Post by Mark Berry on Sept 23, 2005 13:43:35 GMT -5
Abraxan
A type of Winged Horse. An Abraxan is a very powerful giant palomino with fiery red eyes. The Beaxbatons carriage was pulled by Abraxans, which according to Madam Maxime drank only single-malt whisky. It is likely that this applies to the Beaxbatons Abraxans only rather than the entire species.
Acromantula XXXXX
This is a huge carnivorous spider which is covered in thick black hair and can grow up to 15 feet in size. The Acromantula was created by wizards, probably as a guard creature. They are, however, untrainable and extremely dangerous. They have near-human intelligence and are capable of speech, but this doesn’t mean you can reason with them. Hagrid had an Acromantula called Aragog as a pet while he was in his third year at Hogwarts. It was suspected to be the creature from the Chamber of Secrets (which it wasn’t) and Hagrid was expelled from school. Aragog escaped and set up what is now a well-populated colony in the Forbidden Forest.
Aethonan
A type of Winged Horse. The Aethonan is chestnut in colour and popular in Britain and Ireland.
Aquavirious Maggot
A creature that may look something like a brain, which Luna Lovegood and her father believe is real but possibly nobody else does. Luna is sure they are breeding them in the Department of Mysteries.
Ashwinder XXX
This is a thin, pale grey serpent which is created by any magical fire which is allowed to burn unchecked for too long. The Ashwinder rises from the fire and will quickly lay eggs in a secluded place, after which it will crumble into dust. The eggs give off intense heat and will ignite anything they come into contact with. Once frozen, however, they are useful in making Love Potions and relieving ague.
Augurey XX
Also known as the Irish Phoenix. This is a greenish-black bird which by legend foretells the death of anybody who hears its cry. In truth, it actually sings when rain is approaching. The Augurey in fact flies only during rain and remains in its nest at other times.
Banshee
The Banshee is humanoid in appearance, looking akin to a skeletal woman. The sound of the Banshee’s wail is believed to foretell death. Gilderoy Lockhart claimed to have banished the Bandon Banshee, which of course he didn’t.
Basilisk XXXXX
This is an enormous snake, originally bred deliberately by the dark wizard Herpo the Foul. It is brilliant green, can grow up to 50 feet in size, and kills anything which looks into its eyes simply using its deadly gaze. Basilisks can live for hundreds of years and are uncontrollable by anyone except a Parselmouth.
Bicorn
A two-horned beast, fabled to grow very fat through eating good and faithful husbands. Horn of Bicorn is used in potion-making, notably in the manufacture of Polyjuice Potion.
Billywig XXX
The Billywig is a vivid blue insect native to Australia. It travels at great speed and carries a sting which can cause giddiness and levitation. Many younger wizards attempt to get stung on purpose, although care should be taken as repeated stinging can produce uncontrollable levitation which can last for days or even permanently.
Biting Fairy XXX
Alternative name for the Doxy.
Blast-Ended Skrewt
This a cross-breed - created by Hagrid - between the Manticore and the Fire Crab (see below for more details about both), a process which seems best left to the imagination. They are extremely aggressive, with a tendency to attack and eat each other, and can grow to a size of at least 10 feet and perhaps even larger. Resembling a giant armoured scorpion, the males have a large sting over their backs, while the females have a blood-sucker on their underside. The name comes from their tendency to blast fire out of one end (they have no heads so it is impossible to tell which end) which propels them forwards at great speed. Only one Skrewt is known to have survived and its location is unknown.
Blibbering Humdinger
People didn’t used to believe that the Blibbering Humdinger exists. Most still don’t. Luna Lovegood does though, but she is a little bit odd.
Boggart
A Boggart is a shape-shifter which likes to occupy dark, enclosed spaces. When nobody can see it, the form it takes is unknown. When it is seen, it will take whatever form the person who is viewing it finds most frightening. It is destroyed by laughter, and hence the best way to fight a Boggart is to use a Riddikulus spell to force it to adopt an amusing appearance. When defeated, the Boggart explodes and nothing but smoke remains.
Bowtruckle XX
This is a small tree-guardian, which grows up to 8 inches in height. It looks as though it is made of bark and twigs, and generally avoids contact with humans. If its tree is threatened, however, the Bowtruckle will defend it by attempting to gouge the attacker’s eyes with its long fingers.
Bugbear
This is a bear-like humanoid creature with a particular preference for frightening children. When Ginny Weasley was possessed by Lord Voldemort and killed Hagrid’s roosters, Hagrid thought it may be the work of bugbears.
