Post by Prof. Destiny Smith on Apr 25, 2009 23:23:39 GMT -6
Jarvey XXX
This is a smallish mammal that resembles a ferret, although it has the unusual ability of speech. It is useless trying to talk to a Jarvey, however, as it cannot hold a true conversation and limits its output to a constant stream of rude and abusive phrases. Jarveys eat rats, moles and voles, which presumably they insult before consumption. Jarveys spend most of their time under ground, and can be found in Britain, Ireland and North America [FB].
Jobberknoll XX
This is a small blue bird that feeds on insects. At the moment of its death, the Jobberknoll emits a scream made up of every sound it has ever heard, recounted backwards. This is the only noise it ever makes. Because of this ability, Jobberknoll feathers are used for Truth and Memory potions [FB].
Kappa XXXX
The Kappa is a water demon that resembles a scaly monkey in appearance. It inhabits ponds and rivers and feeds on human blood, which makes it a rather dangerous creature. The Kappa has a hollow in the top of its head, which contains water - this is the key to its strength. If the animal can be tricked into bowing, the water will run out and the strength of the Kappa will be lost. Kappas originated in Japan [FB], although Professor Snape believes they are now more commonly found in Mongolia [POA9].
Kelpie XXXX
This is another water demon, this time indigenous to Britain and Ireland. Kelpies have the ability to change shape at will. They often choose to appear as a horse with bulrushes for its mane, although they can also take the form of a sea-serpent. The Kelpie preys on humans, attempting to trick them into riding on its back. They then carry them below the surface of the water and eat them. A bridle placed over the head of the creature (most likely achieved using a Placement Charm) will make it passive. The world's largest Kelpie can be found in Loch Ness, Scotland [FB].
Knarl XXX
This looks and acts like a hedgehog. It is, however, prone to fits of vandalism against garden plants and ornaments [FB].
Kneazle XXX
This is a cat-like creature, although it has unusually large ears and a lion's tail. It is intelligent and can be aggressive, although if it is attracted to a witch or wizard it can be domesticated and kept as a pet. They are highly attuned to deception and can detect suspicious characters with some ease [FB]. Kneazles are known to interbreed with Muggle cats, and Hermione Granger's pet Crookshanks is such a crossbreed [JKR Website]. The Kneazle was invented by JKR and does not appear in Muggle mythology.
Lacewing Fly
These are small insects with large wings. They are often used a potion ingredients. They are most famously required to brew Polyjuice Potion [COS10].
Leech
The Leech is a small, slug-like, water-dwelling Muggle creature. It is famous for its feeding habits, where it attaches itself to a victim (often a human) and pierces the skin to drink their blood. Leeches are used as an ingredient in potion-making, most notably in Polyjuice Potion [COS10]. Leech juice is also used to make Shrinking Potion [POA7].
Leprechaun XXX
The Leprechaun is a creature from Irish mythology, and is one of many different types of fairy folk from the country. Leprechauns are small and mischievous, and are also reputed to be very rich. They hide their treasure underground in secret locations. If a human keeps watching a Leprechaun all the time he cannot escape, but if the watcher's gaze wanders for even a moment, the Leprechaun will disappear. There are many Irish tales of people trying to get the Leprechaun's gold from them, but they all end in the people being tricked and the Leprechaun escaping. Their name comes from the old Irish word "luchorpán", which means "small body".
JKR's Leprechauns are taken straight from Muggle mythology, being small humanoid creatures typically reaching up to six inches in height. They have two main distinguishing characteristics. Firstly, they can speak. Secondly, they can produce fake gold, which disappears after a few hours. Giving away fake gold is one of their favourite pranks. Leprechauns can be found in woodland areas in their native Ireland, and unusually for magical creatures, they enjoy and indeed actively seek out attention from Muggles [FB].
The Irish national Quidditch team used Leprechauns as their mascots for the 1994 World Cup final, an arrangement the Leprechauns seemed quite happy with. They flung their fake gold into the crowd and taunted the opposing mascots at every opportunity by forming themselves into rude shapes and insults, and generally seemed to have a great deal of fun [GOF8].
