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{{Policy}}
  
{{Policy}}
 
{{shortcut|HPW:CANON}}
  
{{shortcut|HPW:CANON}}
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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.
 +
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]]. 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.
  
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.
+
Basically put, everything is canon unless specifically contradicted by a "higher" source.
   
 
==Canon tiers==
  
==Canon tiers==
−
===Tier One: J.K. Rowling===
 +
===Tier One: J. K. Rowling===
−
This tier only contains all the material proved to be coming from [[J.K. Rowling]] herself. She either wrote the following sources herself, was involved in writing/developing them and/or stated to consider them as canon herself. [[Harry Potter in translation|Texts in their original language]], J.K. Rowling's [[British terms|British English]] and editions with her corrections and extra material are the most valuable but [[Scholastic]] editions may occasionally have more material, for example [[Dean Thomas]]'s description was left out of the British edition of {{PS}} after the intervention of her editor (you can see the differences between editions of the books [https://legacy.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/differences.html here]). Only the [[:category:Images by J.K. Rowling|visual arts J.K. Rowling created herself]] as well as her own pronunciation, intonation, etc. (from videos and audio recordings of her reading her writings or talking about their content for example) belong to this category. When J.K. Rowling [[Mistakes in the Harry Potter books|contradicts herself]], the newest source is to be taken as the "most" canon. If published, the [[Encyclopaedia of Potterworld]] should belong to this category.
 +
These sources come from [[J. K. Rowling]] herself. She either wrote them herself, or was involved in writing/developing them. Texts in their original language, J. K. Rowling's British English and corrected editions are the most valuable.<ref>[https://legacy.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/differences.html Differences between editions of the books]</ref> When J. K. Rowling [[Mistakes in the Harry Potter books|contradicts herself]], the newest source is to be taken as the "most" canon.
  ⚫
*Books set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
−  
  ⚫
**The seven ''Harry Potter'' novels:
−
*[[Harry Potter (book series)|The seven ''Harry Potter'' novels]]:<ref>The 2014 [[Bloomsbury]] Children Editions feature extra material (mostly from {{PM}}) and the Harry Potter Enhanced Editions have annotations written by J.K. Rowling from Pottermore to give you insights into the world of Harry Potter.</ref>
  
−
**{{PS}}
 +
***{{PS}}
  ⚫
***{{COS}}
−
*** The ''Scholastic’s Collector's Edition'' (published in November 2000) includes a pen-and-ink drawing by J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter at no.4 Privet Drive (which was then published on Pottermore) with a unique note.
  
  ⚫
***{{POA}}
−
***The ''Scholastic’s Special Anniversary Edition'' (published in October 2008) features a drawing by J.K. Rowling of [[Severus Snape]] (which was also shown in [[Harry Potter and Me]]) with a unique note.
  
−
**{{COS}}
 +
***{{GOF}}
−
**{{POA}}
 +
***{{OOTP}}
−
**{{GOF}}
 +
***{{HBP}}
−
**{{OOTP}}
 +
***{{DH}}
  +
**Companion books to the these novels:
⚫
**{{HBP}}
  
−
**{{DH}}
 +
***{{QTA|R}}
  +
***{{FB|R}}
−
*The Hogwarts Library books (companion books to the seven novels):
  
−
**{{QTA|R}}
 +
***{{TBB|R}}
−
**{{FB|R}}
 +
***{{PP}}
  ⚫
****''[[Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide]]''
⚫
**{{TBB|R}}
  
  ⚫
****''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists]]''
−
***The ''Limited Collector's Edition'' features extra material from J.K. Rowling
  
  ⚫
****''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies]]''
⚫
*Original scripts for films and plays set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World:
  
  +
*Short stories set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
⚫
**{{CC}}'s'' story''<ref name="CC">Only the story was co-developed by J.K. Rowling and considered canon by her ([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.]") but she did not write the play.</ref>
  
  ⚫
**[[Harry Potter prequel]]
−
**{{FB|S}}<ref name="script">The script was written by Rowling but a lot of alterations were made to it by other people (scenes were edited or deleted, the actors [[:wikipedia:Ad libitum|ad libbed]], etc.). The published script book contains all these alterations that were not made by Rowling.</ref>
  
  ⚫
*Original scripts for films and plays set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
−
*Short texts set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World:
  
  ⚫
**{{CC}} (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>
  +
**{{FB|S}} (written by J. K. Rowling)
  +
**{{COG|S}} (written by J. K. Rowling)
  ⚫
*Other writings and statements pertaining to the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
**{{JKRS}}
  +
**{{PM}}
 
**{{DP}}
  
**{{DP}}
  +
**{{JKRT}}
−
**''[[Chocolate Frog Cards|Information from the original Famous Wizard cards]]''<ref>https://legacy.hp-lexicon.org/about/sources/source_cards.html</ref>
  
  +
**[[:Category:Articles and interviews (real-world)|Interviews]]
⚫
**''[[Harry Potter prequel]]''
  
⚫
*Other content and statements pertaining to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World from:
  
−
**''{{JKRS}}''<ref name="site">Including the detailed information no longer found on the current version of the website.</ref>
  
