JKR Licensing''' - These sources are where J. K. Rowling licensed the use of the Harry Potter universe to another company or individual.
  
  +
⚫
**Video Games
  
  +
*Films
⚫
**Wizard Cards
  
  +
**The eight ''Harry Potter'' films:
−
**Trading Card Games
  
  +
***{{PS|F}}
  +
***{{COS|F}}
  +
***{{POA|F}}
  +
***{{GOF|F}}
  +
***{{OOTP|F}}
  +
***{{HBP|F}}
  +
***{{DH|F1}}
  +
***{{DH|F2}}
  +
**Other films set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
***''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)]]'' (all elements except the script/dialogue)
  +
*Official books about the making of the films:
  +
**''[[Harry Potter Film Wizardry]]''
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**''[[Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey]]''
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**''[[Harry Potter Limited Edition]]''
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*Exhibitions about the making of the films:
  +
**[[The Making of Harry Potter]]
  +
**[[Harry Potter: The Exhibition]]
  +
*Theme parks based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
**[[The Wizarding World of Harry Potter]]
  +
  +
===Tier Three: Licensed===
  +
These sources are where J. K. Rowling or Warner Bros. (the makers of the ''Harry Potter'' films and her primary licensee) licensed the use of elements of the ''Harry Potter'' universe to a third-party.
  ⚫
*Video games
  +
**Video games based on the eight ''Harry Potter'' films:
  +
***{{PS|G}}
  +
***{{COS|G}}
  +
***{{POA|G}}
  +
***{{GOF|G}}
  +
***{{OOTP|G}}
  +
***{{HBP|G}}
  +
***{{DH|G1}}
  +
***{{DH|G2}}
  +
**Other video games based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
***''[[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]''
  +
***''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
  +
***''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7]]''
  +
*Trading cards based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  ⚫
**[[Famous Wizard Cards]]
  +
**''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
  +
*Other official merchandise
   
 
==Examples of usage==
  
==Examples of usage==
−
# Oliver Wood mentions in the ''Philosopher's Stone'' film that he took a bludger to the head in the first few minutes of his first ever Quidditch game. This is never mentioned in the books. Is it Canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence from the books to say that it didn't happen.
 +
# Oliver Wood mentions in the ''Philosopher's Stone'' film that he took a Bludger to the head in the first few minutes of his first ever Quidditch game. This is never mentioned in the books. Is it canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence from the books to say that it didn't happen. Whatever the quidditch team were saying just before the game started is not mentioned in the book but it is shown in the film. So the fact that Wood told Harry about it is also canon too. If the book explicitly told us what harry did just before he did Quidditch (e.g. Fred and George talking about Bludgers) and that Wood never told him anything about being hurt, then Wood telling Harry wouldn't be canon but what happened to Wood in the past would be canon.
−
# The Harry Potter games contain a spell known as Avifors to change statues into birds. Is is Canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence to suggest that such a spell doesn't exist. This can generally be applied to most spells/ items from the games.
 +
# The Harry Potter games contain a spell known as [[Avifors]] to change statues into birds. Is this canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence to suggest that such a spell doesn't exist. This can generally be applied to most spells/items from the games.
−
# In the ''Goblet of Fire'' film, Krum attacks Fleur in the Maze during the Triwizard Tournament. Is this considered Canon? No, because the books, a higher source of Canon, specifically states tha Crouch/ Moody did it. However, it should be noted in the Behind the scenes section.
 +
# In the ''Goblet of Fire'' film, Krum attacks Fleur in the Maze during the Triwizard Tournament. Is this considered canon? No, because the book, a higher source of canon, specifically states that Crouch/Moody did it. However, it should be noted in the "Behind the scenes" section.
−
# [[Mafalda]] is a cut character from and early draft of ''Goblet of Fire''. Is she Canon according to our guide? This is where it gets tricky. The fact that she exists may be considered Canon, but anything about her intended part in the story cannot be considered Canon because it did not happen in the books.
 +
# [[Mafalda]] is a cut character from an early draft of ''Goblet of Fire''. Is she canon according to our guide? Yes and no. The fact that she exists may be considered canon, but anything about her intended part in the story cannot be considered canon because it did not happen in the books. Her physical appearance would be canon, and any particular traits, skills or personality expressed by her omitted lines would be part of her character.
−
# In the games, are the various challenges/ levels considered Canon according to our guide? Yes and no. Levels like the Glacius Challenge from ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' game should not be considered Canon since it is highly unlikely that the students would be put in danger like that. However, challenges like helping to assemble Dumbledore' Army for their first meeting in ''Order of the Phoenix'' could concievably be considered Canon because they usually involve helping out with a task to free the student up to attend.
 +
# In the games, are the various challenges/levels considered canon according to our guide? Yes and no. Levels like the Glacius Challenge from the ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' game should not be considered canon since it is highly unlikely that the students would be put in danger like that. However, challenges like helping to assemble Dumbledore's Army for their first meeting in ''Order of the Phoenix'' could conceivably be considered canon because they usually involve helping out with a task to free the student up to attend.
  +
# The millennium bridge being destroyed in the Half Blood Prince Film is not contradicted in the books so it is canon.
  +
  +
==Notes==
  +
{{Reflist}}