Bundimun XXX
A Bundimun looks like a patch of green fungus with eyes, although it does have numerous legs which it can use to move at speed when necessary. It is a parasite which infests houses and feeds on dirt. This is not a bad thing in itself, but unfortunately the creature also excretes a foul substance which rots its resident building and will cause it to collapse if left unchecked. It also gives off a violent smell of decay. Scouring charms are required to remove a Bundimun infestation.
Cat
This is strictly a Muggle creature, although it has many connections with the wizarding world, hence its inclusion here. Cats are favoured pets of many wizards and Squibs - with Arabella Figg and Argus Filch the most famous cat-owning Squibs known so far. Cats are also on the approved list of pets for Hogwarts students, along with Owls, Toads and possibly Rats. Wizards and even Squibs enjoy more advanced communication with cats than Muggles do.
Centaur XXXX
The Centaur has the head and body of a human and the body and legs of a horse. Centaurs have human intelligence but keep themselves apart from both wizards and Muggles, preferring to remain in their own communities. Their classification as a “beast” rather than a “being” is entirely at their own request. They dislike any intervention in their affairs by humans and will react with force if they think it necessary. For this reason many of the ways of the Centaur are still a mystery.
Chimaera XXXXX
This creature has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. It is extremely dangerous and renowned for its vicious nature. The Chimaera originated in Greece.
Chizpurfle XX
The Chizpurfle is a tiny parasite which feeds on magic items such as wands and potions. They either infest the fur of magical creatures, or make their way into wizards houses. Once there they will find whatever magic items they can and gnaw through them.
Clabbert XX
This is a tree-dwelling creature which looks something like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It has strong arms and legs, allowing it to swing from tree to tree, and short horns on its head. The Clabbert has a large pustule in the middle of its head which flashes scarlet when danger approaches.
Clauricorn XXX
Alternative name for the Leprechaun.
thingyatrice
This is a serpent or dragon with the head of a rooster. Hatched from a rooster’s egg, like the Basilisk it has the power to kill with its gaze. A thingyatrice went on the rampage during the Triwizard Tournament of 1792.
Crumple-Horned Snorkack
This is a Scandinavian creature that Luna Lovegood and her father were planning to observe on a trip to Sweden. This Crumple-Horned Snorkack watching holiday might have been taken in vain, as there has to be some significant doubt as to whether such a creature actually exists.
Crup XXX
This is a wizard-bred dog. It looks very much like a Jack Russell terrier, except for its forked tail. The Crup is a popular wizard pet.
Demiguise XXXX
The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivore, having the appearance of a large ape. It is rarely seen, however, as it has the ability to make itself invisible. Demiguise hair can be used to make Invisibility Cloaks.
Dementor
The Dementor is a large, cloaked, humanesque figure, which towers over a normal man. Under normal circumstances they stay entirely under the cover of their cloaks, so no part of their body can be seen. Occasionally, though, a glimpse may be caught: anyone unlucky enough to catch sight of the creature’s hand will see that it is skeletal, glistening, greyish, slimy and scabbed, like something that has died and decayed underwater. The only other part of a Dementor’s body which can ever been seen is its head, which is considerably worse: scabbed skin covers the sockets where its eyes should be, and it has a gaping shapeless hole of a mouth which it can use to literally suck the soul from its victim.
Dementors are the guards of the wizard prison of Azkaban. Their origin is unknown, and it is also unclear how anyone reached agreement with them to carry out this role, as they are speechless, sightless and psychopathic. They feed on positive human emotions – happiness, hope, excitement. Their mere presence sucks every happy feeling or memory from any human present, leaving only cold dark despair in its place. The worst experiences of the victim’s life will flood through them as everything positive is stripped away. This effect causes the vast majority of Azkaban inmates to go insane in a very short length of time. Any wizard exposed to a Dementor for long enough is also likely to lose their powers.
Dementors glide rather than walk, and although sightless can sense human emotions and are drawn to them. Their breath stinks of decay and sounds like a death rattle as it is drawn into their body – it is as though they are sucking more than just air from the atmosphere around them. The one thing a Dementor likes more than feeding on human emotions is to feed on a human’s soul. The act of sucking their victim’s soul out of their body is known as the Dementor’s Kiss. In theory, application of the Kiss is strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic and used only in the case of the most evil killers. In practice, a Dementor will Kiss anybody it can get close enough to.
Despite the tentative agreement which exists between Dementors and humans on the issue of governing Azkaban, the creatures are definitely not to be trusted.
Diricawl XX
The Diricawl was known to Muggles as the Dodo. Muggles now believe it to be extinct, but this is not the case. It is a rather fat flightless bird which has the ability to disappear and reappear elsewhere at will.
Dog
A number of dogs are associated with the wizarding world. In particular, Hagrid keeps a boarhound called Fang, and was also the owner of a three-headed dog called Fluffy, which was used to guard the Philosopher’s Stone. Fluffy is probably now resident in the Forbidden Forest. The Pest Sub-Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures also keeps 12 albino bloodhounds for use against Nogtail infestations.
