Post by Prof. Destiny Smith on Apr 25, 2009 23:24:48 GMT -6
Dementor
The Dementor is an invention of JKR. They are one of the most frightening creatures in the books, and this is where the name comes from: it is derived from the English word "dement" (which in turn comes from the Latin root demens), which means "to drive insane". In other words, Dementors are creatures that drive you to insanity.
In appearance they are large, cloaked, humanesque figures that tower over a 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 [POA5]. 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 [POA20].
Dementors were once the guards of the wizard prison of Azkaban until they deserted their posts to join Voldemort in the Second War [HBP1]. They are now, presumably, acting as the Dark Lord's soldiers, although they had little or no involvement in the events of HBP despite the fact that they are breeding in order to increase their numbers [HBP1].
The origin of Dementors as a race is unknown. It is also unclear how the Ministry ever reached an agreement with them to become Azkaban guards, as they are speechless, sightless and psychopathic. The last of these qualities would explain how Voldemort tempted them on to his side, but how he communicated with them is still a mystery. Dementors 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 caused 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 [POA10].
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 only 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 [POA12].
Despite the tentative agreement which once existed between Dementors and humans on the issue of governing Azkaban, the creatures' swift abandonment of their posts when Voldemort's return promised them a ready supply of victims shows that they are definitely not to be trusted. They did little in the name of Voldemort's cause before the death of Dumbledore, but became far more active afterwards. Amongst other things, Voldemort used them to intimidate those who were being questioned by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission [DH13], and as part of his army when he attacked Hogwarts [DH31].
Demiguise XXXX
The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivore, having the appearance of a large ape covered in silky, silvery hair. It is indigenous to the Far East, but is rarely seen, as it has the ability to make itself invisible. Demiguise hair is very much sought after, as it can be woven to make Invisibility Cloaks [FB].
Diricawl XX
The Diricawl was known to Muggles as the Dodo. Muggles now believe it to be extinct, but this is not the case - the Ministry of Magic regards the belief of Muggles in the extinction of the species to be a good thing, as so has never released any information to the contrary. The Diricawl is a rather fat and fluffy flightless bird, which has the ability to disappear and reappear elsewhere at will. It uses this as a defence when it is threatened, and it is this very ability to disappear that led Muggles to believe it had been wiped out in the first place [FB].
Dog
This is a common Muggle animal, descended from the wolf and subsequently domesticated. There are hundreds of breeds of dog, but all share the same roots. Records suggest that the dog was first domesticated in Asia, perhaps as long as 100,000 years ago. From here, the various breeds of domestic dog emerged and spread across the globe.
A number of dogs are associated with the wizarding world. In particular, Hagrid keeps a boarhound called Fang [PS/SS8], and was also the owner of a three-headed dog called Fluffy, which was used to guard the Philosopher's Stone [PS/SS16]. Fluffy was released into the Forbidden Forest after the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed, and is now resident there [Blue Peter Interview, 2001]. The animagus form of Sirius Black is a large black dog [POA19]. 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 [FB].
Doxy XXX
This creature is an invention of JKR. The name comes straight from the archaic English word "doxy", which means a prostitute, mistress, or promiscuous woman. Exactly what JKR is trying to tell us about Doxies should perhaps be left unexplained.
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. Doxies have very sharp teeth and their bites are mildly poisonous. An antidote is required if you are bitten [FB]. The drawing room of 12 Grimmauld Place was badly infested with Doxies when the Order of the Phoenix started using it as their headquarters. Molly Weasley led the cleanup operation, which involved paralysing the Doxies by spraying them with Doxycide, and then disposing of them. Fred and George didn't dispose of theirs because they were secretly experimenting with Doxy venom as an ingredient for items in their Skiving Snackboxes. It is reasonable to assume, although unconfirmed, that Puking Pastilles at least contain some Doxy venom [OOTP6].
Dragon XXXXX
The Dragon is a fantastic creature that is very common in Muggle mythology, cropping up in folk tales, art and even religion all across the world. Whilst in the Harry Potter world Dragons are universally portrayed as wild and dangerous, in some cultures they are actually seen as gentle, wise and kind creatures. This is particularly true of the legends of this creature in China, where Dragon imagery and the Dragon costume are common sights at festivals.
