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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 series.
Many of these creatures are derived from Greek mythology and other folklore, namely British and Scandinavian.[1] Many of the legends surrounding these mythical creatures are also incorporated in the books. Some creatures in the series are ordinary animals that have magical properties or possess magical abilities. Owls, for example, deliver mail and have the ability to find the recipient regardless of their location. Some magical creatures such as giants, dragons and trolls have a certain degree of immunity to spells.
Magizoology
editIn the Harry Potter franchise, Magizoology is the study of magical creatures. A person who studies Magizoology is known as a magizoologist. 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 in-universe author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the protagonist of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which serves as a prequel to the Harry Potter story.[2]
Creatures
edit- 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 ashes from a magical fire.
- Augurey – A greyish-green, mournful-looking bird also known as the "Irish Phoenix".
- 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.[3] The Basilisk in the Harry Potter universe is based on the basilisk of European mythology.
- 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 mix between a Manticore and a Fire Crab created by Rubeus Hagrid.
- Bogeyman – A creature that haunts children when they are being naughty.
- Boggart – A shape-shifter that takes on the form of its intended 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. Boggarts in Harry Potter are based on boggarts from English folklore.
- Bowtruckle – An insect-eating, tree-dwelling, wooden creature that is hard to spot. Rowling has written on Pottermore that bowtruckles are sometimes called "the wandmaker's friend" because 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.
- Caipora – A dwarf-like spirit-being of the forests 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 from Greek mythology.
- Chizpurfle – A parasite resembling a crab, living on the fur and feathers of 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. Its stare is fatal.
- Crup – A magical breed of dog with a forked tail.
- Dementor – Tall, black-cloaked figures with rotten, skeletal hands; they have the ability to suck a person's soul out through their mouths, and they drain feelings of happiness and joy; employed as the guards of the wizard prison Azkaban; can only be repelled by the Patronus Charm.
- Demiguise – A docile orangutan-like creature that can turn invisible.[4] The creature's sight is based on precognition. An escaped Demiguise plays a role in the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Their 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. 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 resembling a piece of dead wood while stationary.
- Dukuwaqa – A human that can turn into a shark.
- Dwarf – A short, stocky humanoid. A Curupira is a red-haired species of dwarf native to Brazil.
- Erkling – An elf-like creature that lures children with music before eating them.
- Erumpent – A rhinoceros-like creature that has explosive liquid in its horn, which can erupt at the slightest touch. Xenophilius Lovegood has an Erumpent horn in his house which he falsely identifies as "the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack".
- Fairy – A small human-like creature with insect-like wings.
- Fire Crab – A Fire Crab resembles a cross between a tortoise and a crab. It shoots fire from its rear-end when threatened.
- Fire-Dwelling Salamander – A lizard-like creature that lives in and feeds on flames.
- Flesh-Eating Slug – A slug-like creature with corrosive spittle.
- Flobberworm – A toothless brown worm used in potion making.
- Fwooper – A brightly coloured bird that has a high pitched, twittering song.
- Gargoyle – A statue that comes to life.
- Genie – A magical humanoid that can glide over water.
- Ghost – A spirit of a wizard who has died. In the novels, ghosts are described as silvery and translucent. They can pass through walls and other solid objects, but have some ability to interact with the living world. Ghosts can be affected by magic, though not as much as living beings.[5]
- Ghoul – A creature that resembles a slimy buck-toothed ogre. A chameleon ghoul can disguise itself as an everyday object to evade detection.
- Giant – A humanoid creature much larger than a human. Giants have some immunity to magical attacks and can interbreed with humans, but wizards have actively driven them out of civilisation.[6][7] Some giants fight for Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts. The Hogwarts gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid is half-giant, and has a giant half-brother named Grawp.
- Glumbumble – An insect resembling a bumblebee. It produces a treacle that induces melancholy in those who consume it.
- Gnome – A small humanoid that is known to infest the gardens of wizarding households.
- Goblin – A short and stocky humanoid with black eyes, a domed head and long fingers.[8] Goblins run Gringotts Bank and speak a language known as Gobbledegook.[9][6] Relations between goblins and wizards have been strained for centuries.[10] The depiction of goblins in Harry Potter has been compared to antisemitic depictions of Jewish people.[11]
- Golden Snidget – A small golden bird that was used as the Golden Snitch in early versions of Quidditch.
- Gorgon – A humanoid with snakes for hair. Its stare can turn a person to stone.