Doxy XXX
The Doxy looks somewhat like a fairy with additional sets of arms and legs. It is covered in thick black hair and has shiny beetle-like wings. Doxy bites are mildly poisonous.
Dragon XXXXX
The Dragon is a huge lizard-like creature, with vast wings it can use to fly at great speed. All breeds of dragon can breathe fire at will, and all are highly dangerous. The following breeds exist:
- Antipodean Opaleye
- Chinese Fireball
- Common Welsh Green
- Hebridean Black
- Hungarian Horntail
- Norwegian Ridgeback
- Peruvian Vipertooth
- Romanian Longhorn
- Swedish Short-Snout
- Ukrainian Ironbelly
Dugbog XXX
This is a marsh-dwelling creature which looks like a piece of wood. It glides across boggy land and feeds on small mammals, although it will attempt to attack the ankles of human walkers if they cross its path. The Dugbog is particularly fond of eating Mandrakes.
Dwarf
Dwarves are short, stocky human-like creatures, usually reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet. They typically inhabit mountainous regions and are reputed to be skilled miners. They invariably sport thick beards. Professor Lockhart used a team of 12 Dwarves to deliver cards for his infamous Valentines Day bash - the members of this particular group were noted for their surly demeanour, although it would be unfair to claim that all Dwarves are like this. The race in general is notable for the fact that females are almost indistinguishable from males, right down to the enormous beard.
Elf
The House-Elf is not strictly a “beast” but is included here due to its lack of desire to create any sort of autonomous life for itself. Elves vary in appearance, but are universally short and human-like. They act as slaves to rich wizarding families, carrying out menial tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry. They regard this as a pleasant duty and make no attempt to alter the arrangement. They are duty bound to follow their master’s orders and never disobey. House-elves do not wear clothes, preferring to wear discarded household items such as pillowcases or towels. If clothes are given to a house-elf by its master, this signifies the end of its servitude, setting the elf free. This is regarded as a great insult and any elf released in this manner has little left to live for. Elves possess a powerful magic which is different to wizard magic, requiring neither wands nor incantations.
Erkling XXXX
The Erkling is a nasty little creature which grows to around three feet in height. Its cackling laugh is entrancing to children, who it attempts to lure away and eat. Increased vigilance has led to such attacks all but dying out.
Erumpent XXXX
This is a large animal that resembles a rhinoceros. It has a thick hide which deflects most magic and although peaceable, can be very dangerous when provoked. The Erumpent’s horn can pierce all materials, and injects a fluid which causes anything it comes into contact with to explode. Erumpent numbers are low, due to the fact the males often explode each other during the mating season.
Fairy XX
This is a small woodland creature, reaching from one to five inches in height. It looks like a tiny human with wings on its back. The fairy possesses a weak type of magic but has no power of speech. They communicate with each other with a high-pitched buzzing sound.
Fire Crab XXX
The Fire Crab looks rather like a huge tortoise with a heavily jewelled shell. Native to Fiji, it is sometimes prey to local wizards who use its shell as a decorative cauldron. The Fire Crab can defend itself by shooting flames from its rear end, an ability the Blast-Ended Skrewt (a cross between the Fire Crab and the Manticore) inherited from it.
Flobberworm X
This is one of the dullest creatures known to wizardkind. It is a brown worm which grows up to 10 inches in length, lives in damp ditches and rarely moves. It is very hard to tell which end of a Flobberworm is which. They feed on vegetation, having a preference for lettuce.
Fwooper XXX
The Fwooper is a brightly-coloured bird of African origin. It can have plumage of many different colours including orange, pink, green and yellow. They also lay brightly coloured and patterned eggs. Fwooper song sounds appealing to begin with, but will eventually drive the listener insane.
Ghoul XX
Despite its reputation, the Ghoul is a virtually harmless (if rather ugly) creature. It resembles a slimy ogre and inhabits attics and barns, eating spiders and moths. It has a tendency to make moaning noises and throw objects around, but that is the limit of its menace.
Giant
There must be some doubt as to whether Giants should be regarded as beasts or beings, but they are included here none-the-less. Giants are a large humanoid race – they are basically humans which can grow to heights of over 20 feet. They are now much reduced in numbers: at one time there were over 100 tribes across the world. Giants now number only 70-80 in total and hide out in Eastern European mountain ranges. There are two reasons for this decline: firstly, the Giants’ support for Voldemort caused many to be killed by Aurors. Secondly, their violent nature leads them to frequent internal battles which are often fatal. Giants have an organised society of sorts (albeit within a feudal system) with a recognised leader called the Gurg. They also speak human languages (dependent on their country of origin), although very few speak any English. In general, Giants are distrustful and usually violent towards humans, and in particular wizards, due to their fear of magic. There have been occasional occurrences of inter-breeding between humans and Giants, however. Rubeus Hagrid and Olympe Maxime are both half-giants, although the numbers of any other half-giants are unknown.