Lethifold XXXXX
This is a tropical creature that hunts for prey at night. It looks like a black shroud that glides along the ground. When it finds a victim (usually a sleeping human), it attempts to smother them by blocking their breathing. Once dead, the prey is eaten and digested on the spot. The Lethifold leaves no trace of its attack and the victim seems simply to have disappeared. The only known defence against it is the Patronus charm. A number of wizards who have wished to disappear have faked death by Lethifold. Most famous is the case of Janus Thickey, who after faking his death should have been more careful than to let himself be found living with the landlady of the Green Dragon just down the road [FB].
Lobalug XXX
This is an ocean-dwelling creature, resident in the North Sea. It is around 10 inches long and has a venom sac, which it uses to shoot poison at its attacker when threatened. Merpeople are known to use the Lobalug as a weapon. Lobalug venom can also be used in potion-making [FB].
Mackled Malaclaw XXX
This is a coastline-dwelling creature that looks something like a lobster. It reaches a length of around 12 inches and feeds on small crustaceans. The bite of the Malaclaw makes the victim unlucky for a period of up to a week [FB].
Manticore XXXXX
This is a fearsome mythological beast from Persia (now named Iran), which was actually believed to be real throughout the Middle Ages. This is hard to understand nowadays, as it is hardly a believable beast, having the head of a man, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. The name derives from the Persian term for "man eater". The legend of the Manticore lives on in Indonesia, where the beast is often blamed for any disappearances of local people.
The Manticore is highly dangerous and also impervious to most magic. The sting kills instantly [FB]. Hagrid cross-bred the Manticore with the Fire Crab to produce Blast-Ended Skrewts, although how exactly he managed this is unclear [GOF24].
Whilst carrying out some research to help in the defence for Buckbeak's trial, Harry, Ron and Hermione found out about an incident in 1296 where a Manticore was pardoned after savaging a human. They decided this wouldn't help the defence much, however, when they realised that it had only been let off because everyone was too scared to go near it in order to carry out any sort of punishment [POA11].
Merpeople XXXX
These are creatures from the folklore of many countries around the world, although outside the Harry Potter stories, the term used is "Merfolk". The females - Mermaids - are the most common in folk tales, probably due to their depiction as beautiful creatures with the upper torso of a human and a fish's tail. Mermaids are sometimes portrayed as malevolent, deliberately luring sailors into the sea and drowning them. Others are shown as benign, but still manage to drown people due to their lack of knowledge about humans being unable to breathe underwater. The race of Merfolk traditionally began with the Greek goddess Atargatis, who threw herself into the sea to live as a fish in shame for loving and then killing a mortal. Her transformation was not complete, however, and she ended up as a mermaid.
In the world of Harry Potter, Merpeople are intelligent creatures with their own culture and language, who are classified as "beasts" due to their own preference. Merpeople have the head and torso of a human but the tail of a fish. They speak in the Mermish language and live in organised communities in both freshwater and saltwater locations. Different cultures around the world have their own interests and traditions, although all Merpeople are united in their love of music. Merpeople are also known as Sirens, Selkies and Merrows in different parts of the world [FB].
A community of Merpeople live in the lake at Hogwarts. They inhabit a village constructed out of crude stone dwellings - some of which have weed gardens - on the lake floor, complete with a village square boasting a statue of a Merperson. These Merpeople can reach at least 7 feet in height, with grey skin, yellow eyes and wild green hair. They tend to wear necklaces of pebbles or shark fangs, and carry spears as weapons [GOF26].
They appear to be on friendly terms with the Hogwarts staff, despite the fact that the school toilets empty into the lake [GOF25]. They took an active part in the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, taking the hostages to their village for the Champions to rescue, guarding them, and ensuring that the rules were followed. They spoke to Harry in English when he arrived, showing that a wizard doesn't necessarily have to be able to speak Mermish in order to communicate with them [GOF26].
