Every Harry Potter Movie Easter Egg You Missed in Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy teems with cheeky nods to the films—from Hermione’s ill-fated Polyjuice feline fiasco to Ron’s unforgettable slug-spewing—turning every corridor into a treasure hunt for Potterheads.

Hogwarts Legacy takes place a century before Harry ever bought a chocolate frog, but the game is absolutely packed with movie shout-outs. Some are obvious, some are cheeky, and a few are surprisingly deep cuts. If you like noticing the stuff the devs snuck in because they knew we’d notice, this is your playground.

1. Hermione’s Polyjuice mishap – You can’t brew Polyjuice in the game, but you can wander into the second-floor ladies bathroom near Professor Fig’s classroom and find a bubbling green cauldron with books scattered around it. Yep, it’s a clear wink to Hermione turning herself into a cat in Chamber of Secrets. Apparently someone had the same bright idea 100 years early.

2. Ron vs. Scabbers (and his wand) – The Transformation Spell icon is a goblet with a rat’s tail. Subtle. It’s a nod to Ron’s botched spell that left poor Scabbers half-goblet, half-rat in Chamber of Secrets. There’s another tie-in in Transfiguration class: cast Revelio to pull a Field Guide Page about Partial Transfiguration, complete with a teacup sporting a tail. Someone on the team really loves that movie.

3. The Chamber of Secrets door you can’t open – You won’t get to crawl through the Chamber in this game, but the entrance is there. Head to the ladies bathrooms near the Slytherin common room and look for the sink with the snake emblem. Hit Revelio and you’ll snag a Field Guide Page about that suspicious insignia. It’s a nice little chill down the spine even if the door doesn’t budge.

4. Follow the Butterflies (Ron would be proud) – There’s a quest that literally has you track butterflies into the Forbidden Forest. The title riffs on Ron’s famous complaint when he and Harry followed spiders to Aragog’s den in Chamber of Secrets:

   "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?"

   Finally, justice for Ron.

5. Arragog isn’t here, but his family is – Hagrid’s pal doesn’t show up, but Acromantulas are everywhere as enemies. The game even fills in background on their origins and behavior. Visually, they’re dead ringers for the Chamber of Secrets design, which keeps the vibe consistent and the arachnophobes unhappy.

6. Slug-vomiting déjà vu – Remember Ron’s backfired curse on Malfoy? In the Hospital Wing, you can catch a poor student on a bed repeatedly puking slugs into a bucket. If you know, you know. If you don’t, you’ll still feel bad for the kid.

7. ‘Knight to H-3’ gets the spotlight – During the quest 'Minding Your Own Business', you hit a giant chessboard puzzle straight out of Sorcerer’s Stone (aka Philosopher’s Stone). The poltergeist Fastidio even mocks you with a direct callout to Ron’s big moment, gleefully dropping 'Knight to H-3!' as you size up the board.

8. Hagrid’s hut before Hagrid – No Hagrid (wrong century), but his future home is sitting where you’d expect. Cross the wooden bridge to the south side of the castle and head downhill. The little rustic hut, the pumpkins, the whole setup—it’s all there, just waiting for a giant with a pink umbrella to move in.

9. Slytherin’s Basilisk breadcrumb – After you break into Slytherin’s Scriptorium, you can find a letter from Salazar Slytherin himself. He mentions the Basilisk and hints that a 'descendant' will one day rouse it. That’s Tom Marvolo Riddle—Voldemort to his frenemies—who later opens the Chamber in (you guessed it) Chamber of Secrets. Creepy, effective, and a little bit of foreshadowing from a century out.

10. Stag by the lake – During the Richard Jackdaw side quest, on your way to the cave where he died, your character pauses by the lake and remarks: 'Something oddly solemn about this place. Such regal creatures, stags.' It’s the same lakeside area where Harry sees the glowing Patronus in Prisoner of Azkaban, and yes, there are deer hanging out near the shore. Subtle, but it lands.

11. The Goblet of Fire and some familiar hedges – In the Trophy Room you can find the Goblet of Fire, and the casket looks just like the one from the movie. Outside the castle, hedge mazes pop up too. They’re more treasure hunt than trauma this time—explore them for big chests and loot instead of Triwizard Tournament nightmares.

12. The Deathly Hallows storybook look – During Niamh Fitzgerald’s Trials, the world shifts into a hand-drawn, storybook style. It’s a clear homage to the Tale of the Three Brothers sequence in Deathly Hallows Part 1, and it’s as gorgeous here as it was on film.

Hogwarts Legacy launched February 10, 2023, from Avalanche Software. It’s available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

Spotted a clever movie nod I missed? Drop it in the comments so I can kick myself later.