Notifications
A small bell in the header, next to Owl Post, that keeps a running tally of one very specific kind of event: someone, somewhere, replied to something you wrote. The Department has not yet been persuaded to track anything grander than that, and insists this is a feature, not an oversight.
Where to Find It
Look for the bell (🔔 NOTIFICATIONS) in the header, between Owl Post and your Profile link. It appears on every page, in-game or otherwise, the same way the Owl Post and Blog links do. A small number on the bell means something is waiting; no number means the Department has nothing to report, which is most of the time.
On a desktop screen, clicking the bell opens a small panel right there under it, listing your most recent notifications, each one a link to the reply in question. You never leave the page you were on, which the game's navigation system appreciates more than it lets on. Press Escape, or click anywhere else, and the panel folds itself away. A "See all" link at the top of the panel leads to the bell's own page, which holds the last fifty. On a phone, where the header collapses into the menu, the bell takes you straight to that page instead.
Unread notifications carry a small gold dot and brighter text. Read ones fade politely into the background. Each row also says how long ago it happened, in the loose human units ("2 hours ago") the Department has grudgingly adopted in place of timestamps.
What Rings the Bell
| Event | Who gets notified |
|---|---|
| Someone comments on your Blog post | You, the post's author (unless you commented on your own post, in which case the Department declines to congratulate you on your own wit) |
| Someone replies to your Forum thread | You, the thread's starter (same rule: replying to yourself rings no bell) |
That is the complete list, for now. Further ringing privileges (quidditch results, gifts, VIP reminders, and other events the Department is still deliberating over) are under review.
Clearing It
Open the bell's panel, or visit its page, and the unread count clears itself, the same way opening the Blog clears its own "new post" mark. Nothing needs to be clicked individually; looking is enough.