Most legends agree on the general form of the Dragon: it is a huge lizard-like creature, with vast wings it can use to fly at great speed. In the Harry Potter world, all breeds of dragon can breathe fire at will, and all are highly dangerous [FB]. The female is generally larger and fiercer than the male, especially when guarding eggs [GOF20].
Dragon blood, heart, hide, horn and liver all have powerful magical properties. In particular, the blood has 12 magical uses, as discovered by none other than Albus Dumbledore [PS/SS6], and dragon heartstring is one of only 3 wands cores deemed acceptable by Mr Ollivander, the world's leading wandmaker [PS/SS5]. The hide is used to make protective clothing and accessories such as gloves [PS/SS5] and shields [FB] as well as fashion items such as boots [GOF5] and jackets [HBP30]. Dragon horn is much sought after as a potion ingredient. The Goblins of Gringotts also use a Dragon (breed not confirmed) to guard the deepest vaults in the bank [DH26].
The following breeds of dragon exist:
Antipodean Opaleye:
This species is native to New Zealand, although it has also been known to make its home in Australia as well. It has pearly scales that reflect the light to make a rainbow of colour, making it (in the opinion of many) the most beautiful dragon of all. The name comes from its eyes, which are multi-coloured and have no pupil. It is generally non-aggressive and its main prey is the sheep. Its weight of 2-3 tonnes makes it a medium-sized dragon [FB].
Chinese Fireball:
This species is scarlet in colour, with a mane of gold spikes around its face. Its unique appearance is completed by a short snout and protruding eyes. It produces a mushroom-shaped flame when it is angry, which is quite often, as it is an aggressive breed. Its favoured preys are pigs and humans. Viktor Krum had to take on a Chinese Fireball in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF20]. He hit it with a Conjunctivitis Curse that caused it to trample on a number of its own eggs in agony [GOF20]. The Chinese Fireball is also known as the Liondragon [FB].
Common Welsh Green:
This is a generally placid breed that nests in the mountains of Wales. A reservation has in fact been set up in the country in order to ensure the survival of the species. Its main prey is sheep, and it rarely troubles humans. The one known exception to this occurred in 1932, in what is now known as the Ilfracombe Incident. On this occasion, a rogue Welsh Green swooped on a beach full of holiday-makers. This unfortunate occurrence aside, the Welsh Green generally leaves humans alone, and is most famous for the rather tuneful nature of its roar [FB]. Fleur Delacour was pitted against a Welsh Green in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF20]. She tried a type of sleeping enchantment on it, which worked until it snored and set fire to her skirt [GOF20].
Hebridean Black:
This is the only other dragon indigenous to Britain, and is an aggressive and strongly territorial beast. It can grow up to 30 feet in length, it has a line of vicious ridges along its back, and has bright purple eyes. Its main prey is deer, although it can also feed on dogs and cattle. Hebridean Blacks are traditionally cared for by the McFusty clan, who have taken it upon themselves to look after the stock of this type of dragon [FB].
Hungarian Horntail:
This is another dragon that is black in colour, although the Horntail, unlike the Hebridean Black, has yellow eyes and bronze horns and spikes on its tail. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of all the species of dragon, and can breath fire up to fifty feet from its mouth. It generally feeds on goats and sheep, but also likes to eat humans when it can get them [FB]. Harry faced a Hungarian Horntail in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, which he got past with some fancy broomstick work [GOF20].
Norwegian Ridgeback:
This is a rare breed, due in part to its unusual tendency to attack other dragons of the same species. Once again it is black in colour, and closely resembles the Hungarian Horntail except for the black ridges it has on its back. It feeds off both land and water mammals, which is unusual for a dragon [FB].
Norbert, the dragon that Hagrid hatched with the intention of adopting as a pet, was a Norwegian Ridgeback. Although it was less than three weeks old when Charlie Weasley took it off his hands, it had already grown to several times its hatching size on its diet of brandy and chicken blood and was biting everything in sight [PS/SS14].
Peruvian Vipertooth:
This is the smallest and fastest of all the dragons, reaching only 15 feet in length when fully developed. It is copper in colour and carries a strong venom in its fangs. Its usual diet consists of goats and cows, but it also likes to eat humans. This caused some consternation in the late 19th century, when numbers of the creature were growing fast. The International Confederation of Wizards authorised a cull at this point in order to control the number of animals at large and protect the human population. [FB].