Revision as of 17:50, 18 April 2016

E D N 98
PROCLAMATION: Educational Decree No. 24
This page is considered an official policy on the Harry Potter Wiki.
It has wide acceptance among editors and is considered a standard that everyone should follow. Please make use of the Talk Page to propose changes to this policy or its wording.


Policies

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Shortcut:
HPW:CANON

Since there are different sources of information for Harry Potter canon and sources do, on occasion, conflict with one another, the following guide is to be used on the Harry Potter Wiki. In order to simplify the different areas that exist as sources for canon information in the Harry Potter universe we have devised a three tier system summarised below. Please remember any type of fanon, information created by fans using the Harry Potter characters, is not considered canon at all and must be marked as such, unless made canon by a legitimate source.

Although there are different levels of canon, this does not mean relevant information cannot be included in situations where there are conflicting canon sources. Ambiguous continuity should always be noted. If an "official" canon source has been chosen, (e.g. J. K. Rowling has said that a fact was a mistake and it was meant to be something else), the information from the conflicting source should still appear in the article in the "Behind the scenes" section.

Basically put, everything is canon unless specifically contradicted by a "higher" source.

Canon tiers

Tier One: J. K. Rowling

These sources come from J. K. Rowling herself. She either wrote them herself, or was involved in writing/developing them. When J. K. Rowling contradicts herself, the newest source is to be taken as the "most" canon.

Tier Two: JKR Involved

These sources do not contain information directly from the "mouth" of J. K. Rowling, but they are projects based on works by her, and in which she was involved in some capacity at some point.

Tier Three: Licensed

These sources are where J. K. Rowling or Warner Bros. (the makers of the Harry Potter films and her primary licensee) licensed the use of elements of the Harry Potter universe to a third-party.

Examples of usage

  1. Oliver Wood mentions in the Philosopher's Stone film that he took a Bludger to the head in the first few minutes of his first ever Quidditch game. This is never mentioned in the books. Is it canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence from the books to say that it didn't happen. Whatever the quidditch team were saying just before the game started is not mentioned in the book but it is shown in the film. So the fact that Wood told Harry about it is also canon too. If the book explicitly told us what harry did just before he did Quidditch (e.g. Fred and George talking about Bludgers) and that Wood never told him anything about being hurt, then Wood telling Harry wouldn't be canon but what happened to Wood in the past would be canon.
  2. The Harry Potter games contain a spell known as Avifors to change statues into birds. Is this canon according to our guide? Yes, since there is no evidence to suggest that such a spell doesn't exist. This can generally be applied to most spells/items from the games.
  3. In the Goblet of Fire film, Krum attacks Fleur in the Maze during the Triwizard Tournament. Is this considered canon? No, because the book, a higher source of canon, specifically states that Crouch/Moody did it. However, it should be noted in the "Behind the scenes" section.
  4. Mafalda is a cut character from an early draft of Goblet of Fire. Is she canon according to our guide? Yes and no. The fact that she exists may be considered canon, but anything about her intended part in the story cannot be considered canon because it did not happen in the books. Her physical appearance would be canon, and any particular traits, skills or personality expressed by her omitted lines would be part of her character.
  5. In the games, are the various challenges/levels considered canon according to our guide? Yes and no. Levels like the Glacius Challenge from the Prisoner of Azkaban game should not be considered canon since it is highly unlikely that the students would be put in danger like that. However, challenges like helping to assemble Dumbledore's Army for their first meeting in Order of the Phoenix could conceivably be considered canon because they usually involve helping out with a task to free the student up to attend.
  6. The millennium bridge being destroyed in the Half Blood Prince Film is not contradicted in the books so it is canon.

Notes

  1. ↑ J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) on Twitter: "The story of #CursedChild should be considered canon, though. @jackthorne, John Tiffany (the director) and I developed it together."
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