Giant Grub
These are the young of some sort of creature: presumably a giant insect of some kind, with the grubs being offspring at the larval stage of development. They are around a foot long, are white in colour, and look unpleasantly slimy. In short, they are quite revolting, although very possibly preferable to whatever they grow into. Hagrid kept a barrel full of Giant Grubs in his hut in 1996 to feed to Aragog when the spider was ill.
Glumbumble XXX
This is a furry grey insect which nests in hollow trees and caves by preference. Its most interesting facet is the treacle it produces, which induces melancholy in anyone who consumes it. The Glumbumble is a resident of Northern Europe and feeds on nettles.
Gnome XX
A small humanoid creature growing up to a foot in height, the Gnome is a common garden pest. It has a large head and hard, bony feet. The best way to de-Gnome a garden is to swing each Gnome round until it is dizzy and then drop it over the fence.
Goblin
Again, there must be some debate about whether Goblins can be classed as creatures or not. They are integrated further into wizard society further than any other non-humans: they run Gringotts bank, and also deal with humans in many other (mostly money-related) ways. They speak human languages and seem to be a normal part of the general culture. Goblins are shorter than humans, with swarthy features and long fingers and feet. There have been a number of Goblin uprisings over the centuries, although the outcome of these isn’t known.
Graphorn XXXX
The Graphorn is a large four-legged mountain creature with an unusually aggressive nature. It has two sharp horns and very tough hide which can repel most spells. Powdered Graphorn horn is a sought-after potion ingredient, although it is very difficult to collect.
Granian
A type of Winged Horse. The Granian is grey in colour and very fast.
Griffin XXXX
The Griffin has the front legs and head of an eagle, and the body and hind legs of a lion. It is very fierce and often used to guard treasure. The Griffin originated in Greece.
Grindylow XX
This is a water-demon native to the lakes of Britain and Ireland. It is aggressive and will attack humans by trying to strangle them with its long, powerful fingers. Though it will attack both wizards and Muggles in this way, the Grindylow normally feeds on fish.
Hag
Hags have the appearance of unkempt and wild-looking witches. Unlike most witches, however, they have a preference for eating children, although they will accept raw meat as a substitute. Early attempts to distinguish between beasts and beings put Hags in the “beings” category. This was quickly reversed, leaving them firmly defined as beasts.
Hairy McBoon XXXXX
Alternative name for the Quintaped.
Heliopath
A spirit of fire. Accoding to Luna Lovegood, Cornelius Fudge has a personal army of Heliopaths, which are great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of them. Most people take the view that he doesn't have such an army, due to the fact that Heliopaths don't exist.
Hinkypunk
This is a small creature which infests marshland. It carries a lantern in its hand, and attempts to use the light to lure unwary travellers into bogs. Hinkypunks have only one leg.
Hippocampus XXX
This creature has the head and front legs of a horse but the body and tail of a fish. Like the Griffin it originated in Greece, and it is usually resident in the Mediterranean. It lays large semi-transparent eggs, through which the young tadfoal can be seen.
Hippogriff XXX
The Hippogriff has the head and front legs of an eagle and the body and back legs of a horse. It is dangerous when wild, although it can be tamed by an expert. Hippogriffs understand human speech although they cannot speak themselves, and caution should be exercised when approaching one, as they are very proud creatures. They will attack if insulted. Eye contact should be maintained, and bowing is seen as a statement of the human’s peaceable intentions. The Hippogriff originated in Europe and feeds on insects, birds and small animals.
Horklump X
This is another very dull creature which resembles a vegetable rather than an animal. It looks like a pink mushroom covered in black bristles. It is an animal, however, and it uses its root-like tentacles to catch worms for food. In turn, the Horklump is a considered a delicacy by Gnomes, but nobody else seems to like it.
Imp XX
Imps are small, mischievous humanoid creatures which grow up to 8 inches in height. They look akin to pixies, although they are usually brown or black in colour and are flightless. Imps inhabit marshy areas and live on small insects.
Inferius
An Inferius is an animated corpse, bewitched by Dark magic and commanded to do the bidding of the wizard who is controlling it. It is not alive in any sense, but is merely a puppet, mindlessly acting out the instructions that it is given. Lord Voldemort killed so many people during the first war that he was able to construct an entire army of Inferi. Due to the fact that they are merely automatons, they are merciless when ordered to attack, but they have a vital weakness in that they fear fire and can be fought very effectively in this way.