The Hogwarts lake Merpeople are led by Merchieftainess Murcus, an exceptionally ferocious-looking Mermaid who may not speak English herself, as she conversed with Dumbledore in Mermish after the Second Task. A delegation of the Merpeople attended Dumbledore's funeral and sang a lament in tribute [HBP30].
It is likely that Merpeople have no magic, as they sprang back and ultimately scattered during the Second Task when Harry threatened them with his wand [GOF26].
Merrow XXXX
An Irish name for Merpeople [FB].
Moke XXX
The Moke is a small silver-green lizard of Britain and Ireland, which has the ability to shrink at will. Moke skin is much sought-after for use in purse-making, as they contract when a thief tries to take them [FB].
Mooncalf XX
The Mooncalf lives in burrows and goes above ground only by the light of the full moon. It has four thin legs and very large feet. Mooncalves perform a complicated dance as a pre-mating ritual, a practice that tends to leave complex patterns in wheat fields, known to Muggles as crop circles. Mooncalf dung is an excellent fertilizer for use with magical crops [FB].
Mummy
A Mummy is a preserved human body, often depicted as being wrapped in bandages in the style of the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians are the first race known to have preserved corpses in this way, a process that was meant to ensure a safe passage to eternal life in paradise. The practice began around 3000BC. The tombs of Egyptian Mummies were often guarded by curses to ward of anyone who might wish to steal from it, and this in turn led to the legend of the animated Mummy. This is a type of undead creature that often appears in fantasy novels and games, as well as horror films such as "The Mummy".
When Professor Lupin's class were learning about defence from Boggarts, the appearance the creature took on to frighten Parvati Patil was that of a Mummy. In JKR's world, the animation of a corpse is likely to be achieved only through Dark magic [POA7].
Murtlap XXX
This creature is an invention of JKR. It looks something like a rat, and is native to coastal areas of Britain. Its most interesting feature is the anemone-like growth on its back, which can be picked and eaten to provide resistance to curses [FB]. The creature would also appear to have healing properties, as Hermione treated the injuries Harry sustained in his detention with Professor Umbridge with a solution of strained and picked Murtlap tentacles [OOTP15]. Harry recommended essence of Murtlap (presumably the same thing) to Lee Jordan when he suffered the same punishment for being rude to Umbridge [OOTP25]. Caution needs to be exercised when taking Murtlap, however, as an overdose can lead to an outbreak of purple ear hair [FB].
Nargle
The Nargle infests clumps of mistletoe and most likely exists only in the over-active imagination of Luna Lovegood [OOTP21].
Newt (Double Ended)
It is unclear what these look like or what they do, but Magical Menagerie can provide advice on their care [POA4].
Niffler XXX
This is a small burrowing animal that is strongly attracted to anything shiny. They are gentle in nature, but can cause a good deal of destruction in the pursuit of glittery objects. Nifflers are often used by Goblins to dig for treasure, as their burrowing abilities are exceptional [FB].
Hagrid once gave a Care of Magical Creatures lesson on Nifflers, where the students learnt about their nature, including their tendency to leap on anyone wearing jewellery to try to bite it off [GOF28]. Later on, Lee Jordan (perhaps using the knowledge gained from Hagrid's lesson) put a couple of Nifflers in Umbridge's office to annoy her. This it certainly did: they trashed the room and then attacked her for her rings [OOTP31].
The Niffler is an invention of JKR.
Nogtail XXX
This is a European demon that resembles a piglet with narrow black eyes, and preys on farms. It will attempt to find a regular sow and suckle with its own young, and the farm will suffer a blight for as long as the Nogtail is there. Nogtails are fast and difficult to catch, but if it is chased from the farm by a pure white dog it will not return. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures keeps a pack of 12 Albino Bloodhounds for the purpose of cleansing Nogtail infestations [FB].
Nundu XXXXX
This is a huge leopard-like creature resident in Africa. It moves silently and has disease-carrying breath so potent that it can wipe out whole villages at a stroke. Many believe the Nundu to be the most dangerous creature in the world [FB].
Occamy XXXX
The Occamy is a winged, two-legged lizard that can reach a length of up to 15 feet. It lays eggs made of fine silver and will become very aggressive in defence of them. The Occamy feeds on rats and birds, and is native to the Far East and India [FB].