Romanian Longhorn:
This dragon is green in colour, and has long golden horns, from which it takes its name. The horns are used in potion-making and are highly prized. As a result of dragon-hunting for the horns, the population has shrunk alarmingly, leading to the entire natural habitat of the Longhorn being made into a dragon reservation. An intensive breeding programme has been carried out in order to stabilise the population and ensure the survival of the species [FB].
Swedish Short-Snout:
This is a silver-blue dragon, particularly prized for its hide, which is used to make gloves and shields. It has killed fewer humans than most other species, although this is probably due to the fact that it lives in wild uninhabited areas and thus encounters people only rarely [FB].
Cedric Diggory was up against a Swedish Short-Snout in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. He managed to distract it by Transfiguring a rock into a dog in the hope that the dragon would go after that instead [GOF20].
Ukrainian Ironbelly:
This is the largest of all dragons, weighing in at a maximum of 6 tonnes. This makes it relatively slow in flight, but it is also immensely strong. A dragon of this type once managed to pick up an entire sailing boat from the Black Sea in 1799. It is grey in colour, with red eyes and unusually long talons. It often kills by simply landing on houses and crushing them [FB].
Dugbog XXX
This is a marsh-dwelling creature, indigenous to Europe and the Americas. It looks rather like a piece of wood. The Dugbog 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 [FB].
Dwarf
Dwarves are short, stocky human-like creatures, usually reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet. Creatures of this type can be traced back to Norse and Arthurian mythology, although the current conception of Dwarves was popularized by JRR Tolkein in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Dwarves 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 [COS13], 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
Like the Dwarf, Elves originated in European folklore, and were popularized in more recent times by JRR Tolkein. In some legends, Elves are tiny creatures no bigger than a man's hand, but most have them as woodland creatures whose appearance is much akin to particularly beautiful and slender humans. Some stories also have them as minor deities.
A different kind of Elf has also appeared more recently in Christmas tradition, where teams of shorter and uglier Elves help Santa to make children's presents in his workshop. The Harry Potter Elves are more closely aligned to these, as they are far from the graceful and slender forest-dwellers of Tolkein's work.
JKR's House-Elves vary somewhat in appearance, but are universally short and human-like. They can usually be found acting as slaves to rich wizarding families, carrying out menial tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry [COS2]. Hogwarts also has over a hundred of them, working in the kitchens and cleaning the castle, the largest number in a single dwelling in the whole country [GOF12]. The Elves themselves regard their duties as pleasant and make no attempt to alter the arrangement. They are honour bound to follow their master's orders and never disobey [COS2], although most of the Elves encountered so far have pushed the definition of their instructions to the limit in order to do something that they wanted to (see information about known Elves below). 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 [COS10]. This is regarded as a great insult and any Elf released in this manner has little left to live for, unless the Elf in question is Dobby, who holds unusual values for his kind [GOF21]. Elves possess a powerful magic, which is different to wizard magic, requiring neither wands nor incantations. Dobby has been seen to hover a cream pudding [COS2], throw Lucius Malfoy down a flight of stairs [COS18] and even Apparate within the walls of Hogwarts [COS10], all without the aid of a wand or words.
Known Elves are:
Dobby:
The Malfoys' old Elf, who was never very happy with his treatment and longed to be free [COS2]. He stretched his remit from his master to the limit, warning Harry of Lucius' plot against him and trying to save him, although he always had to punish himself afterwards [COS10]. Following his freeing by Harry, he went to work in the kitchens at Hogwarts, even getting a small payment for his efforts [GOF21]. He was a great help to Harry whilst there, but died when performing another service for him, rescuing him from the Malfoy manor [DH23].
Winky:
Winky belonged to the Crouch family before she was sacked by Bartemius Snr for failing to properly control Bartemius Jnr at the Quidditch World Cup [GOF9]. She, too, pushed her instructions to the limit, attempting to secure more freedom for her beloved Barty Jnr wherever she could [GOF35]. She is now employed in the kitchens at Hogwarts, although the shame of her sacking has turned her into an alcoholic who does little, if any, work [GOF21]. JKR suggested that she did, however, begin to dry out a little in the years after the end of the Second War [Bloomsbury Chat].