A type of Winged Horse. An Abraxan is a very powerful giant palomino with fiery red eyes. The Beaxbatons carriage was pulled by Abraxans, which according to Madam Maxime drank only single-malt whisky. It is likely that this applies to the Beaxbatons Abraxans only rather than the entire species.
Acromantula XXXXX
This is a huge carnivorous spider which is covered in thick black hair and can grow up to 15 feet in size. The Acromantula was created by wizards, probably as a guard creature. They are, however, untrainable and extremely dangerous. They have near-human intelligence and are capable of speech, but this doesn’t mean you can reason with them. Hagrid had an Acromantula called Aragog as a pet while he was in his third year at Hogwarts. It was suspected to be the creature from the Chamber of Secrets (which it wasn’t) and Hagrid was expelled from school. Aragog escaped and set up what is now a well-populated colony in the Forbidden Forest.
Aethonan
A type of Winged Horse. The Aethonan is chestnut in colour and popular in Britain and Ireland.
Aquavirious Maggot
A creature that may look something like a brain, which Luna Lovegood and her father believe is real but possibly nobody else does. Luna is sure they are breeding them in the Department of Mysteries.
Ashwinder XXX
This is a thin, pale grey serpent which is created by any magical fire which is allowed to burn unchecked for too long. The Ashwinder rises from the fire and will quickly lay eggs in a secluded place, after which it will crumble into dust. The eggs give off intense heat and will ignite anything they come into contact with. Once frozen, however, they are useful in making Love Potions and relieving ague.
Augurey XX
Also known as the Irish Phoenix. This is a greenish-black bird which by legend foretells the death of anybody who hears its cry. In truth, it actually sings when rain is approaching. The Augurey in fact flies only during rain and remains in its nest at other times.
Banshee
The Banshee is humanoid in appearance, looking akin to a skeletal woman. The sound of the Banshee’s wail is believed to foretell death. Gilderoy Lockhart claimed to have banished the Bandon Banshee, which of course he didn’t.
Basilisk XXXXX
This is an enormous snake, originally bred deliberately by the dark wizard Herpo the Foul. It is brilliant green, can grow up to 50 feet in size, and kills anything which looks into its eyes simply using its deadly gaze. Basilisks can live for hundreds of years and are uncontrollable by anyone except a Parselmouth.
Bicorn
A two-horned beast, fabled to grow very fat through eating good and faithful husbands. Horn of Bicorn is used in potion-making, notably in the manufacture of Polyjuice Potion.
Billywig XXX
The Billywig is a vivid blue insect native to Australia. It travels at great speed and carries a sting which can cause giddiness and levitation. Many younger wizards attempt to get stung on purpose, although care should be taken as repeated stinging can produce uncontrollable levitation which can last for days or even permanently.
Biting Fairy XXX
Alternative name for the Doxy.
Blast-Ended Skrewt
This a cross-breed - created by Hagrid - between the Manticore and the Fire Crab (see below for more details about both), a process which seems best left to the imagination. They are extremely aggressive, with a tendency to attack and eat each other, and can grow to a size of at least 10 feet and perhaps even larger. Resembling a giant armoured scorpion, the males have a large sting over their backs, while the females have a blood-sucker on their underside. The name comes from their tendency to blast fire out of one end (they have no heads so it is impossible to tell which end) which propels them forwards at great speed. Only one Skrewt is known to have survived and its location is unknown.
Blibbering Humdinger
People didn’t used to believe that the Blibbering Humdinger exists. Most still don’t. Luna Lovegood does though, but she is a little bit odd.
Boggart
A Boggart is a shape-shifter which likes to occupy dark, enclosed spaces. When nobody can see it, the form it takes is unknown. When it is seen, it will take whatever form the person who is viewing it finds most frightening. It is destroyed by laughter, and hence the best way to fight a Boggart is to use a Riddikulus spell to force it to adopt an amusing appearance. When defeated, the Boggart explodes and nothing but smoke remains.
Bowtruckle XX
This is a small tree-guardian, which grows up to 8 inches in height. It looks as though it is made of bark and twigs, and generally avoids contact with humans. If its tree is threatened, however, the Bowtruckle will defend it by attempting to gouge the attacker’s eyes with its long fingers.
Bugbear
This is a bear-like humanoid creature with a particular preference for frightening children. When Ginny Weasley was possessed by Lord Voldemort and killed Hagrid’s roosters, Hagrid thought it may be the work of bugbears.
Bundimun XXX
A Bundimun looks like a patch of green fungus with eyes, although it does have numerous legs which it can use to move at speed when necessary. It is a parasite which infests houses and feeds on dirt. This is not a bad thing in itself, but unfortunately the creature also excretes a foul substance which rots its resident building and will cause it to collapse if left unchecked. It also gives off a violent smell of decay. Scouring charms are required to remove a Bundimun infestation.