- Graphorn – A creature that resembles a condylarth and a smilodon. It has horns on its head and slimy tentacles in its mouth.
- Griffin – A creature that is part-eagle, part-lion.
- Grindylow – A small horned water demon. Depicted with octopus tentacles in the Harry Potter films.
- Gytrash – A dog-like spirit.
- Hag – An old, wrinkled witch.
- Harpy – A humanoid creature with wings.
- Hidebehind – A magical creature that is the result of illegally mating a Demiguise and a ghoul.
- Hinkypunk – A diminutive, one-legged creature with the appearance of wispy blue, grey or white smoke. Hinkypunks use lanterns to lure unsuspecting people down the wrong path.
- Hippocampus – A sea creature with the head and front legs of a horse and the tail of a fish.
- Hippogriff – A creature that is part-eagle, part-horse. Wizards can own them provided they cast a daily Disillusionment Charm on them. A hippogriff named Buckbeak is featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
- Hodag – A cynodont-like creature with horns resembling a cross between a frog and a dog.
- Horklump – A pink fleshy creature resembling a mushroom, with no discernible purpose.
- Horned Serpent – A giant sea serpent with horns.
- House-elf – A short, skinny humanoid that does house chores similar to a brownie. A Yumbo is a white-skinned species of elf native to Senegal.
- Hydra – A nine-headed serpentine creature.
- Inferius – A zombie-like creature reanimated using Dark magic.
- Jackalope – A jackrabbit-like creature with antlers.
- Jarvey – An overgrown ferret-like creature that can talk but in very short, often rude statements.
- Jobberknoll – A blue speckled bird that never makes any noise until the moment before it dies. It would then release a long scream, which consisted of every sound it ever heard backwards.
- Kappa – A Japanese river demon that can leave the water for short periods of time.
- Kelpie – A shapeshifting aquatic creature that often appears as a horse with kelp as a mane. When mounted, it drags down and drowns the rider.
- Knarl – A hedgehog-like creature.
- Kneazle – A highly intelligent cat-like creature. A Kneazle can detect untrustworthy people.
- Leprechaun – A dwarf-like creature associated with gold that deceives both wizards and muggles alike.
- Lethifold – A Dementor-like creature that has the taste for human flesh.
- Leucrotta – A moose-like creature with a larger mouth.
- Lobalug – An aquatic creature that spits out venom when threatened but is also used as a weapon by merpeople.
- Mackled Malaclaw – A sea creature that resembles a lobster. When bitten by a Malaclaw, it had the unusual side effect of making the victim unlucky for up to a week.
- Manticore – A carnivorous creature with the head of a human, body of a lion, a stinger tail like a scorpion, and is capable of human speech, or a scorpion-like creature with five eyes and three tails that can spray an unidentified flaming substance, which can grow to sizes comparable to a dragon,
- Marmite – A very tiny squid-like beast with longer tentacles and its body glows in the dark.
- Matagot – A cat-like creature that multiplies when attacked.
- Merpeople – Creatures that appear half-human and half-fish. Types of merpeople include mermaids, mermen, merrows, selkies and sirens.
- Moke – A lizard with silver-green skin native to the British Isles and able to shrink at will. Its hide is used to make purses and wallets that shrink when a stranger approaches.
- Mooncalf – A bovid-like creature that comes out of its burrow during a full moon.
- Murtlap – A hairless aquatic creature that resembles a large rat with soft, fleshy spines on its back.
- Niffler – A small desman-like creature with platypus-like features. Nifflers are obsessed with hoarding shiny objects, which they store in their bottomless pouch.
- Nogtail – A demon resembling a long-legged piglet that haunts farms and barnyards.
- Nundu – A giant leopard-like creature with toxic breath.
- Occamy – A plumed, two-legged, winged creature with a serpentine body, resembling a cross between a dragon and a bird. Its eggs are made of pure silver. The Occamy is choranaptyxic, meaning it will grow or shrink to fit available space.[12]
- Ogre – A large humanoid creature resembling a buck-toothed ghoul.
- Oni – A humanoid demon from Japan with horns and multiple eyes.
- Phoenix – A bird that can reincarnate after death. It can carry immensely heavy loads and its tears have healing properties. Phoenix feathers are one of the three main wand cores. A hoo-hoo is a Japanese species of phoenix.
- Pixie – A tiny mischievous creature found in Britain and Ireland.
- Plimpy – A fish-like creature with legs. Considered a pest by merpeople.
