It recently dawned on me that the Harry Potter Lexicon might not be well known around here. I found the site early on in my fanfiction career, and I just assumed that all the HP veterans knew about it. And maybe most of you do, I have no idea. I posted about this twice in the Questions thread in a short period of time, and I noticed a couple of DLPers linking to the Lexicon after the first time I mentioned it. I don't know if I just reminded people about it or if I introduced them, or what. What I do know is that new readers and writers are joining DLP all the time, and this thread might help them out. Edit: I did find this thread on DLP, but no one really gave an indication if they really used it or not. Eh. Like I said, it's mostly for new people.

Don't know how old Tom Riddle Jr. was when Sirius tricked Snape into following Remus to the Shrieking Shack? This is the place. Tired of the overused Expelliarmus and want something different? This is the place. Itching to write about a cool new creature, but never got Fantastic Beasts? This is the place. Want to read different interpretations about canon? This is the place. Want to use a lesser known canon character, but you don't know their names? This, my friend, is the place.

Basically the Lexicon is everything on Harry Potter. Unlike Wiki, they do their best to source. And if something is in question, they tell you straight up it's speculation and they explain why they think so-and-so. Do I trust everything on the site 100%? No, of course not. I don't for any site. I'm sure there's plenty of flubs (I haven't found any, but I know they do their best to correct any that users bring to their attention). But it's certainly the best HP database out there (besides Pottermore, probably). It should be noted that it hasn't been updated this year. Looks like the last update was around November 2014.

The Harry Potter Lexicon - In a more simplistic style: Text

Opening Links

• Blog - Steve Vander Ark discusses HP stuff. Haven't read any of it.
• Podcasts - Never used this. I assume the earlier discussions are about the books themselves, but the latest seem to be about Pottermore.
• Essays - I had fun back in the day reading some of these. Especially the older ones. Though most predictions didn't come true at all, it's always interesting to read different interpretations and past speculation of the books. They certainly sparked a few ideas here or there for fics. Though now I'd just skip any magical nature essay and just read about it from Taure.
• Forum - Also never used this, but it looks like a lesser DLP. From a cursory glance, no posts in 2015. There might be some interesting discussions on there, though, if you wanted to browse.
• Store - Exactly what it sounds like. Do they still sell? No idea. Do any of you care? Probably not.
• FAQ - Apparently being revised, but it links to an email where you can ask questions about the site.
• Help/About - The FAQ also links here. Looks pretty helpful to me.
• Text - I also linked above, I don't know how you could miss it. Just links to the main page with a more simplistic style that DLP would probably appreciate. I just use the original because I didn't realize this existed when I first discovered it.
• A to Z - Master indexes on every subject. Also has links to specialized indexes, like A-Z on characters and spells if you want to narrow your results.
• Search - called Remembrall. It's apparently down at the moment. Shame.
• Canon Portkey - The entire site is divided in 'events,' which is basically just tags, and the Portkey is the search tool for it. There's a link that says 'New User!' that explains it in detail if you want to use it.

Reader's Guides - Has almost everything you could ask for. Links to detailed notes on each chapter, outlines, quotes from JKR, cover art, fan art, etc.

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• The Tales of Beedle and Bard
• Quidditch Through the Ages
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Explore the Wizarding World - Detailed menu for special sections

Special Sections - Note: Timelines for all of HP, whether canon or Pottermore, is linked below and here for convenience. Figured I'd point that out since that'll probably be the most sought after link. Not only does it have timelines starting from Ancient Egypt and Greece, it has essays and the day to day calendars for the books. Oh, and it shows how old characters are in the full timelines. For example, in the first book Hagrid was 63 years old and Charlie was 19.

• Encyclopedia of Spells
• Magic and Magic Theory
• A Wizard's Atlas: Gazetteer of the Wizarding World
• The Quidditch Handbook
• The Bestiary (Creature Index)
• Magical Items and Devices
• Wizards, Witches and Beings
• Wizarding Through the Ages: Timelines and Calendars
• Encyclopedia of Potions
• Reader's Guide (see above)
• Vistor's Guide to Hogwarts
• Muggle Studies

Affiliate Sites

• L'Encyclopédie Harry Potter (French)
• El Diccionario de los Magos (Spanish)

Please inform me of any broken or misplaced links and I'll fix it right up. Also, this is my first thread so I'm a bit worried that I got it in the wrong section. Don't think I did, but I would appreciate it if a mod moved it where it's suppose to be if it does need moving.

Edit: :facepalm This is suppose to be a General Discussion, isn't it? I'm sorry, I'm stupid.

 

I recall there was something going on like that, but I forgot the whole drama. Care to remind me?

 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat if they made it look like it came straight out Hogwarts' library.

 

So only if it screams in your face?

 

Only of you read it without a signed permission slip.

 

HP-Lexicon is my go to site. I use it pretty much every day.