Tips for a More Fantastical Beast–Friendly ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Playthrough

If you’re planning to play Hogwarts Legacy, here are three ways to make it a little more animal-friendly. Even magical beasts made of pixels deserve respect.

Don’t Ride Animals

The game offers players various methods of transportation, from brooms to the Floo Network. If you choose to fly around in the areas surrounding Hogwarts Castle, always opt for a broom. Hippogriffs and thestrals are (digital) individuals—they aren’t modes of transportation. Treat them with respect and leave them be. And then avoid horse, elephant, and donkey rides in your muggle life.

Avoid Animal Products in Potions

Much to our dismay, health potions in Hogwarts Legacy use horklump juice in addition to a plant component. As tempting as health potions might be to a low-health witch or wizard (or anyone else), horklumps need their juice more than you do. Avoid drinking what belongs to another animal by just dodge rolling like a pro instead. You won’t need a potion if you never get hit in the first place. And a perfectly timed Protego spell can show off your skills far better than chugging down juice from a “living” being.

Choose Vegan Materials in Clothing

A number of outfits in the wizarding world include fwooper feathers or mooncalf fur. While PETA doesn’t often have to deal with cases of niffler abuse, you can still demonstrate compassion by avoiding wardrobe pieces that use the feathers and fur of others. Sure, jobberknoll feathers might just be pixels, but practicing compassion in a game can help remind you to avoid buying feathers in the real world.

While the magical beasts found in Hogwarts Legacy are merely digital, many animals in the muggle world are exploited for the same types of reasons as in the game. Some, like horses and camels, are exploited for entertainment and treated as living taxis. Others, like cows and ducks, are used for food and clothing. Although Luna doesn’t appear in the game, the actor who portrayed her, Evanna Lynch, wrote the foreword for The Unofficial Harry Potter Vegan Cookbook. This magical book offers a selection of recipes for delectable dishes from the wizarding world without any animal-derived ingredients. Evanna also stands up for animals who are used in experimentation—and you can, too. Please treat all sentient beings, magical or otherwise, with respect. Practicing compassion in a digital world can remind you to practice it in the real one.