- Pogrebin – A gnome-like demon resembling a rock.
- Poltergeist – A spirit that often haunts a building.
- Porlock – A small satyr-like creature that guards horses.
- Puffskein – A small, round creature covered in soft fur. A common pet for Wizarding children. Species of Puffskein include the Appaloosa Puffskein, Fanged Puffskein and Pygmy Puff.
- Pukwudgie – A species of goblin native to North America.
- Qilin – A Chinese deer-like creature that can look into a person's soul.
- Quintaped – A carnivorous five-legged creature resembling a starfish with a face.
- Ramora – A magical fish that guards fishermen.
- Red Cap – A dwarf-like creature resembling a goblin. It colours its hat with the blood of its victims.
- Re'em – A golden ox-like creature. Its blood can be consumed for increased strength.
- Runespoor – A three-headed giant serpent.
- Sea serpent – A giant snake-like creature that dwells in the ocean. The Selma is a sea serpent from Norway.
- Shrake – A magically created fish covered in spines.
- Snallygaster – A bird-dragon hybrid creature related to the Occamy.
- Sphinx – An Egyptian creature that has the head of a human and the body of a lion. The Sphinxes are capable of human speech and are good at giving riddles, puzzles, and enigmas.
- Streeler – A giant snail that leaves a trail of poisonous slime.
- Swooping Evil – A venomous butterfly-like creature with a skull of a wolf that feeds on human brains.
- Tebo – A warthog-like creature that can turn invisible when threatened.
- Tengu – A goblin-like creature with a long nose and wings, similar to a harpy. Found in Japan.
- Thestral – A carnivorous species of winged horse visible only to those who have experienced loss through death.[13] They are described as having dragon-like faces, blank white eyes, long manes, and large leathery wings. They possess a well-developed sense of smell, which leads them to carrion or fresh meat. According to Hagrid, they will not attack a human-sized target without provocation. Thestrals are capable of very fast flight for several hours at a time. Hogwarts has a herd of Thestrals which pull the carriages that transport students to and from the Hogsmeade train station. In Deathly Hallows, Thestrals attack the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Rowling has revealed that the Elder Wand has a core of Thestral hair.[14] For the genus of insect, see Thestral (bug).
- Three-Headed Dog – In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy guards the Philosopher's Stone.
- Thunderbird – A bird-like creature with the power to cause thunderstorms. Mainly found in Arizona.
- Troll – A tall humanoid with immense strength and low intelligence. Some trolls can be trained to guard certain places and objects.
- Trollcleg – A type of fly that hovers around trolls.
- Trollwig – A kind of earwig that feeds on the earwax of trolls.
- Unicorn – A horse-like creature with a horn protruding from its forehead.[15] Their tail hairs are one of the three main wand cores and their horn is used in some potions. They are born as golden coloured, and gradually become white as they grow into adults. They are very hard to catch. It is said in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that if one drinks a unicorn's blood, it will give that person long-lasting life. However, it also eternally curses that person.
- Vampire – A humanoid creature that drinks the blood of humans. A Sasabonsam is a red-haired, white-skinned species of vampire native to Ghana.
- Vampyr Mosp – A fanged moth-wasp hybrid.
- Veela – A being that sometimes resembles an exceptionally beautiful woman, and sometimes resesembles a harpy. Veela are known for having the power to bewitch and enchant men.[16]
- Wampus cat – A six-legged puma-like creature.
- Werewolf – A human who transforms into a wolf-like creature during the full moon. The person has no control over the process and cannot choose whether or not it occurs. A Rougarou is a type of werewolf native to the United States and Canada. A Michigan Dogman is a type of werewolf native to Wexford County, Michigan. In the Harry Potter universe, a person becomes a werewolf when they are bitten by another werewolf in wolf-form. Once this happens, the person must learn to manage the condition. The Wolfsbane Potion controls some of the effects of the condition, including allowing the person to maintain their human mind in wolf-form, which prevents them from harming others. Werewolf characters in the Harry Potter series include Remus Lupin and Fenrir Greyback.
- White River Monster – A monstrous fish that dwells in the White River.
- Winged Horse – A horse with wings. Wizards can own them provided they cast a daily Disillusionment Charm on them.
- Wood Nymph – A dryad.
- Wrackspurt – An invisible creature that can enter a person's ear and make them unfocused or confused.
- Yeti – An ape-like creature native to the Himalayas.
- Zombie – An undead creature.