Cat
This is strictly a Muggle creature, although it has many connections with the wizarding world, hence its inclusion here. Cats are favoured pets of many wizards and Squibs - with Arabella Figg and Argus Filch the most famous cat-owning Squibs known so far. Cats are also on the approved list of pets for Hogwarts students, along with Owls, Toads and possibly Rats. Wizards and even Squibs enjoy more advanced communication with cats than Muggles do.
Centaur XXXX
The Centaur has the head and body of a human and the body and legs of a horse. Centaurs have human intelligence but keep themselves apart from both wizards and Muggles, preferring to remain in their own communities. Their classification as a “beast” rather than a “being” is entirely at their own request. They dislike any intervention in their affairs by humans and will react with force if they think it necessary. For this reason many of the ways of the Centaur are still a mystery.
Chimaera XXXXX
This creature has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. It is extremely dangerous and renowned for its vicious nature. The Chimaera originated in Greece.
Chizpurfle XX
The Chizpurfle is a tiny parasite which feeds on magic items such as wands and potions. They either infest the fur of magical creatures, or make their way into wizards houses. Once there they will find whatever magic items they can and gnaw through them.
Clabbert XX
This is a tree-dwelling creature which looks something like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It has strong arms and legs, allowing it to swing from tree to tree, and short horns on its head. The Clabbert has a large pustule in the middle of its head which flashes scarlet when danger approaches.
Clauricorn XXX
Alternative name for the Leprechaun.
thingyatrice
This is a serpent or dragon with the head of a rooster. Hatched from a rooster’s egg, like the Basilisk it has the power to kill with its gaze. A thingyatrice went on the rampage during the Triwizard Tournament of 1792.
Crumple-Horned Snorkack
This is a Scandinavian creature that Luna Lovegood and her father were planning to observe on a trip to Sweden. This Crumple-Horned Snorkack watching holiday might have been taken in vain, as there has to be some significant doubt as to whether such a creature actually exists.
Crup XXX
This is a wizard-bred dog. It looks very much like a Jack Russell terrier, except for its forked tail. The Crup is a popular wizard pet.
Demiguise XXXX
The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivore, having the appearance of a large ape. It is rarely seen, however, as it has the ability to make itself invisible. Demiguise hair can be used to make Invisibility Cloaks.
Dementor
The Dementor is a large, cloaked, humanesque figure, which towers over a normal man. Under normal circumstances they stay entirely under the cover of their cloaks, so no part of their body can be seen. Occasionally, though, a glimpse may be caught: anyone unlucky enough to catch sight of the creature’s hand will see that it is skeletal, glistening, greyish, slimy and scabbed, like something that has died and decayed underwater. The only other part of a Dementor’s body which can ever been seen is its head, which is considerably worse: scabbed skin covers the sockets where its eyes should be, and it has a gaping shapeless hole of a mouth which it can use to literally suck the soul from its victim.
Dementors are the guards of the wizard prison of Azkaban. Their origin is unknown, and it is also unclear how anyone reached agreement with them to carry out this role, as they are speechless, sightless and psychopathic. They feed on positive human emotions – happiness, hope, excitement. Their mere presence sucks every happy feeling or memory from any human present, leaving only cold dark despair in its place. The worst experiences of the victim’s life will flood through them as everything positive is stripped away. This effect causes the vast majority of Azkaban inmates to go insane in a very short length of time. Any wizard exposed to a Dementor for long enough is also likely to lose their powers.
Dementors glide rather than walk, and although sightless can sense human emotions and are drawn to them. Their breath stinks of decay and sounds like a death rattle as it is drawn into their body – it is as though they are sucking more than just air from the atmosphere around them. The one thing a Dementor likes more than feeding on human emotions is to feed on a human’s soul. The act of sucking their victim’s soul out of their body is known as the Dementor’s Kiss. In theory, application of the Kiss is strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic and used only in the case of the most evil killers. In practice, a Dementor will Kiss anybody it can get close enough to.
Despite the tentative agreement which exists between Dementors and humans on the issue of governing Azkaban, the creatures are definitely not to be trusted.
Diricawl XX
The Diricawl was known to Muggles as the Dodo. Muggles now believe it to be extinct, but this is not the case. It is a rather fat flightless bird which has the ability to disappear and reappear elsewhere at will.
Dog
A number of dogs are associated with the wizarding world. In particular, Hagrid keeps a boarhound called Fang, and was also the owner of a three-headed dog called Fluffy, which was used to guard the Philosopher’s Stone. Fluffy is probably now resident in the Forbidden Forest. The Pest Sub-Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures also keeps 12 albino bloodhounds for use against Nogtail infestations.