Kreacher:
The old Elf of the Black family, who Harry inherited along with 12 Grimmauld Place after the death of Sirius Black [HBP3]. He hated Sirius and initially hated Harry, and for a long time used whatever room for manoeuvre he can find in his instructions to disobey his orders as much as he could. This led to him deliberately taking Sirius' instruction for him to "get out" as permission to leave the house, visit Narcissa Malfoy, and become involved in a plot to kill Harry and retrieve the Prophecy [OOTP37]. His attitude towards Harry changed overnight when Harry gave him Regulus Black's old locket and showed a willingness to help him destroy it and thus carry out Regulus' final instruction before he died [DH10].
Hokey:
The Elf belonging to the rich but aging Hepzibah Smith. Hokey was loyal, but ended up being framed by Tom Riddle for the murder of her mistress [HBP20].
Erkling XXXX
The Erkling is a nasty little creature from the Black Forest, 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 and strict controls from the German Ministry of Magic have led to such attacks all but dying out [FB].
Erumpent XXXX
This is a large African animal that resembles a rhinoceros. It has a thick hide that deflects most magic and although peaceable, can be very dangerous when provoked. The Erumpent's horn can pierce all materials, and injects a fluid that 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. Their horns, tails and exploding fluid are all used in potion-making, and all are Class B Tradable Materials [FB].
The horn is grey and has a spiral appearance, with grooved markings around the base. It looks something like a Unicorn horn. Xenophilius Lovegood had one on the wall in his house, but believed it to be the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. This it most certainly wasn't, not least because the Crumple-Horned Snorkack does not exist. This particular horn exploded when Xenophilius accidentally hit it with a Stunner when attempting to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione leaving, and it took half the house with it [DH21]. Whether this was enough to stop Xenophilius thinking it was a Snorkack horn is debatable, however. Luna certainly didn't stop believing it, and when Hermione told her it really was an Erumpent horn, she merely assured Hermione that it would soon reform itself, as that's what Snorkack horns do [DH25].
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. The fairy is generally a cantankerous creature, but its vanity leads it to allow itself to be used by humans as ornaments whenever the opportunity arises [FB].
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 [FB], an ability the Blast-Ended Skrewt (a cross between the Fire Crab and the Manticore) inherited from it [GOF13].
Fire Slug
Newt Scamander was last heard of studying these in the Brazilian rainforest [FW].
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 [FB].
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, as Uric the Oddball found out when he attempted a 3-month experiment to prove it was harmless [FB].
The Dementor is an invention of JKR. They are one of the most frightening creatures in the books, and this is where the name comes from: it is derived from the English word "dement" (which in turn comes from the Latin root demens), which means "to drive insane". In other words, Dementors are creatures that drive you to insanity.
In appearance they are large, cloaked, humanesque figures that tower over a 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 [POA5]. 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 [POA20].
Dementors were once the guards of the wizard prison of Azkaban until they deserted their posts to join Voldemort in the Second War [HBP1]. They are now, presumably, acting as the Dark Lord's soldiers, although they had little or no involvement in the events of HBP despite the fact that they are breeding in order to increase their numbers [HBP1].
The origin of Dementors as a race is unknown. It is also unclear how the Ministry ever reached an agreement with them to become Azkaban guards, as they are speechless, sightless and psychopathic. The last of these qualities would explain how Voldemort tempted them on to his side, but how he communicated with them is still a mystery. Dementors 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 caused 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 [POA10].
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 only 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 [POA12].
Despite the tentative agreement which once existed between Dementors and humans on the issue of governing Azkaban, the creatures' swift abandonment of their posts when Voldemort's return promised them a ready supply of victims shows that they are definitely not to be trusted. They did little in the name of Voldemort's cause before the death of Dumbledore, but became far more active afterwards. Amongst other things, Voldemort used them to intimidate those who were being questioned by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission [DH13], and as part of his army when he attacked Hogwarts [DH31].
Demiguise XXXX
The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivore, having the appearance of a large ape covered in silky, silvery hair. It is indigenous to the Far East, but is rarely seen, as it has the ability to make itself invisible. Demiguise hair is very much sought after, as it can be woven to make Invisibility Cloaks [FB].
Diricawl XX
The Diricawl was known to Muggles as the Dodo. Muggles now believe it to be extinct, but this is not the case - the Ministry of Magic regards the belief of Muggles in the extinction of the species to be a good thing, as so has never released any information to the contrary. The Diricawl is a rather fat and fluffy flightless bird, which has the ability to disappear and reappear elsewhere at will. It uses this as a defence when it is threatened, and it is this very ability to disappear that led Muggles to believe it had been wiped out in the first place [FB].