- Zouwu – An elephant-sized cat able to travel long distances.
Notable creatures
editDementors
editThe dementors are "soulless creatures[17]... among the foulest beings on Earth": a phantom species who gradually deprive human minds of happiness and intelligence. They are the guards of the wizard prison, Azkaban, until after the return of Voldemort. Dumbledore forbade dementors from entering Hogwarts but this ban was ultimately broken in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, who insisted on being accompanied by a dementor as a bodyguard.
In the books, dementors have a generally human shape, approximately 3 metres (10 feet) in height, covered in dark, hooded cloaks that reveal only their decayed-looking hands. Beneath the cloak, Dementors are also known to be blind, as they do not have any eyes. However, they have the ability to sense whether a presence is near them or not. This is because they sense the victim's emotions and the only feature of note is the perpetually indrawn breath, by which they consume the emotions and good memories of human beings, forcing the victim to relive its worst memories alone. According to the author, dementors grow like fungi in dark, moist places, creating a dense, chilly fog. The presence of a dementor makes the surrounding atmosphere grow cold and dark, and the effects are cumulative with the number of dementors present. The culmination of their power is the 'Dementor's Kiss', wherein the dementor latches its mouth onto a victim's lips and consumes its soul or psyche. Dementors are invisible to Muggles, but affect them otherwise identically. The principal method against them is the Patronus Charm, which both protects its user and repels the dementors. According to Rowling, Dementors were inspired by her own experience of depression.[18][19]
House-elves
editHouse-elves are small elves enslaved by wizards. They are 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) tall, with spindly limbs and large heads and eyes. They have pointed, bat-like ears and high, squeaky voices. House-elves are generally obedient, pliant, and obsequious; and when enslaved, wear discarded items such as pillowcases and tea-towels draped like a toga. House-elves' masters can free them by giving them an item of clothing.
House-elves possess magic distinct from that used by wizards, which they generally use in the service of their masters. This magic can be used without the permission of their masters, or even against their orders, though such disobedience obliges them to punish themselves in various painful ways. Among other things, this magic allows house-elves to Apparate instantly from place to place, even at Hogwarts and other places where human Apparation is prevented; and even to thus transport humans.[20]
Harry Potter's depiction of race, specifically the slavery of house-elves, has received varied responses. Scholars such as Brycchan Carey have praised the books' abolitionist sentiments, viewing Hermione's Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare as a model for younger readers' political engagement.[21][22] Other critics including Farah Mendlesohn find the portrayal of house-elves "most difficult to accept": the elves are denied the right to free themselves and rely on the benevolence of others like Hermione.[23][24] Pharr terms the house-elves a disharmonious element in the series, writing that Rowling leaves their fate hanging;[25] at the end of Deathly Hallows, the elves remain enslaved and cheerful.[26]
Obscurial
editObscurials are magical children who attempt to repress their magical abilities. If kept unchecked, this repression creates a Dark parasitic force known as an obscurus. When their power is unleashed, the child and obscurus share a form of a large, shadowy, ethereal cloud, usually causing destruction due to the child themselves having little to no control over the obscurus. The host and parasite may retake the form of the child later, again with almost no input from the obscurial. Due to its consuming nature, obscurials rarely live past childhood, and obscurials who do make it to adolescence are considered outstandingly powerful magic users, though they still will have no control.
When unleashed an obscurus will normally target the source of its host's misery and distress; violently mauling the victim and leaving distinct scratch-like burns over the victim's face. Despite their violent nature an obscurus will spare those who have shown kindness and affection to their obscurial host.
Notable individuals
editBelow is a list of magical creatures who have some significant role in the series.
Dobby
editDobby is the Malfoy family's house-elf until he is freed by Harry in Chamber of Secrets. He first appears in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to discourage Harry from returning to Hogwarts. Dobby later tries to keep Harry away from Hogwarts by magically sealing off the hidden entrance to Platform 9¾. During a Quidditch match, Dobby enchants a Bludger to chase Harry, hoping to cause him enough injury to be sent home; but the Bludger only manages to break Harry's arm. Harry tricks Malfoy into setting Dobby free, a feat that secures him the house-elf's undying loyalty.