Ogre
A giant-sized humanoid creature with a taste for human flesh. Ron thought he saw on Ogre in the Three Broomsticks on one occasion [POA8].
Owl
The Owl is a well-known nocturnal bird of prey, common across most of the world. There are several species of Owl, including the Snowy Owl, Eagle Owl and Barn Owl. Owls have many connections with folklore, and are often associated with wisdom, especially in Europe.
Magical folk enjoy a far closer relationship with the Owl than Muggles do. Owls are used for communication between wizards, acting as a wizard-to-wizard postal service. Letters, parcels and Howlers are all delivered this way [PS/SS4]. Owls have a good level of comprehension, and can understand both verbal and written instructions: they know where to go from the address written on the item they have to deliver, and they are also know to understand additional spoken instructions, such as when Harry asked Hedwig to take an unaddressed (for obvious reasons) note to Sirius, and told her that he'd be at The Burrow when she returned [GOF3].
Therefore, either the Owls that wizards interact with are different to (and more intelligent than) their Muggle counterparts, or there is simply more to the standard Owl than meets the Muggle eye. In addition, Owls often develop a close relationship with their owner, as shown by the ancient Errol's valiant attempts to deliver things for the Weasleys despite his age [POA1], and Hedwig's obvious affection for Harry [GOF3] and occasional sulks [GOF18].
As well as personal communication, Owls are also used for commercial purposes, such as the Owl Post Office [POA8], and the delivery of newspapers and magazines such as the Daily Prophet [PS/SS5].
Known Owls are:
Errol:
The Weasleys very old Owl [COS4].
Hedwig:
Harry's snowy Owl [PS/SS5]. She died during Harry final flight from Privet Drive [DH4].
Hermes:
Percy's handsome screech Owl, given to him for becoming a Prefect [PS/SS5, OOTP14].
Pigwidgeon:
Ron's tiny and very excitably grey Owl, given to him by Sirius as a replacement for Scabbers [POA22]. Answers only to the name "Pig" [GOF5].
This is a smallish mammal that resembles a ferret, although it has the unusual ability of speech. It is useless trying to talk to a Jarvey, however, as it cannot hold a true conversation and limits its output to a constant stream of rude and abusive phrases. Jarveys eat rats, moles and voles, which presumably they insult before consumption. Jarveys spend most of their time under ground, and can be found in Britain, Ireland and North America [FB].
Jobberknoll XX
This is a small blue bird that feeds on insects. At the moment of its death, the Jobberknoll emits a scream made up of every sound it has ever heard, recounted backwards. This is the only noise it ever makes. Because of this ability, Jobberknoll feathers are used for Truth and Memory potions [FB].
Kappa XXXX
The Kappa is a water demon that resembles a scaly monkey in appearance. It inhabits ponds and rivers and feeds on human blood, which makes it a rather dangerous creature. The Kappa has a hollow in the top of its head, which contains water - this is the key to its strength. If the animal can be tricked into bowing, the water will run out and the strength of the Kappa will be lost. Kappas originated in Japan [FB], although Professor Snape believes they are now more commonly found in Mongolia [POA9].
Kelpie XXXX
This is another water demon, this time indigenous to Britain and Ireland. Kelpies have the ability to change shape at will. They often choose to appear as a horse with bulrushes for its mane, although they can also take the form of a sea-serpent. The Kelpie preys on humans, attempting to trick them into riding on its back. They then carry them below the surface of the water and eat them. A bridle placed over the head of the creature (most likely achieved using a Placement Charm) will make it passive. The world's largest Kelpie can be found in Loch Ness, Scotland [FB].
Knarl XXX
This looks and acts like a hedgehog. It is, however, prone to fits of vandalism against garden plants and ornaments [FB].
Kneazle XXX
This is a cat-like creature, although it has unusually large ears and a lion's tail. It is intelligent and can be aggressive, although if it is attracted to a witch or wizard it can be domesticated and kept as a pet. They are highly attuned to deception and can detect suspicious characters with some ease [FB]. Kneazles are known to interbreed with Muggle cats, and Hermione Granger's pet Crookshanks is such a crossbreed [JKR Website]. The Kneazle was invented by JKR and does not appear in Muggle mythology.
