March’s PlayStation State of Play detailed the upcoming game, Hogwarts Legacy, and Professor Binns seems to appear in the game as a ghost teacher. In the Harry Potter novels, Professor Binns was said to have died before Harry’s parents attended Hogwarts, which was in the 1970s. However, Hogwarts Legacy takes place in the 1800s, meaning Professor Binns died long before any of the canon events included in the Harry Potter series.
Professor Cuthbert Binns was a teacher of History of Magic at Hogwarts, and he had a reputation for being so boring that many of his students fell asleep. There were a few interested students, like Hermione Granger, but Professor Binns was generally considered to be extremely dull. Professor Binns also seemed to be unaware of how bored his students were during his History of Magic lessons. In the books, many students would drop History of Magic after taking their Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.) exams. The exams take place during the fifth year, so that could be why Professor Binns’s class may be in Hogwarts Legacy – since the protagonist is in their fifth year in the game.
With Professor Binns being so consistently boring, it’s not hard to imagine he’s been around for a long time and has lost a bit of his spark. Hogwarts was believed to be founded sometime in the late 10th century, as some characters mention the school being over 1,000 years old in the Harry Potter series. It’s less likely that Professor Binns was around when Hogwarts was first founded because he only cites legends and myths when explaining the Chamber of Secrets to Hermione Granger and other students in their second year. However, if Professor Binns is indeed the ghost teacher in Hogwarts Legacy, it’s clear he’s been dead for at least a century before the events of Harry Potter.
Professor Binns Died Before Hogwarts Legacy
Since Professor Binns is already a ghost in Hogwarts Legacy, his death must have occurred before the 1890s when the game is set. In the Harry Potter novels, Professor Binns is said to have died at a very old age. One night, he fell asleep in the staff room, and he awoke a ghost. Without lingering on his passing, Professor Binns immediately left to teach his first class of the day. There has been some debate amongst fans that Professor Binns believes he’s still alive and has no idea he’s a ghost. However, this is not canon and there is evidence that contradicts this theory. For example, Professor Binns enters the classroom by gliding through the blackboard, which he obviously wouldn’t be able to do in corporeal form. Still, if Professor Binns died right before Hogwarts Legacy starts, then he could potentially be in denial about his death.
When Harry Potter attended Hogwarts, Professor Binns was the only ghost teacher, so it’s very possible that he’s the same ghost seen in the recent Hogwarts Legacy State of Play. With Professor Binns passing before the events of Hogwarts Legacy, it opens up the possibility that he is much older than previously believed. While it’s less likely that Professor Binns was one of the original teachers at Hogwarts when it was founded, it could still be possible because there’s no clear indication as to when the teacher was actually alive. If Professor Binns was around just after the time that Hogwarts opened, then there could be a lot of school history shown by him in Hogwarts Legacy.
Topics Taught By Professor Binns Could Indicate His Age
Professor Binns has a lot of knowledge about magical history with no shortage of topics to drone on about, and it’s possible he lived through a lot of the events he discusses. It’s mentioned a few times in the books that Professor Binns talks a lot about the giant wars and goblin rebellions, which are part of Hogwarts Legacy. The oldest confirmed goblin rebellion so far took place in 1612 in Hogsmeade and is explained by Professor Binns during a History of Magic lesson in the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery mobile game. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Professor Binns assigns weekly essays on the eighteenth-century goblin rebellions. Professor Binns also goes on for 45 minutes about the giant wars in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
It could be that Professor Binns focuses so much on these particular subjects because he witnessed them first-hand. If that were the case, it’s likely these topics will be brought up in Hogwarts Legacy given how massive it is. The 1612 goblin rebellion was in Hogsmeade, so if Professor Binns was teaching at Hogwarts at the time, he could have been amongst the wizards that made their headquarters in the Three Broomsticks. Although, it’s also possible that Professor Binns was already a ghost when the rebellion occurred since his age and date of death or unknown. Regardless of when he actually died, it could be that Professor Binns gets his extensive knowledge of magical history from firsthand experiences.
How Hogwarts Legacy Could Use Professor Binns
If attending History of Magic is part of Hogwarts Legacy, then Professor Binns could potentially reveal important backstory for the events in the game, or even new information about a much earlier wizarding community. During the State of Play, it was shown that one of the goblin rebellions occurs during Hogwarts Legacy, so Professor Binns could be a source of information about earlier rebellions and their outcomes. Since players will have a part to play in a goblin rebellion in Hogwarts Legacy, paying attention to Professor Binns in History of Magic could provide some key information. Professor Binns may also play a similar role to his part in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by revealing some ancient Hogwarts secret or an old myth of magic.
Since Hogwarts Legacy players start off in their fifth year, it’s possible that their classmates might have known Professor Binns while he was alive. Professor Binns died in his sleep one night and then woke up to teach his class as if nothing happened. It’s possible that Professor Binns died just before the game starts, and that some of the characters in Hogwarts Legacy may have information about his life or how he reacted to dying. Professor Binns could also start out alive at the beginning of Hogwarts Legacy and become a ghost during the game. Even if Professor Binns died further in the past, there could be more revealed about this character and his unknown origins in Hogwarts Legacy.
Editor’s Note: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has been accused of transphobia by those in the LGBTQ+ community. Although not directly involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, Rowling does stand to earn royalties from the game. We would like to reiterate our support for trans rights and that trans identities are valid. Support services are listed below for trans people impacted by discussions of transphobia.
In the USA:
- Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
- The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
In Canada:
- Trans Lifeline: (877) 330-6366
- Youth Line: 1-800-268-9688
In the UK:
- Switchboard: 01273 204050
- Mermaids: 0808 801 0400
