A variety of magical creatures are depicted in the fictional universe of Harry Potter, which is drawn from various types of media. Magical creatures appear in the Harry Potter novels and their film adaptations, in the Fantastic Beasts film series, in other books by J. K. Rowling, and on the website of the Wizarding World media franchise. In 2001, Rowling released Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which serves as a guidebook to the creatures described in the fictional universe. Some of these creatures were invented by Rowling. Others are derived from sources such as Greek mythology, English and Celtic folklore, and the works of Roman historians. In the Harry Potter universe, Magizoology is the study of magical creatures. There are magizoologists who work in the Ministry of Magic, particularly in the department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. One notable magizoologist is Newt Scamander, who is the author of the in-universe book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He is the protagonist of the Fantastic Beasts series of films, which serve as prequels to the Harry Potter series.
List of creatures
A Acromantula – A gigantic spider that is capable of human speech. Rubeus Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts for possessing an Acromantula named Aragog, who was falsely believed to be the monster from the Chamber of Secrets. Acromantula are known to dwell in the Forbidden Forest. Ashwinder – A serpent-like creature created from the ashes of a magical fire. Augurey – A greyish-green, mournful-looking bird also known as the "Irish Phoenix". In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Lord Voldemort's followers are marked with a tattoo of an Augurey.
B Banshee – A female spirit who heralds the death of a family member, usually by shrieking or keening. Basilisk – A giant snake. A person or animal will die if they make direct eye contact with a Basilisk, but will be merely Petrified (immobilized) if they make indirect eye contact, such as through a mirror. A Basilisk is created by having a toad sit on and hatch a chicken's egg. The Basilisk is the creature that lurks in the Chamber of Secrets and wreaks havoc at Hogwarts under the command of one of Lord Voldmort's horcruxes. Bicorn – A cow-like creature that sheds its horns annually. Its horns are an ingredient in Polyjuice Potion. Bigfoot – A humanoid ape-like creature native to North America. Billywig – An Australian stinging insect rarely noticed by Muggles. Victims stung will experience giddiness, followed by levitation. Several billywigs escape from Newt Scamander's suitcase in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Blast-Ended Skrewt – A cross between a Manticore and a Fire Crab created by Rubeus Hagrid. Bogeyman – A creature that haunts children when they are being naughty. Boggart – A shapeshifter that takes on the form of its victim's worst fear. Boggarts like to hide in dark, enclosed places, and it is unknown what form a Boggart takes when alone. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Remus Lupin teaches his students the Riddikulus charm to combat Boggarts. The spell makes a Boggart's appearance less fearsome or even comical. Bowtruckle – A tree-dwelling wooden creature that is difficult to spot. The trees they inhabit can be used to craft wands. Bugbear – A creature that is similar to a bogeyman and a boggart. Bundimun – A beast resembling a patch of greenish fungus with eyes.
C Caipora – A dwarf-like spirit-being native to Brazil. Centaur – A creature with a head and torso resembling those of a human, and with a lower body resembling that of a horse. Centaurs live in forests and are skilled in healing and astrology. Centaurs who associate with humans are often seen as traitors to their kind. In Deathly Hallows, centaurs fight against the Death Eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts. Chimaera – A creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon. Chizpurfle – A crab-like parasite that dwells on Crups and Augureys. Chupacabra – A blood-sucking creature from Mexico that is half-lizard, half-homunculus. Clabbert – A tree-dwelling creature resembling a cross between a frog and a monkey. Cockatrice – A creature that resembles a rooster with a lizard tail. It can kill by staring at a victim. Crup – A magical breed of dog with a forked tail.
D Dementor – A tall, black-cloaked creature with hands that appear decayed. Dementors drain happiness from people and force them to relive their worst memories. Dementors are employed as guards at Azkaban and cannot be seen by Muggles. They can suck a person's soul out through their mouth, which is known as the Dementor's Kiss. They can be repelled by the Patronus Charm. Rowling has called Dementors "soulless creatures" and "among the foulest beings on Earth". She said they were inspired by her own experience of depression. Demiguise – An orangutan-like creature with precognition that can turn invisible. An escaped Demiguise plays a role in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Demiguise pelts are often used to make invisibility cloaks. Diricawl – A bird that can disappear when threatened. Known as the dodo by Muggles. According to Newt Scamander, the bird's vanishing ability is the reason Muggles believe it is extinct. Doxy – A small fairy-like creature with four arms and four legs, also known as a Biting Fairy. Dragon– A winged fire-breathing reptile which has a certain degree of immunity to magical attacks. Dragon heartstring is frequently used in the creation of wands. Species of dragon include the Antipodean Opaleye, Chinese Fireball, Common Welsh Green, Hebridean Black, Hungarian Horntail, Norwegian Ridgeback, Peruvian Vipertooth, Romanian Longhorn, Swedish Short-Snout and Ukrainian Ironbelly. Dugbog – A crocodile-like creature that resembles a piece of wood while stationary. Dukuwaqa – A human that can turn into a shark. Dwarf – A short, stocky humanoid.
E Erlking – An elf-like creature that lures children with music before eating them. Erumpent – A rhinoceros-like creature that has explosive liquid in its horn. Xenophilius Lovegood has an Erumpent horn in his house which he falsely identifies as the horn of a "Crumple-Horned Snorkack".
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