Doxy XXX
The Doxy looks somewhat like a fairy with additional sets of arms and legs. It is covered in thick black hair and has shiny beetle-like wings. Doxy bites are mildly poisonous.
Dragon XXXXX
The Dragon is a huge lizard-like creature, with vast wings it can use to fly at great speed. All breeds of dragon can breathe fire at will, and all are highly dangerous. The following breeds exist:
- Antipodean Opaleye
- Chinese Fireball
- Common Welsh Green
- Hebridean Black
- Hungarian Horntail
- Norwegian Ridgeback
- Peruvian Vipertooth
- Romanian Longhorn
- Swedish Short-Snout
- Ukrainian Ironbelly
Dugbog XXX
This is a marsh-dwelling creature which looks like a piece of wood. It glides across boggy land and feeds on small mammals, although it will attempt to attack the ankles of human walkers if they cross its path. The Dugbog is particularly fond of eating Mandrakes.
Dwarf
Dwarves are short, stocky human-like creatures, usually reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet. They typically inhabit mountainous regions and are reputed to be skilled miners. They invariably sport thick beards. Professor Lockhart used a team of 12 Dwarves to deliver cards for his infamous Valentines Day bash - the members of this particular group were noted for their surly demeanour, although it would be unfair to claim that all Dwarves are like this. The race in general is notable for the fact that females are almost indistinguishable from males, right down to the enormous beard.
Elf
The House-Elf is not strictly a “beast” but is included here due to its lack of desire to create any sort of autonomous life for itself. Elves vary in appearance, but are universally short and human-like. They act as slaves to rich wizarding families, carrying out menial tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry. They regard this as a pleasant duty and make no attempt to alter the arrangement. They are duty bound to follow their master’s orders and never disobey. House-elves do not wear clothes, preferring to wear discarded household items such as pillowcases or towels. If clothes are given to a house-elf by its master, this signifies the end of its servitude, setting the elf free. This is regarded as a great insult and any elf released in this manner has little left to live for. Elves possess a powerful magic which is different to wizard magic, requiring neither wands nor incantations.
Erkling XXXX
The Erkling is a nasty little creature which grows to around three feet in height. Its cackling laugh is entrancing to children, who it attempts to lure away and eat. Increased vigilance has led to such attacks all but dying out.
Erumpent XXXX
This is a large animal that resembles a rhinoceros. It has a thick hide which deflects most magic and although peaceable, can be very dangerous when provoked. The Erumpent’s horn can pierce all materials, and injects a fluid which causes anything it comes into contact with to explode. Erumpent numbers are low, due to the fact the males often explode each other during the mating season.
Fairy XX
This is a small woodland creature, reaching from one to five inches in height. It looks like a tiny human with wings on its back. The fairy possesses a weak type of magic but has no power of speech. They communicate with each other with a high-pitched buzzing sound.
Fire Crab XXX
The Fire Crab looks rather like a huge tortoise with a heavily jewelled shell. Native to Fiji, it is sometimes prey to local wizards who use its shell as a decorative cauldron. The Fire Crab can defend itself by shooting flames from its rear end, an ability the Blast-Ended Skrewt (a cross between the Fire Crab and the Manticore) inherited from it.
Flobberworm X
This is one of the dullest creatures known to wizardkind. It is a brown worm which grows up to 10 inches in length, lives in damp ditches and rarely moves. It is very hard to tell which end of a Flobberworm is which. They feed on vegetation, having a preference for lettuce.
Fwooper XXX
The Fwooper is a brightly-coloured bird of African origin. It can have plumage of many different colours including orange, pink, green and yellow. They also lay brightly coloured and patterned eggs. Fwooper song sounds appealing to begin with, but will eventually drive the listener insane.
Ghoul XX
Despite its reputation, the Ghoul is a virtually harmless (if rather ugly) creature. It resembles a slimy ogre and inhabits attics and barns, eating spiders and moths. It has a tendency to make moaning noises and throw objects around, but that is the limit of its menace.
Giant
There must be some doubt as to whether Giants should be regarded as beasts or beings, but they are included here none-the-less. Giants are a large humanoid race – they are basically humans which can grow to heights of over 20 feet. They are now much reduced in numbers: at one time there were over 100 tribes across the world. Giants now number only 70-80 in total and hide out in Eastern European mountain ranges. There are two reasons for this decline: firstly, the Giants’ support for Voldemort caused many to be killed by Aurors. Secondly, their violent nature leads them to frequent internal battles which are often fatal. Giants have an organised society of sorts (albeit within a feudal system) with a recognised leader called the Gurg. They also speak human languages (dependent on their country of origin), although very few speak any English. In general, Giants are distrustful and usually violent towards humans, and in particular wizards, due to their fear of magic. There have been occasional occurrences of inter-breeding between humans and Giants, however. Rubeus Hagrid and Olympe Maxime are both half-giants, although the numbers of any other half-giants are unknown.