Dobby returns in Goblet of Fire. Now a free elf, he obtains a paid post at Hogwarts. Dobby also quickly becomes the only house-elf who will clean the Gryffindor common room, when Hermione leaves knitted clothing half-hidden around the room in an attempt to free the elves, which they find insulting. He also helps Harry get through the second task of the Triwizard Tournament by giving him Gillyweed. Dobby later appears in Order of the Phoenix, showing Harry the hidden Room of Requirement, which Harry uses for the secret meetings of Dumbledore's Army. When Professor Umbridge finds the meetings later, Dobby enters to warn the group. In Half-Blood Prince Harry entrusts Dobby to watch his compatriot Kreacher when he orders him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens with the other house-elves; and later assigns both to follow Draco Malfoy.
Dobby makes his last appearance in Deathly Hallows when Aberforth Dumbledore sends him to rescue Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor. During the rescue, Dobby is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. He is buried at Shell Cottage, beneath a headstone bearing the epitaph "Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf".[27][28]
Dobby's name is derived from a creature in English folklore called a dobby.[citation needed]
Dobby is voiced by Toby Jones in the film adaptations of Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows – Part 1.[29] The entertainment website IGN described Dobby's death as one of the most touching moments in the series.[30] In NextMovie.com's Harry Potter Mega Poll, Dobby was voted the No. 1 favourite magical creature in the series.[31]
In 2003, a group of Russian lawyers reportedly accused Warner Brothers of modelling the film version of Dobby on Russian President Vladimir Putin.[32]
Fawkes
editFawkes is Albus Dumbledore's pet phoenix, a mythological bird that cyclically bursts into flame upon its death and is then reborn from the ashes. Phoenix tail feathers are suitable for inclusion in some wands (both Harry and Voldemort's wands contain a feather from Fawkes' tail, the only two he ever gave) and their tears have healing powers. Fawkes can also teleport himself and others in a burst of flame.
In Chamber of Secrets, Harry's display of loyalty to Dumbledore results in his summoning Fawkes to his aid against Salazar Slytherin's basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, whereupon Fawkes punctures the basilisk's eyes, eliminating her ability to kill with her gaze. Fawkes later uses his tears to negate the basilisk's venom.
During the confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic at the climax of Order of the Phoenix (book only), Fawkes saves Dumbledore's life by swallowing a Killing Curse from Voldemort, then bursts into flame and is reborn as a chick from the ashes.
In the prequel films Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, Fawkes appears to Credence Barebone at the conclusion of the former film as Gellert Grindelwald reveals his true identity to him: Aurelius Dumbledore, the nephew of Albus Dumbledore. Fawkes is revealed to appear to all members of the Dumbledore family when they come of age to bow before them, retconning Rowling's statement of Fawkes being non-transferable between owners to mean non-transferable between families.
According to Rowling, Fawkes is named after 17th-century conspirator Guy Fawkes.[33] Ray Fearon provided vocal effects for Fawkes in the Wizarding World film series Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts.
Firenze
editFirenze is a centaur and, after Order of the Phoenix, a Divination teacher at Hogwarts. He is described in the book as a palomino centaur with astonishingly blue eyes. He first appears towards the end of Philosopher's Stone, in which he rescues Harry from Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Having carried Harry to safety on his back, Firenze quarrels with other centaurs who object to the symbolic suggestion that centaurs are subservient to humans.
The character does not make another appearance until Order of the Phoenix, in which he is appointed by Dumbledore to teach Divination at Hogwarts in place of Sybill Trelawney, who has been sacked by Dolores Umbridge. For this, he is ostracised by his fellows. In Half-Blood Prince, he shares teaching duties with a reinstated Trelawney.
In Deathly Hallows, he is seen near the end of the book alongside the other members of the Hogwarts staff, against Voldemort and his Death Eaters; it is mentioned that he was wounded on his flanks by the Death Eaters but ultimately survived the Battle. Although not mentioned in the series, Rowling revealed that after the Battle, Firenze's herd was "forced to acknowledge that his pro-human leanings were not shameful, and allowed him to rejoin them."[17]
The character is based on Steve Eddy, Rowling's former English teacher, who attempted to discourage her from writing fantasy tales.[34] Firenze is the Italian form of Florence. Ray Fearon voiced Firenze in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Firenze's character in the Harry Potter franchise is reminiscent of the most famous centaur in Greco-Roman mythology, Chiron. Chiron and Firenze share very similar traits, contrary to the barbaric and unfriendly image of centaurs towards humans. Just like Chiron, Firenze had a soft spot for humans unlike the other centaurs who did not want to do anything with humans. Furthermore, in the first film, Firenze saves Harry Potter from Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Lastly, Firenze and Chiron both share a close connection to heroes respectively, just as Firenze saved and fought for Harry Potter, Chiron helped train Achilles and Jason who are both famous Greek heroes.[35]
Frank
editFrank is a thunderbird that was kidnapped and trafficked to Egypt in the 1920s. In the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Frank is the reason Newt went to America. After rescuing Frank from the traffickers, Newt stored Frank with his other magical creatures in his suitcase. Newt brings Frank to America in hopes of returning him to his native land of Arizona.