Lacewing Fly
These are small insects with large wings. They are often used a potion ingredients. They are most famously required to brew Polyjuice Potion [COS10].
Leech
The Leech is a small, slug-like, water-dwelling Muggle creature. It is famous for its feeding habits, where it attaches itself to a victim (often a human) and pierces the skin to drink their blood. Leeches are used as an ingredient in potion-making, most notably in Polyjuice Potion [COS10]. Leech juice is also used to make Shrinking Potion [POA7].
Leprechaun XXX
The Leprechaun is a creature from Irish mythology, and is one of many different types of fairy folk from the country. Leprechauns are small and mischievous, and are also reputed to be very rich. They hide their treasure underground in secret locations. If a human keeps watching a Leprechaun all the time he cannot escape, but if the watcher's gaze wanders for even a moment, the Leprechaun will disappear. There are many Irish tales of people trying to get the Leprechaun's gold from them, but they all end in the people being tricked and the Leprechaun escaping. Their name comes from the old Irish word "luchorpán", which means "small body".
JKR's Leprechauns are taken straight from Muggle mythology, being small humanoid creatures typically reaching up to six inches in height. They have two main distinguishing characteristics. Firstly, they can speak. Secondly, they can produce fake gold, which disappears after a few hours. Giving away fake gold is one of their favourite pranks. Leprechauns can be found in woodland areas in their native Ireland, and unusually for magical creatures, they enjoy and indeed actively seek out attention from Muggles [FB].
The Irish national Quidditch team used Leprechauns as their mascots for the 1994 World Cup final, an arrangement the Leprechauns seemed quite happy with. They flung their fake gold into the crowd and taunted the opposing mascots at every opportunity by forming themselves into rude shapes and insults, and generally seemed to have a great deal of fun [GOF8].
Lethifold XXXXX
This is a tropical creature that hunts for prey at night. It looks like a black shroud that glides along the ground. When it finds a victim (usually a sleeping human), it attempts to smother them by blocking their breathing. Once dead, the prey is eaten and digested on the spot. The Lethifold leaves no trace of its attack and the victim seems simply to have disappeared. The only known defence against it is the Patronus charm. A number of wizards who have wished to disappear have faked death by Lethifold. Most famous is the case of Janus Thickey, who after faking his death should have been more careful than to let himself be found living with the landlady of the Green Dragon just down the road [FB].
Lobalug XXX
This is an ocean-dwelling creature, resident in the North Sea. It is around 10 inches long and has a venom sac, which it uses to shoot poison at its attacker when threatened. Merpeople are known to use the Lobalug as a weapon. Lobalug venom can also be used in potion-making [FB].
Mackled Malaclaw XXX
This is a coastline-dwelling creature that looks something like a lobster. It reaches a length of around 12 inches and feeds on small crustaceans. The bite of the Malaclaw makes the victim unlucky for a period of up to a week [FB].
Manticore XXXXX
This is a fearsome mythological beast from Persia (now named Iran), which was actually believed to be real throughout the Middle Ages. This is hard to understand nowadays, as it is hardly a believable beast, having the head of a man, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. The name derives from the Persian term for "man eater". The legend of the Manticore lives on in Indonesia, where the beast is often blamed for any disappearances of local people.
The Manticore is highly dangerous and also impervious to most magic. The sting kills instantly [FB]. Hagrid cross-bred the Manticore with the Fire Crab to produce Blast-Ended Skrewts, although how exactly he managed this is unclear [GOF24].
Whilst carrying out some research to help in the defence for Buckbeak's trial, Harry, Ron and Hermione found out about an incident in 1296 where a Manticore was pardoned after savaging a human. They decided this wouldn't help the defence much, however, when they realised that it had only been let off because everyone was too scared to go near it in order to carry out any sort of punishment [POA11].
