Peeves the Poltergeist has supposedly tormented the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for over a thousand years. A staple of the school itself, Peeves is a ghost that is as much a part of Hogwarts as its secret passageways and as rumor would have it, has been there since the school's construction. For Hogwarts Legacy players, Peeves pops up as a colorful, hilarious entity that is either playing jokes on students or committing ghostly pranks on them.
Readers of the Wizarding World will instantly recognize Peeves and because his material was cut from the movies, Hogwarts Legacy is the first official portrayal of the character. Players never know when this silly poltergeist will show up and what he might do: bathe in the hallways, slide down the star railings, or simply harass a group of Hufflepuff members. Either way, here's the breakdown on Hogwarts' favorite ghost, Peeves.
The Deal With Peeves
Peeves is a poltergeist that is widely believed to have been a part of Hogwarts from the very first day the school began. Unlike other mainstream ghosts, Peeves was never a living human that died. Instead, it's explained in the Harry Potter books that Peeves is the embodiment of the spirit of childish mischief. Known for his top hat and colorful garb, Peeves has been known to largely ignore the professors, canonically focusing on students and caretakers over the millennia. Around 20 years before the events of Hogwarts Legacy, Peeves' antics came to a head as the headmistress at the time decided to capture and subdue Peeves.
However, the method used was through a mixture of enchanted weapons meant to trap the colorful ghost. This backfired and ended up having Peeves wield the large amount of enchanted weaponry against those that Peeves saw as an antagonist against him. After some shenanigans, Peeves eventually signed a contract that gave him special privileges such as access to swimming in the restroom and a supply of stale bread to throw at students. The contract is also where Peeves got his iconic top hat.
Peeves And Hogwarts
Stretching all the way back to the very first Harry Potter book, Peeves has been an integral part of the lore of Hogwarts from the very beginning. Readers will also recognize Peeves' antics and fun-factor while playing Hogwarts Legacy because there is no predicting when and where he may show up. With Sebastian Sallow, for example, Peeves is the third wheel during a mission where players sneak into the forbidden parts of the library with Sebastian.
Similarly to the Potter books, Peeves is usually there to pester the students, but he also works as the school's tattletale and just like with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, in Hogwarts Legacy, Peeves just may tell the authorities about players' secret dealings. Overall great for a laugh and some unique interactions in the game, Peeves is another element from the Wizarding World that Hogwarts Legacy executed to a fantastic degree. With a game that so effectively puts players into the roles of a Hogwarts student, Peeves is yet another addition that gives the world a unique flavor and childlike appeal.