−
**''[[J. K. Rowling's Twitter account]]''<ref name="site"/>
  
−
**''{{PM}}''<ref name="site"/>
  
−
***Including the content from J.K. Rowling published in [[Pottermore Presents]]:
  
⚫
****''[[Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide]]''
  
⚫
****''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists]]''
 
⚫
****''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies]]''
 
−
**''[[:Category:Articles and interviews (real-world)|Articles, interviews]] and [[:Category:Documentaries (real-world)|documentaries]]''
  
−
**''[[Items J.K. Rowling has sold at Auctions|Auctions]]''
  
−
*Any other element (from other sources) that can be proved to be coming from J.K. Rowling herself<ref>For example, J.K. Rowling wrote letters to some of her fans containing new information and created/approved/was involved in the creation of some original content for non tier-one canon's sources such as the {{WBS}}, the {{WBP}}, the [[Harry Potter video games]], the [[Harry Potter (film series)|film series]] (for example, some [[Black family]] members appears only on the version of the [[Black family tree tapestry]] shown in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and were not included on the version of the tree which J. K. Rowling gave to a charity auction in [[2006]], according to director [[David Yates]], Rowling provided the filmmakers with a copy of the Black family tree going back eight generations; so the filmmakers presumably received a more complete version of the tree than the one auctioned off, which only goes back six generations), the [[Wizarding World of Harry Potter]], etc. if it ever happened that one specific element can be proved to have been originated directly from J.K. Rowling herself (or at least that she considers it canon) then this one element can be added to the tier-one. Unpublished/unused material Rowling created (such as early drafts, [[:Category: Articles derived from cut content|cut content]], proof copy, the script of deleted scenes from [[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)]], changes editors forced her to do, or [[Ghost Plots|ghost plots]]) have a specific status (see Examples of usage № 4).</ref>
  
   
  ⚫
===Tier Two: JKR Involved===
−  
⚫
===Tier Two: J.K. Rowling 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.
  
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.
   
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***{{DH|F2}}
  
***{{DH|F2}}
 
**Other films set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  
**Other films set in the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
***{{FB|F}} (all elements except the script/dialogue)
−
***''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)]]'' (all elements except the [[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay|script/dialogue]] unless the actors [[:wikipedia:Ad libitum|ad libbed]] or improvised)
  
  +
***{{COG}} (all elements except the script/dialogue)
 
*Official books about the making of the films:
  
*Official books about the making of the films:
  +
**{{HPFW}}
⚫
**''[[Harry Potter Film Wizardry]]''
  
  +
**{{HPPS}}
−
**''[[Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey]]''
  
  +
**{{HPLE}}
−
**''[[Harry Potter Limited Edition]]''
  
 
*Exhibitions about the making of the films:
  
*Exhibitions about the making of the films:
  +
**{{MHP}}
⚫
**[[The Making of Harry Potter]]
  
  +
**{{HPE}}
−
**[[Harry Potter: The Exhibition]]
  
 
*Theme parks based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  
*Theme parks based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
**{{WWHP}}
−
**[[The Wizarding World of Harry Potter]]
  
−
*{{CC}}'s'' script'' (only the story was co-developed by J.K. Rowling and considered canon by her but she did not write the play)<ref name="CC">[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>
  
−  
   
 
===Tier Three: Licensed===
  
===Tier Three: Licensed===
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***{{DH|G2}}
  
***{{DH|G2}}
 
**Other video games based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  
**Other video games based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  +
***{{QWC}}
−
***''[[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]''
  
  +
***{{LEGO|Y1}}
−
***''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
  
  +
***{{LEGO|Y2}}
−
***''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7]]''
  
  +
***{{FBC}}
−
**{{CC}}'s'' production'', including casting and sets.
  
  +
***{{HM}}
⚫
*Trading cards based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
  
  +
***{{WU}}
  +
*Trading cards based on the ''Harry Potter'' universe:
 
**[[Famous Wizard Cards]]
  
**[[Famous Wizard Cards]]
  +
**{{TCG}}
−
**''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
  
 
*Other official merchandise
  
*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.
−
# 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.
 +
#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 book, a higher source of canon, specifically states that Crouch/Moody did it. However, it should be noted in the "Behind the scenes" section.
 +
#In {{GOF|FA}}, 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 [[:Category:Articles derived from cut content|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.
 +
#[[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.
−
# 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.
 +
#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.
   
 
==Notes==
  
==Notes==
 
{{Reflist}}
  
{{Reflist}}
  +
[[de2:Harry-Potter-Lexikon:Kanon]]
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[[es:HarryPotter Wiki:Canon]]
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[[pt-br:Harry Potter Wiki:Cânone]]
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[[ru:Гарри Поттер вики:Канон]]
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[[zh:哈利·波特维基:正典]]

Revision as of 20:15, 30 December 2018

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

General policy
Awards policy
Blocking policy
Blog policy
Canon policy
Character infobox guidelines
Discord policy
Editing policy
Image policy
Layout guide
Multiple accounts
Neutral point of view
No personal attacks
Notability guidelines
Signatures
Talk page policy
User policy
User Rights policy
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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. Texts in their original language, J. K. Rowling's British English and corrected editions are the most valuable.[1] 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.
  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 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 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.
  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.

Notes

  1. ↑ Differences between editions of the books
  2. ↑ 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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