In the climax of the film, the existence of magic is revealed to the people of New York City, following a battle between American wizarding government MACUSA and an obscurial. Knowing the secrecy of wizard-kind has been compromised, Newt releases Frank from his suitcase and gives him a potion that has memory wiping properties. Because of the thunderbird's ability to generate storms, Newt says goodbye to Frank as Frank flies into the sky, creating a rainfall using the liquid from the potion, erasing the memories of all non-magical people of the event.
Rowling revealed in a tweet following the film's release that Frank did indeed make it back to Arizona following the events of the film.[36]
Griphook
editGriphook is a goblin captured by Snatchers in Deathly Hallows. With the help of Harry and Dobby, Griphook and several other prisoners escape from Malfoy Manor. Griphook subsequently agrees to help Harry break into Gringotts in exchange for the Sword of Gryffindor, but he later betrays Harry and his friends. Griphook dies in the film adaptation of the novel. He is portrayed by Verne Troyer in the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone and by Warwick Davis in Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2.
Kreacher
editKreacher is a house-elf who served the House of Black for generations. Kreacher first appears in Order of the Phoenix as an unwilling servant to Sirius Black.
Kreacher desires to leave Sirius and serve his next of kin, Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys. He betrays Sirius and persuades Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries, where a trap has been laid. Sirius is killed by Bellatrix in the ensuing combat, while trying to save Harry. Following Sirius' death, Harry inherits all of Sirius' possessions, including a highly unwilling Kreacher. Harry immediately orders him to work at Hogwarts, where he comes to blows with Dobby about his lack of loyalty to Harry.
In Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends coax from the house-elf the current whereabouts of Salazar Slytherin's Locket, a Gaunt family heirloom and one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes; whereafter Harry sends Kreacher to retrieve the locket from Mundungus Fletcher and gives him its substitute as a token of remembrance. Thereafter Kreacher appears cleaner and happier, restores the house to pristine condition, and begins to treat Harry and his friends with courtesy and respect. In the Battle of Hogwarts, Kreacher rallies the Hogwarts house-elves against the Death Eaters, calling Harry his "master and defender of house elves".
Kreacher appears in the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, voiced by Timothy Bateson.[37] Producers admitted they had wished to cut the character from the film, but when Rowling was consulted, she advised: "You know, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Or you can, but if you get to make a seventh film, you'll be tied in knots."[38] In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Kreacher is voiced by Simon McBurney, as Bateson had died.[39]
Nagini
editNagini is Voldemort's enormous pet snake, introduced in Goblet of Fire.[40] Voldemort made Nagini his final Horcrux by murdering Bertha Jorkins. Due to this connection, Voldemort has complete control over the snake.
Voldemort is able to communicate with Nagini due to his ability to speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes.[41] Nagini is first sighted when the snake alerts Voldemort to the presence of an eavesdropping Frank Bryce, an old gardener who had worked for the Riddle family. During the fourth year Harry spends at Hogwarts, Voldemort's temporary body is sustained by Nagini's venom, harvested by Peter Pettigrew.[42] In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry assumes Nagini's viewpoint during her attack on Arthur Weasley in one of his dreams; Albus Dumbledore believes this an effect of Harry's special connection to Voldemort, with Harry's witnessing the attack by virtue that Voldemort's mind "happened to be" in Nagini at the time. This is the first indication of Nagini and Voldemort's deeper connection, having the ability to share thoughts and connect with Harry.[43]
In Deathly Hallows, Nagini consumes Charity Burbage, a Hogwarts Muggle Studies professor, after the Killing Curse is used on her.[40] Nagini is later placed inside the corpse of Bathilda Bagshot by Voldemort, to enable a surprise assault on Harry when he visits Godric's Hollow.[40] Nagini is eventually killed by Neville Longbottom.[40]
The prequel film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald features Nagini in 1927 France as a woman portrayed by Claudia Kim, kept as an attraction in the Circus Arcanus by its ringmaster, Skender, before running off with Credence to help him find his birth mother. The film reveals that she is a type of person known as a Maledictus whose blood curse will one day permanently transform her into an animal.[44]
Peeves
editPeeves is a poltergeist who causes trouble in Hogwarts and is therefore often pursued by the sole caretaker at the school, Argus Filch. He is capable of flight and can choose whether to be tangible; and is able to manipulate objects, a trait not generally possible with ghosts, but common among poltergeists. Peeves' existence is essentially the embodiment of disorder,[45] which he is observed to constantly cause. In appearance, he is a small man with a mischievous face and a wide mouth, dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing. He derives joy from disaster and mischievous acts, usually causing disruptions to daily activity.
