HBO Officially Redesigns Harry Potter Hogwarts Houses In New Series

Published Aug 31, 2026, 8:45 AM EDT Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 10 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with. Sign in to your ScreenRant account HBO is facing backlash for Harry Potter. Harry Potter began as a series of fantasy novels before becoming a multi-billion-dollar media empire known around the world. HBO is known for adapting major fantasy franchises, including Game of Thrones, and now it's taking on arguably its most challenging one with The Wizarding World. As season 1 approaches, fans are eager to see what's in store for their favorite heroes and the future of the entire Harry Potter franchise. Ministry of Magic · O.W.L. Examinations Test Your Wizarding Knowledge “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” 🦁GryffindorBravery 🐍SlytherinAmbition 🦅RavenclawWisdom 🦡HufflepuffLoyalty 🏰HogwartsMagic ENTER HOGWARTS → 01 What spell is used to disarm an opponent, famously becoming Harry Potter’s signature move throughout the series? AStupefy BExpelliarmus CProtego DPetrificus Totalus ✓ Correct! Expelliarmus is the Disarming Charm. Harry used it so often that it became his trademark spell — even using it in his final duel against Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts. ✗ Not quite! The answer is Expelliarmus. Stupefy is a Stunning Spell, Protego is a Shield Charm, and Petrificus Totalus is the Full Body-Bind Curse. Expelliarmus forces an opponent’s wand out of their hand. NEXT → 02 In “The Prisoner of Azkaban,” Hagrid introduces his Care of Magical Creatures class to a proud hippogriff. What is the creature’s name? AFang BNorbert CBuckbeak DAragog ✓ Correct! Buckbeak the hippogriff became a key part of the story when Draco Malfoy insulted him and got injured. Harry and Hermione later saved Buckbeak from execution using the Time-Turner. ✗ Not quite! The answer is Buckbeak. Fang is Hagrid’s boarhound, Norbert is his baby dragon from the first book, and Aragog is the giant Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest. NEXT → 03 What potion allows the drinker to assume the physical appearance of another person, and plays a major role in “The Chamber of Secrets” and “The Goblet of Fire”? APolyjuice Potion BFelix Felicis CVeritaserum DAmortentia ✓ Correct! Polyjuice Potion transforms the drinker into someone else for about an hour. Hermione brewed it in their second year to infiltrate the Slytherin common room, and Barty Crouch Jr. used it to impersonate Mad-Eye Moody. ✗ Not quite! The answer is Polyjuice Potion. Felix Felicis is liquid luck, Veritaserum is a truth serum, and Amortentia is a powerful love potion. Polyjuice Potion is the one that changes your appearance. NEXT → 04 How many Horcruxes did Lord Voldemort intentionally create to split his soul and achieve immortality? AFive BSeven CFour DSix ✓ Correct! Voldemort intentionally created six Horcruxes: the diary, the ring, the locket, the cup, the diadem, and Nagini. Harry became an accidental seventh Horcrux, making the total number of soul fragments seven — the most magically powerful number. ✗ Not quite! The answer is six. Voldemort deliberately created six Horcruxes: Tom Riddle’s diary, Marvolo Gaunt’s ring, Slytherin’s locket, Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s diadem, and Nagini. Harry was an unintentional seventh piece. NEXT → 05 How many points is the Golden Snitch worth when caught by a Seeker during a Quidditch match? A50 points B150 points C100 points D200 points ✓ Correct! Catching the Golden Snitch awards 150 points and ends the match. This is why the Seeker position is so crucial — catching the Snitch almost always wins the game, though famously at the Quidditch World Cup, Viktor Krum caught it but Bulgaria still lost. ✗ Not quite! The answer is 150 points. The Golden Snitch is worth 150 points and also ends the match. At the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, Krum caught the Snitch for Bulgaria but Ireland still won because they were more than 150 points ahead. NEXT → 06 What form does Severus Snape’s Patronus take — revealing his lifelong love for Harry’s mother, Lily? AA phoenix BA wolf CA doe DA stag ✓ Correct! Snape’s Patronus is a doe — the same as Lily Potter’s. When Dumbledore asked “After all this time?” Snape famously replied, “Always.” It’s one of the most emotional reveals in the entire series. ✗ Not quite! The answer is a doe. Snape’s Patronus matches Lily Potter’s because of his deep, enduring love for her. James Potter’s Patronus was a stag — the male counterpart. The doe is