Dog
This is a common Muggle animal, descended from the wolf and subsequently domesticated. There are hundreds of breeds of dog, but all share the same roots. Records suggest that the dog was first domesticated in Asia, perhaps as long as 100,000 years ago. From here, the various breeds of domestic dog emerged and spread across the globe.
A number of dogs are associated with the wizarding world. In particular, Hagrid keeps a boarhound called Fang [PS/SS8], and was also the owner of a three-headed dog called Fluffy, which was used to guard the Philosopher's Stone [PS/SS16]. Fluffy was released into the Forbidden Forest after the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed, and is now resident there [Blue Peter Interview, 2001]. The animagus form of Sirius Black is a large black dog [POA19]. 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 [FB].
Doxy XXX
This creature is an invention of JKR. The name comes straight from the archaic English word "doxy", which means a prostitute, mistress, or promiscuous woman. Exactly what JKR is trying to tell us about Doxies should perhaps be left unexplained.
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. Doxies have very sharp teeth and their bites are mildly poisonous. An antidote is required if you are bitten [FB]. The drawing room of 12 Grimmauld Place was badly infested with Doxies when the Order of the Phoenix started using it as their headquarters. Molly Weasley led the cleanup operation, which involved paralysing the Doxies by spraying them with Doxycide, and then disposing of them. Fred and George didn't dispose of theirs because they were secretly experimenting with Doxy venom as an ingredient for items in their Skiving Snackboxes. It is reasonable to assume, although unconfirmed, that Puking Pastilles at least contain some Doxy venom [OOTP6].
Dragon XXXXX
The Dragon is a fantastic creature that is very common in Muggle mythology, cropping up in folk tales, art and even religion all across the world. Whilst in the Harry Potter world Dragons are universally portrayed as wild and dangerous, in some cultures they are actually seen as gentle, wise and kind creatures. This is particularly true of the legends of this creature in China, where Dragon imagery and the Dragon costume are common sights at festivals.
Most legends agree on the general form of the Dragon: it is a huge lizard-like creature, with vast wings it can use to fly at great speed. In the Harry Potter world, all breeds of dragon can breathe fire at will, and all are highly dangerous [FB]. The female is generally larger and fiercer than the male, especially when guarding eggs [GOF20].
Dragon blood, heart, hide, horn and liver all have powerful magical properties. In particular, the blood has 12 magical uses, as discovered by none other than Albus Dumbledore [PS/SS6], and dragon heartstring is one of only 3 wands cores deemed acceptable by Mr Ollivander, the world's leading wandmaker [PS/SS5]. The hide is used to make protective clothing and accessories such as gloves [PS/SS5] and shields [FB] as well as fashion items such as boots [GOF5] and jackets [HBP30]. Dragon horn is much sought after as a potion ingredient. The Goblins of Gringotts also use a Dragon (breed not confirmed) to guard the deepest vaults in the bank [DH26].
The following breeds of dragon exist:
Antipodean Opaleye:
This species is native to New Zealand, although it has also been known to make its home in Australia as well. It has pearly scales that reflect the light to make a rainbow of colour, making it (in the opinion of many) the most beautiful dragon of all. The name comes from its eyes, which are multi-coloured and have no pupil. It is generally non-aggressive and its main prey is the sheep. Its weight of 2-3 tonnes makes it a medium-sized dragon [FB].
Chinese Fireball:
This species is scarlet in colour, with a mane of gold spikes around its face. Its unique appearance is completed by a short snout and protruding eyes. It produces a mushroom-shaped flame when it is angry, which is quite often, as it is an aggressive breed. Its favoured preys are pigs and humans. Viktor Krum had to take on a Chinese Fireball in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF20]. He hit it with a Conjunctivitis Curse that caused it to trample on a number of its own eggs in agony [GOF20]. The Chinese Fireball is also known as the Liondragon [FB].
Common Welsh Green:
This is a generally placid breed that nests in the mountains of Wales. A reservation has in fact been set up in the country in order to ensure the survival of the species. Its main prey is sheep, and it rarely troubles humans. The one known exception to this occurred in 1932, in what is now known as the Ilfracombe Incident. On this occasion, a rogue Welsh Green swooped on a beach full of holiday-makers. This unfortunate occurrence aside, the Welsh Green generally leaves humans alone, and is most famous for the rather tuneful nature of its roar [FB]. Fleur Delacour was pitted against a Welsh Green in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF20]. She tried a type of sleeping enchantment on it, which worked until it snored and set fire to her skirt [GOF20].