Peeves only listens to a select few individuals: Dumbledore, the Bloody Baron, Nearly Headless Nick and Fred and George Weasley. Filch, who is usually left with cleaning up the mess and damage that Peeves causes, tries repeatedly to remove him; however, Rowling has stated in an interview that not even Dumbledore would be able to rid Hogwarts of Peeves forever.[46]
During Dolores Umbridge's attempts to take control of Hogwarts in Order of the Phoenix, Peeves, along with many of the non-Slytherin students, begins a concerted campaign of practical jokes and pranks at the Weasley twins' request, in order to make Umbridge's time at Hogwarts as unpleasant as possible, a task Peeves undertakes with tremendous glee. When Umbridge attempts to sneak out of Hogwarts, Peeves chases her out, whacking her with Minerva McGonagall's cane (which she lent to him expressly for that purpose) and a sock full of chalk. Peeves is twice depicted at the conclusion of Deathly Hallows: initially attacking Death Eaters with Snargaluff Pods; and subsequently singing a victory song praising Harry.
It is indicated that Peeves was still at Hogwarts at the time of the epilogue, since Harry tells his son Albus Severus not to "mess with Peeves".
Rik Mayall was cast as Peeves for the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone, but his scenes were cut from the final film and do not appear in the deleted scenes section of the DVD release.[47] He had not been made aware that his scenes had been cut until the full film was officially unveiled at the premiere.[48] Peeves was subsequently omitted from the Harry Potter films that followed, though he can be seen in the video games.
Winky
editWinky is the Crouch family's house elf. She views herself as a dutiful servant and guards the family's many secrets. When Barty Crouch Jr. is rescued from Azkaban by his dying mother, he is supervised and nursed back to health by Winky. After Winky is dismissed, Dobby takes her to work with him at Hogwarts. There the unhappy Winky, retaining her loyalty to Crouch, becomes an alcoholic until the final book, and eventually fights in the Battle of Hogwarts with the other house-elves.[17]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
editCitations
edit- ^ "The myths and folktales behind Harry Potter". BBC. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Why Was Newt Scamander Expelled From Hogwarts? The Magizoologist Has A Mysterious Past". Bustle. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2001). Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0613325419.
- ^ Gray, Melanie (31 October 2020). "Harry Potter's magical beasts and real creatures live in new London exhibit". New York Post. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0747538492.
- ^ a b Rowling, J. K. (2000). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury. ISBN 074754624X.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2003). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0747551006.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007). "The Wandmaker". Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 1551929767.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007). "Shell Cottage". Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 1551929767.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007). "The Goblin's Revenge". Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 1551929767.
- ^ Berlatsky, Noah (19 March 2019). "J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' goblins echo Jewish caricatures". NBC News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ James, Hibberd (12 August 2016). "'Fantastic Beasts': Meet the Creatures". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "J.K. Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival". jkrowling.com. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. "Extra Stuff". J. K. Rowling Official Site. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008.
- ^ "Harry Potter's World : Magical Creatures". U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Oziewicz, Marek (July 2010). "Representations of Eastern Europe in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Jonathan Stroud's The Bartimaeus Trilogy, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series". International Research in Children's Literature. 3 (1): 1–14. doi:10.3366/ircl.2010.0002. ISSN 1755-6198. S2CID 143553813.
- ^ a b c Anelli, Melissa (30 July 2007). "J.K. Rowling Web Chat Transcript". The Leaky Cauldron. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
- ^ Friedman, Megan (8 February 2016). "J.K. Rowling Helped a Fan Deal With Her Depression in the Sweetest Way". Seventeen. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ Goodman, Jessica (9 February 2016). "J.K. Rowling helps fan fighting her own 'Dementors'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bloomsbury. ISBN 1551929767.