Giant Grub
These are the young of some sort of creature: presumably a giant insect of some kind, with the grubs being offspring at the larval stage of development. They are around a foot long, are white in colour, and look unpleasantly slimy. In short, they are quite revolting, although very possibly preferable to whatever they grow into. Hagrid kept a barrel full of Giant Grubs in his hut in 1996 to feed to Aragog when the spider was ill.
Glumbumble XXX
This is a furry grey insect which nests in hollow trees and caves by preference. Its most interesting facet is the treacle it produces, which induces melancholy in anyone who consumes it. The Glumbumble is a resident of Northern Europe and feeds on nettles.
Gnome XX
A small humanoid creature growing up to a foot in height, the Gnome is a common garden pest. It has a large head and hard, bony feet. The best way to de-Gnome a garden is to swing each Gnome round until it is dizzy and then drop it over the fence.
Goblin
Again, there must be some debate about whether Goblins can be classed as creatures or not. They are integrated further into wizard society further than any other non-humans: they run Gringotts bank, and also deal with humans in many other (mostly money-related) ways. They speak human languages and seem to be a normal part of the general culture. Goblins are shorter than humans, with swarthy features and long fingers and feet. There have been a number of Goblin uprisings over the centuries, although the outcome of these isn’t known.
Graphorn XXXX
The Graphorn is a large four-legged mountain creature with an unusually aggressive nature. It has two sharp horns and very tough hide which can repel most spells. Powdered Graphorn horn is a sought-after potion ingredient, although it is very difficult to collect.
Granian
A type of Winged Horse. The Granian is grey in colour and very fast.
Griffin XXXX
The Griffin has the front legs and head of an eagle, and the body and hind legs of a lion. It is very fierce and often used to guard treasure. The Griffin originated in Greece.
Grindylow XX
This is a water-demon native to the lakes of Britain and Ireland. It is aggressive and will attack humans by trying to strangle them with its long, powerful fingers. Though it will attack both wizards and Muggles in this way, the Grindylow normally feeds on fish.
Hag
Hags have the appearance of unkempt and wild-looking witches. Unlike most witches, however, they have a preference for eating children, although they will accept raw meat as a substitute. Early attempts to distinguish between beasts and beings put Hags in the “beings” category. This was quickly reversed, leaving them firmly defined as beasts.
Hairy McBoon XXXXX
Alternative name for the Quintaped.
Heliopath
A spirit of fire. Accoding to Luna Lovegood, Cornelius Fudge has a personal army of Heliopaths, which are great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of them. Most people take the view that he doesn't have such an army, due to the fact that Heliopaths don't exist.
Hinkypunk
This is a small creature which infests marshland. It carries a lantern in its hand, and attempts to use the light to lure unwary travellers into bogs. Hinkypunks have only one leg.
Hippocampus XXX
This creature has the head and front legs of a horse but the body and tail of a fish. Like the Griffin it originated in Greece, and it is usually resident in the Mediterranean. It lays large semi-transparent eggs, through which the young tadfoal can be seen.
Hippogriff XXX
The Hippogriff has the head and front legs of an eagle and the body and back legs of a horse. It is dangerous when wild, although it can be tamed by an expert. Hippogriffs understand human speech although they cannot speak themselves, and caution should be exercised when approaching one, as they are very proud creatures. They will attack if insulted. Eye contact should be maintained, and bowing is seen as a statement of the human’s peaceable intentions. The Hippogriff originated in Europe and feeds on insects, birds and small animals.
Horklump X
This is another very dull creature which resembles a vegetable rather than an animal. It looks like a pink mushroom covered in black bristles. It is an animal, however, and it uses its root-like tentacles to catch worms for food. In turn, the Horklump is a considered a delicacy by Gnomes, but nobody else seems to like it.
Imp XX
Imps are small, mischievous humanoid creatures which grow up to 8 inches in height. They look akin to pixies, although they are usually brown or black in colour and are flightless. Imps inhabit marshy areas and live on small insects.
Inferius
An Inferius is an animated corpse, bewitched by Dark magic and commanded to do the bidding of the wizard who is controlling it. It is not alive in any sense, but is merely a puppet, mindlessly acting out the instructions that it is given. Lord Voldemort killed so many people during the first war that he was able to construct an entire army of Inferi. Due to the fact that they are merely automatons, they are merciless when ordered to attack, but they have a vital weakness in that they fear fire and can be fought very effectively in this way.