Hebridean Black:
This is the only other dragon indigenous to Britain, and is an aggressive and strongly territorial beast. It can grow up to 30 feet in length, it has a line of vicious ridges along its back, and has bright purple eyes. Its main prey is deer, although it can also feed on dogs and cattle. Hebridean Blacks are traditionally cared for by the McFusty clan, who have taken it upon themselves to look after the stock of this type of dragon [FB].
Hungarian Horntail:
This is another dragon that is black in colour, although the Horntail, unlike the Hebridean Black, has yellow eyes and bronze horns and spikes on its tail. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of all the species of dragon, and can breath fire up to fifty feet from its mouth. It generally feeds on goats and sheep, but also likes to eat humans when it can get them [FB]. Harry faced a Hungarian Horntail in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, which he got past with some fancy broomstick work [GOF20].
Norwegian Ridgeback:
This is a rare breed, due in part to its unusual tendency to attack other dragons of the same species. Once again it is black in colour, and closely resembles the Hungarian Horntail except for the black ridges it has on its back. It feeds off both land and water mammals, which is unusual for a dragon [FB].
Norbert, the dragon that Hagrid hatched with the intention of adopting as a pet, was a Norwegian Ridgeback. Although it was less than three weeks old when Charlie Weasley took it off his hands, it had already grown to several times its hatching size on its diet of brandy and chicken blood and was biting everything in sight [PS/SS14].
Peruvian Vipertooth:
This is the smallest and fastest of all the dragons, reaching only 15 feet in length when fully developed. It is copper in colour and carries a strong venom in its fangs. Its usual diet consists of goats and cows, but it also likes to eat humans. This caused some consternation in the late 19th century, when numbers of the creature were growing fast. The International Confederation of Wizards authorised a cull at this point in order to control the number of animals at large and protect the human population. [FB].
Romanian Longhorn:
This dragon is green in colour, and has long golden horns, from which it takes its name. The horns are used in potion-making and are highly prized. As a result of dragon-hunting for the horns, the population has shrunk alarmingly, leading to the entire natural habitat of the Longhorn being made into a dragon reservation. An intensive breeding programme has been carried out in order to stabilise the population and ensure the survival of the species [FB].
Swedish Short-Snout:
This is a silver-blue dragon, particularly prized for its hide, which is used to make gloves and shields. It has killed fewer humans than most other species, although this is probably due to the fact that it lives in wild uninhabited areas and thus encounters people only rarely [FB].
Cedric Diggory was up against a Swedish Short-Snout in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. He managed to distract it by Transfiguring a rock into a dog in the hope that the dragon would go after that instead [GOF20].
Ukrainian Ironbelly:
This is the largest of all dragons, weighing in at a maximum of 6 tonnes. This makes it relatively slow in flight, but it is also immensely strong. A dragon of this type once managed to pick up an entire sailing boat from the Black Sea in 1799. It is grey in colour, with red eyes and unusually long talons. It often kills by simply landing on houses and crushing them [FB].
Dugbog XXX
This is a marsh-dwelling creature, indigenous to Europe and the Americas. It looks rather like a piece of wood. The Dugbog 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 [FB].
Dwarf
Dwarves are short, stocky human-like creatures, usually reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet. Creatures of this type can be traced back to Norse and Arthurian mythology, although the current conception of Dwarves was popularized by JRR Tolkein in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Dwarves 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 [COS13], 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
Like the Dwarf, Elves originated in European folklore, and were popularized in more recent times by JRR Tolkein. In some legends, Elves are tiny creatures no bigger than a man's hand, but most have them as woodland creatures whose appearance is much akin to particularly beautiful and slender humans. Some stories also have them as minor deities.
A different kind of Elf has also appeared more recently in Christmas tradition, where teams of shorter and uglier Elves help Santa to make children's presents in his workshop. The Harry Potter Elves are more closely aligned to these, as they are far from the graceful and slender forest-dwellers of Tolkein's work.