- ^ Carey 2003, pp. 105–107, 114.
- ^ Horne 2010, p. 76.
- ^ Mendlesohn 2002, pp. 178–181.
- ^ Horne 2010, p. 81.
- ^ Pharr 2016, pp. 12–13.
- ^ Barratt 2012, p. 52.
- ^ Miller, C. D. (8 June 2012). Harry Potter Places: Snitch-Seeking in Southern England and Wales. First Edition Design Pub. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-937520-98-4.
- ^ "Visit Dobby's Grave and Shell Cottage at these Harry Potter Wales Locations". One Step Wanderer. 27 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Russian TV broadcast our Potter vote!". BBC Online. British Broadcasting Corporation. 25 January 2003.
- ^ Brian Linder; Phil Pirrello; Eric Goldman; Matt Fowler (14 July 2009). "Top 25 Harry Potter Characters". IGN. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ Harris, Scott (14 July 2011). "'Harry Potter' Mega Poll: The Mega Results!". NextMovie.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ "Russian lawyers say Harry Potter character Dobby is based on Putin". The Guardian. 30 January 2003. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ Dugdale, John (3 November 2017). "Gunpowder plots: how Guy Fawkes ignited an explosive literary legacy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ Boniface, Susie (8 July 2007). "Teacher'S Bad Rowling Advice". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
- ^ Moosavinia, Sayyed Rahim (30 June 2018). "Greek Mythology in J.k. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". Sarjana. 33 (1): 33–39.
- ^ J.K. Rowling [@jk_rowling] (21 November 2016). "Yes and yes!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Elf's Absence From Next 'Harry Potter' Flick Opens Up Plot Questions". MTV. 6 October 2006. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2006.
- ^ "Rowling advises film makers to keep Kreacher in films". 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
- ^ "More Casting for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". The Leaky Cauldron. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ a b c d Rowling, J. K. (21 July 2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Children's ed.). Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-9105-4. ASIN 0747591059.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (February 1999). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Bloomsbury Publishing plc. ISBN 0-7475-3848-4. ASIN 0747538484.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (6 July 2001). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury Publishing plc. ISBN 0-7475-5099-9. ASIN 0747550999.
- ^ Rowling, J. K. (10 July 2004). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-6107-9. ASIN 0747561079.
- ^ Hibbert, James (25 September 2018). "Fantastic Beasts actress Claudia Kim breaks silence on playing Nagini". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ "FAQ: Peeves chews gum, how can he when he is a ghost? (Nearly Headless Nick can't eat)". jkrowling.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Spartz, Emerson (16 July 2005). "Emerson Spartz and Melissa Anelli – "The MuggleNet and Leaky Cauldron Interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling"". MuggleNet. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ Linder, Brian (4 April 2001). "Potter Gloucester Set Report". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
- ^ Mayall, Rik (10 January 2014). Bigger than Hitler – Better than Christ. HarperCollins UK. p. 352. ISBN 9780007375431.
Works cited
edit- Barratt, Bethany (2012). The Politics of Harry Potter. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1057/9781137016546. ISBN 978-0-230-60899-3.
- Carey, Brycchan (2003). "Hermione and the house-elves: the literary and historical contexts of J. K. Rowling's antislavery campaign". In Anatol, Giselle Liza (ed.). Reading Harry Potter: Critical Essays. Praeger. ISBN 9780313320675.
- Horne, Jackie C. (2010). "Harry and the other: answering the race question in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter". The Lion and the Unicorn. 34 (1): 76–104. doi:10.1353/uni.0.0488. S2CID 143738308. ProQuest 221753179.
- Mendlesohn, Farah (2002). "Crowning the king: Harry Potter and the construction of authority". In Whited, Lana A. (ed.). The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon. University of Missouri Press. ISBN 9780826214430.
- Pharr, Mary (22 April 2016). "A paradox: the Harry Potter series as both epic and postmodern". In Berndt, Katrin; Steveker, Lena (eds.). Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315586748. ISBN 978-1-317-12211-1.
Further reading
edit- Fry, Stephen (10 December 2005). Living with Harry Potter (Radio broadcast). BBC Radio 4. Event occurs at 09:11–09:31. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- Laurence, Charles (29 December 2002). "J. K. Rowling read unfinished book to dying girl". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
- Lewis, Andy (12 September 2013). "'Harry Potter' Spinoff 'Fantastic Beasts': 4 Things to Know". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 August 2024.