Merpeople XXXX
These are creatures from the folklore of many countries around the world, although outside the Harry Potter stories, the term used is "Merfolk". The females - Mermaids - are the most common in folk tales, probably due to their depiction as beautiful creatures with the upper torso of a human and a fish's tail. Mermaids are sometimes portrayed as malevolent, deliberately luring sailors into the sea and drowning them. Others are shown as benign, but still manage to drown people due to their lack of knowledge about humans being unable to breathe underwater. The race of Merfolk traditionally began with the Greek goddess Atargatis, who threw herself into the sea to live as a fish in shame for loving and then killing a mortal. Her transformation was not complete, however, and she ended up as a mermaid.
In the world of Harry Potter, Merpeople are intelligent creatures with their own culture and language, who are classified as "beasts" due to their own preference. Merpeople have the head and torso of a human but the tail of a fish. They speak in the Mermish language and live in organised communities in both freshwater and saltwater locations. Different cultures around the world have their own interests and traditions, although all Merpeople are united in their love of music. Merpeople are also known as Sirens, Selkies and Merrows in different parts of the world [FB].
A community of Merpeople live in the lake at Hogwarts. They inhabit a village constructed out of crude stone dwellings - some of which have weed gardens - on the lake floor, complete with a village square boasting a statue of a Merperson. These Merpeople can reach at least 7 feet in height, with grey skin, yellow eyes and wild green hair. They tend to wear necklaces of pebbles or shark fangs, and carry spears as weapons [GOF26].
They appear to be on friendly terms with the Hogwarts staff, despite the fact that the school toilets empty into the lake [GOF25]. They took an active part in the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, taking the hostages to their village for the Champions to rescue, guarding them, and ensuring that the rules were followed. They spoke to Harry in English when he arrived, showing that a wizard doesn't necessarily have to be able to speak Mermish in order to communicate with them [GOF26].
The Hogwarts lake Merpeople are led by Merchieftainess Murcus, an exceptionally ferocious-looking Mermaid who may not speak English herself, as she conversed with Dumbledore in Mermish after the Second Task. A delegation of the Merpeople attended Dumbledore's funeral and sang a lament in tribute [HBP30].
It is likely that Merpeople have no magic, as they sprang back and ultimately scattered during the Second Task when Harry threatened them with his wand [GOF26].
Merrow XXXX
An Irish name for Merpeople [FB].
Moke XXX
The Moke is a small silver-green lizard of Britain and Ireland, which has the ability to shrink at will. Moke skin is much sought-after for use in purse-making, as they contract when a thief tries to take them [FB].
Mooncalf XX
The Mooncalf lives in burrows and goes above ground only by the light of the full moon. It has four thin legs and very large feet. Mooncalves perform a complicated dance as a pre-mating ritual, a practice that tends to leave complex patterns in wheat fields, known to Muggles as crop circles. Mooncalf dung is an excellent fertilizer for use with magical crops [FB].
Mummy
A Mummy is a preserved human body, often depicted as being wrapped in bandages in the style of the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians are the first race known to have preserved corpses in this way, a process that was meant to ensure a safe passage to eternal life in paradise. The practice began around 3000BC. The tombs of Egyptian Mummies were often guarded by curses to ward of anyone who might wish to steal from it, and this in turn led to the legend of the animated Mummy. This is a type of undead creature that often appears in fantasy novels and games, as well as horror films such as "The Mummy".
When Professor Lupin's class were learning about defence from Boggarts, the appearance the creature took on to frighten Parvati Patil was that of a Mummy. In JKR's world, the animation of a corpse is likely to be achieved only through Dark magic [POA7].
Murtlap XXX
This creature is an invention of JKR. It looks something like a rat, and is native to coastal areas of Britain. Its most interesting feature is the anemone-like growth on its back, which can be picked and eaten to provide resistance to curses [FB]. The creature would also appear to have healing properties, as Hermione treated the injuries Harry sustained in his detention with Professor Umbridge with a solution of strained and picked Murtlap tentacles [OOTP15]. Harry recommended essence of Murtlap (presumably the same thing) to Lee Jordan when he suffered the same punishment for being rude to Umbridge [OOTP25]. Caution needs to be exercised when taking Murtlap, however, as an overdose can lead to an outbreak of purple ear hair [FB].