what led Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor in the frozen lake. NEXT → 07 What magical object must you look into to see the Mirror of Erised’s true purpose — and what does it show the viewer? ATheir deepest, most desperate desire BTheir future self at their most powerful CTheir greatest fear DTheir happiest memory ✓ Correct! The Mirror of Erised (“desire” spelled backward) shows the deepest desire of whoever looks into it. Harry saw his parents, Ron saw himself as Head Boy and Quidditch captain, and Dumbledore claimed he saw himself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. ✗ Not quite! The answer is their deepest, most desperate desire. “Erised” is “desire” spelled backward. The inscription reads: “I show not your face but your heart’s desire.” Dumbledore warned Harry that the mirror gives neither knowledge nor truth, and men have wasted away before it. NEXT → 08 The three Deathly Hallows are the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and which third object that Harry himself possessed? AThe Marauder’s Map BThe Sorting Hat CThe Pensieve DThe Cloak of Invisibility ✓ Correct! The Cloak of Invisibility was passed down through Harry’s family — he inherited it from his father, James. Unlike ordinary invisibility cloaks, this Hallow never fades or weakens, making it a true relic of Death from “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” ✗ Not quite! The answer is the Cloak of Invisibility. Harry inherited it from his father on his first Christmas at Hogwarts. Together with the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone, these three objects make up the Deathly Hallows from “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” REVEAL MY SCORE → O.W.L. Examination Complete Your Wizarding Score ⚝ / 8 Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, or Troll? ↻ RETAKE YOUR O.W.L.S During the worldwide Back to Hogwarts event, HBO has been teasing Harry Potter season 1. The official Hogwarts Houses redesigns have been unveiled, and fans are less than impressed. The crests were released and immediately compared to previous designs. However, fans are calling for a change due to them looking "cheap," and "It's like they don’t put enough effort; it's not an improvement, looks sloppy." Click here to see Harry Potter's Hogwarts Houses for HBO's new series. The biggest complaints were how minimalist the new crests and banners appeared. When compared to Warner Bros. own rendition of the Hogwarts Houses, the crests were designed with a medieval and intricate design. However, HBO has taken the designs and made a much simpler emblem just showcasing the mascots with a floral embellishment surrounding them. One fan compared Ravenclaw's new design to a "fire breathing chicken." The Hogwarts Houses include Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each house divides Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when children wear a sorting hat to determine which house they most fit. Personality traits are usually one of the main reasons behind which house students are assigned, but later in the novels and movies, it's revealed that one's own choice is taken deeply into consideration. Harry Potter and his closest friends, including Hermione and Ron, are members of Gryffindor. The house was founded by Godric Gryffindor and has the traits of bravery, nerve, chivalry, and courage, with a lion as the mascot. Slytherin was founded by Salazar Slytherin, and its members have the traits of ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness. The mascot is a serpent and its members include Draco Malfoy, Tom Riddle, and Severus Snape. Hufflepuff was founded by Helga Hufflepuff and those who are welcome usually have the traits of patience, justice, and loyalty with a badger as their mascot. Cedric Diggory and Newt Scamander are well-known members. Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw, the Hogwarts house Ravenclaw has an eagle as the mascot and usually fits with the traits of intelligence, learning, wisdom, and wit. Its members include Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang, and Gilderoy Lockhart. It's unclear what else HBO has in store for the Back to Hogwarts event, but it's clear that fans are nervous ahead of Harry Potter season 1, and are hoping for big things from the beloved franchise's return. Harry Potter season 1, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, will be released on December 25. Release Date 2026 - 2026 Showrunner Francisca Gardiner Directors Mark Mylod Cast Dominic McLaughlin Harry Potter Janet McTeer Minerva McGonagall