JKR's House-Elves vary somewhat in appearance, but are universally short and human-like. They can usually be found acting as slaves to rich wizarding families, carrying out menial tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry [COS2]. Hogwarts also has over a hundred of them, working in the kitchens and cleaning the castle, the largest number in a single dwelling in the whole country [GOF12]. The Elves themselves regard their duties as pleasant and make no attempt to alter the arrangement. They are honour bound to follow their master's orders and never disobey [COS2], although most of the Elves encountered so far have pushed the definition of their instructions to the limit in order to do something that they wanted to (see information about known Elves below). 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 [COS10]. This is regarded as a great insult and any Elf released in this manner has little left to live for, unless the Elf in question is Dobby, who holds unusual values for his kind [GOF21]. Elves possess a powerful magic, which is different to wizard magic, requiring neither wands nor incantations. Dobby has been seen to hover a cream pudding [COS2], throw Lucius Malfoy down a flight of stairs [COS18] and even Apparate within the walls of Hogwarts [COS10], all without the aid of a wand or words.
Known Elves are:
Dobby:
The Malfoys' old Elf, who was never very happy with his treatment and longed to be free [COS2]. He stretched his remit from his master to the limit, warning Harry of Lucius' plot against him and trying to save him, although he always had to punish himself afterwards [COS10]. Following his freeing by Harry, he went to work in the kitchens at Hogwarts, even getting a small payment for his efforts [GOF21]. He was a great help to Harry whilst there, but died when performing another service for him, rescuing him from the Malfoy manor [DH23].
Winky:
Winky belonged to the Crouch family before she was sacked by Bartemius Snr for failing to properly control Bartemius Jnr at the Quidditch World Cup [GOF9]. She, too, pushed her instructions to the limit, attempting to secure more freedom for her beloved Barty Jnr wherever she could [GOF35]. She is now employed in the kitchens at Hogwarts, although the shame of her sacking has turned her into an alcoholic who does little, if any, work [GOF21]. JKR suggested that she did, however, begin to dry out a little in the years after the end of the Second War [Bloomsbury Chat].
Kreacher:
The old Elf of the Black family, who Harry inherited along with 12 Grimmauld Place after the death of Sirius Black [HBP3]. He hated Sirius and initially hated Harry, and for a long time used whatever room for manoeuvre he can find in his instructions to disobey his orders as much as he could. This led to him deliberately taking Sirius' instruction for him to "get out" as permission to leave the house, visit Narcissa Malfoy, and become involved in a plot to kill Harry and retrieve the Prophecy [OOTP37]. His attitude towards Harry changed overnight when Harry gave him Regulus Black's old locket and showed a willingness to help him destroy it and thus carry out Regulus' final instruction before he died [DH10].
Hokey:
The Elf belonging to the rich but aging Hepzibah Smith. Hokey was loyal, but ended up being framed by Tom Riddle for the murder of her mistress [HBP20].
Erkling XXXX
The Erkling is a nasty little creature from the Black Forest, 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 and strict controls from the German Ministry of Magic have led to such attacks all but dying out [FB].
Erumpent XXXX
This is a large African animal that resembles a rhinoceros. It has a thick hide that deflects most magic and although peaceable, can be very dangerous when provoked. The Erumpent's horn can pierce all materials, and injects a fluid that 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. Their horns, tails and exploding fluid are all used in potion-making, and all are Class B Tradable Materials [FB].
The horn is grey and has a spiral appearance, with grooved markings around the base. It looks something like a Unicorn horn. Xenophilius Lovegood had one on the wall in his house, but believed it to be the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. This it most certainly wasn't, not least because the Crumple-Horned Snorkack does not exist. This particular horn exploded when Xenophilius accidentally hit it with a Stunner when attempting to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione leaving, and it took half the house with it [DH21]. Whether this was enough to stop Xenophilius thinking it was a Snorkack horn is debatable, however. Luna certainly didn't stop believing it, and when Hermione told her it really was an Erumpent horn, she merely assured Hermione that it would soon reform itself, as that's what Snorkack horns do [DH25].
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. The fairy is generally a cantankerous creature, but its vanity leads it to allow itself to be used by humans as ornaments whenever the opportunity arises [FB].
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 [FB], an ability the Blast-Ended Skrewt (a cross between the Fire Crab and the Manticore) inherited from it [GOF13].
Fire Slug
Newt Scamander was last heard of studying these in the Brazilian rainforest [FW].
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 [FB].
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, as Uric the Oddball found out when he attempted a 3-month experiment to prove it was harmless [FB].