Nargle
The Nargle infests clumps of mistletoe and most likely exists only in the over-active imagination of Luna Lovegood [OOTP21].
Newt (Double Ended)
It is unclear what these look like or what they do, but Magical Menagerie can provide advice on their care [POA4].
Niffler XXX
This is a small burrowing animal that is strongly attracted to anything shiny. They are gentle in nature, but can cause a good deal of destruction in the pursuit of glittery objects. Nifflers are often used by Goblins to dig for treasure, as their burrowing abilities are exceptional [FB].
Hagrid once gave a Care of Magical Creatures lesson on Nifflers, where the students learnt about their nature, including their tendency to leap on anyone wearing jewellery to try to bite it off [GOF28]. Later on, Lee Jordan (perhaps using the knowledge gained from Hagrid's lesson) put a couple of Nifflers in Umbridge's office to annoy her. This it certainly did: they trashed the room and then attacked her for her rings [OOTP31].
The Niffler is an invention of JKR.
Nogtail XXX
This is a European demon that resembles a piglet with narrow black eyes, and preys on farms. It will attempt to find a regular sow and suckle with its own young, and the farm will suffer a blight for as long as the Nogtail is there. Nogtails are fast and difficult to catch, but if it is chased from the farm by a pure white dog it will not return. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures keeps a pack of 12 Albino Bloodhounds for the purpose of cleansing Nogtail infestations [FB].
Nundu XXXXX
This is a huge leopard-like creature resident in Africa. It moves silently and has disease-carrying breath so potent that it can wipe out whole villages at a stroke. Many believe the Nundu to be the most dangerous creature in the world [FB].
Occamy XXXX
The Occamy is a winged, two-legged lizard that can reach a length of up to 15 feet. It lays eggs made of fine silver and will become very aggressive in defence of them. The Occamy feeds on rats and birds, and is native to the Far East and India [FB].
Ogre
A giant-sized humanoid creature with a taste for human flesh. Ron thought he saw on Ogre in the Three Broomsticks on one occasion [POA8].
Owl
The Owl is a well-known nocturnal bird of prey, common across most of the world. There are several species of Owl, including the Snowy Owl, Eagle Owl and Barn Owl. Owls have many connections with folklore, and are often associated with wisdom, especially in Europe.
Magical folk enjoy a far closer relationship with the Owl than Muggles do. Owls are used for communication between wizards, acting as a wizard-to-wizard postal service. Letters, parcels and Howlers are all delivered this way [PS/SS4]. Owls have a good level of comprehension, and can understand both verbal and written instructions: they know where to go from the address written on the item they have to deliver, and they are also know to understand additional spoken instructions, such as when Harry asked Hedwig to take an unaddressed (for obvious reasons) note to Sirius, and told her that he'd be at The Burrow when she returned [GOF3].
Therefore, either the Owls that wizards interact with are different to (and more intelligent than) their Muggle counterparts, or there is simply more to the standard Owl than meets the Muggle eye. In addition, Owls often develop a close relationship with their owner, as shown by the ancient Errol's valiant attempts to deliver things for the Weasleys despite his age [POA1], and Hedwig's obvious affection for Harry [GOF3] and occasional sulks [GOF18].
As well as personal communication, Owls are also used for commercial purposes, such as the Owl Post Office [POA8], and the delivery of newspapers and magazines such as the Daily Prophet [PS/SS5].
Known Owls are:
Errol:
The Weasleys very old Owl [COS4].
Hedwig:
Harry's snowy Owl [PS/SS5]. She died during Harry final flight from Privet Drive [DH4].
Hermes:
Percy's handsome screech Owl, given to him for becoming a Prefect [PS/SS5, OOTP14].
Pigwidgeon:
Ron's tiny and very excitably grey Owl, given to him by Sirius as a replacement for Scabbers [POA22]. Answers only to the name "Pig" [GOF5].