Post by Prof. Destiny Smith on Apr 25, 2009 23:25:11 GMT -6
Abominable Snowman
An alternative name for the Yeti [FB].
Abraxan
A type of Winged Horse. This type of creature takes its inspiration from Pegasus, the Winged Horse of Greek mythology. Pegasus was the offspring of the sea-god Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa, and sprang from the Gorgon's neck as she was beheaded by Perseus. Initially wild, Pegasus was tamed by the mortal hero Bellerophon with the help of the Goddess Athena, and became Bellerophon's steed. Bellerophon rode Pegasus during his successful quest to slay the Chimaera, but then incurred the wrath of Zeus when he attempted to approach the gods. Zeus cursed Bellerophon, leaving him to life as a cripple in the wilderness, and took Pegasus into service himself. From this point on, Pegasus carried Zeus' thunderbolts for him for the rest of his life.
The Abraxan is a variation on this theme, invented by JKR. It is a very powerful giant palomino with fiery red eyes [FB, GOF15]. The Beauxbatons carriage, which was used to transport the staff and students to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament, was pulled by Abraxans, which according to Madam Maxime drank only single-malt whisky [GOF15]. It is likely that this applies to the Beaxbatons Abraxans only rather than the entire species.
Acromantula XXXXX
This is a huge carnivorous spider, and an invention of JKR. The name derives from the Latin "acro", meaning "highest" or "extreme", along with "-antula" from the word "tarantula", a large spider. Therefore the name may be interpreted as "extreme spider".
The Acromantula is covered in thick black hair and can grow up to 15 feet in size [FB]. It was created by wizards, and probably intended as a guard creature. They are, however, untrainable and extremely dangerous. They have near-human intelligence and are capable of speech, but this doesn't mean you can reason with them. Hagrid had an Acromantula called Aragog as a pet while he was in his third year at Hogwarts. It was suspected to be the creature from the Chamber of Secrets (which it wasn't) and Hagrid was expelled from school. Aragog escaped and set up what is now a well-populated colony in the Forbidden Forest [COS15]. Aragog is now deceased, but the colony continues to thrive [HBP22].
Lord Voldemort somehow convinced the remaining Acromantula to join the Death Eaters in their attack on Hogwarts, although it is not made clear how he did so. It seems fair to assume it involved an offer of letting them eat a lot of fallen enemies, however. They scaled the walls of the castle in search of prey: on one occasion Harry held them back with a Stunning spell, but it seems unlikely that it kept them away for long [DH32]. Voldemort later used their deserted nest as his base within the Forbidden Forest as he waited for Harry to come and give himself up [DH34].
Aethonan
A type of Winged Horse. The Aethonan is chestnut in colour and popular in Britain and Ireland [FB].
Albino Peacock
See "Peacock, Albino".
Aquavirious Maggot
A creature that may look something like a brain, which Luna Lovegood and her father believe is real but possibly nobody else does. Luna is sure they are breeding them in the Department of Mysteries, a view shared by Mr Lovegood. When Harry and the others went to the Department of Mysteries at the end of Harry's fifth year, Luna mistook the brains floating in a tank of green liquid for Aquavirious Maggots [OOTP34].
Armadillo
The Armadillo is a small mammal with a tough armoured shell, a Muggle creature that nonetheless has magical uses. Its bile is used in Wit Sharpening Potion. Harry deliberately spilt his Armadillo bile in a Potions class so that he could overhear what Karkaroff was desperate to talk to Snape about [GOF27].
Ashwinder XXX
This is a thin, pale grey serpent which is created by any magical fire which is allowed to burn unchecked for too long. The Ashwinder rises from the fire and will quickly lay eggs in a secluded place, after which it will crumble into dust. The eggs give off intense heat and will ignite anything they come into contact with. Once frozen, however, they are useful in making Love Potions and relieving ague [FB].
Augurey XX
Also known as the Irish Phoenix. This is a greenish-black bird which by legend foretells the death of anybody who hears its cry. In truth, it actually sings when rain is approaching. The Augurey in fact flies only during rain and remains in its nest at other times [FB].
Banshee
The Banshee is humanoid in appearance, looking akin to a skeletal woman. The sound of the Banshee's wail is believed to foretell death. Gilderoy Lockhart claimed to have banished the Bandon Banshee, which of course he didn't [COS16].
Basilisk XXXXX
This is a creature from Greek mythology, usually portrayed as the King of the Serpents. Its name comes from the Greek basiliskos, which means "Little King". It is very much akin to the Cockatrice, so much so that in some stories the two creatures are seen as interchangeable. They are different, however, although closely related. Stories disagree about how Basilisks are created: some state that they require an egg laid by a Rooster and incubated by a Toad, whilst others prefer a serpent's egg incubated by a Rooster. JKR goes with the first of these versions.
In the Harry Potter world, the Basilisk is an enormous snake, originally bred deliberately by the dark wizard Herpo the Foul. It is brilliant green (with the male also having a scarlet crest), can grow up to 50 feet in size, and can kill anything that looks into its eyes simply using its deadly gaze. It also carries lethal venom in its fangs and can kill by using this poison as well. Basilisks can live for hundreds of years and are uncontrollable by anyone except a Parselmouth [FB].
Herpo created the first Basilisk after considerable experimentation revealed that using a Toad to incubate a chicken egg would produce the fearsome creature he was after [FB]. This very Basilisk was reputed to have lived for 900 years, although even this remarkable figure was outdone by the serpent from the Chamber of Secrets. This creature was placed in the Chamber by Salazar Slytherin and survived for 1000 years [COS9] before it was unleashed upon the school twice during the 20th century, under the orders of Tom Riddle on both occasions. It killed Moaning Myrtle first time out, but met its match the second time, when a combination of Harry Potter and Fawkes the Phoenix defeated and killed it [COS17]. It was showing no signs of old age at the time, however, and it can be assumed that it would have continued to live for considerably longer but for its untimely demise.
Spiders are known to particularly fear the Basilisk, and will flee if they sense the presence of one (although it is fair to say that most animals would also be wise to follow such a plan). The main weakness of the Basilisk is that the crowing of the Rooster is fatal to it [COS16]. The breeding of Basilisks has been illegal since medieval times [FB].
Basilisk venom is one of the few known substances that can destroy a Horcrux [DH6]. The only other known one is the enchanted inferno Fiendfyre [DH31].
Bicorn
A two-horned beast, fabled to grow very fat through eating good and faithful husbands. Horn of Bicorn is used in potion-making, notably in the manufacture of Polyjuice Potion [COS10].
Bigfoot
An alternative name for the Yeti [FB].
Billywig XXX
The Billywig is a vivid blue insect native to Australia. It travels at great speed and carries a sting that can cause giddiness and levitation. Many younger wizards attempt to get stung on purpose, although care should be taken as repeated stinging can produce uncontrollable levitation which can last for days or even permanently [FB].
Biting Fairy XXX
Alternative name for the Doxy [FB].
Blast-Ended Skrewt
This is a creature invented entirely by JKR. It is, in fact, a cross-breed - created by Hagrid - between the Manticore and the Fire Crab (see below for more details about both), a process which seems best left to the imagination [GOF24]. They are extremely aggressive, with a tendency to attack and eat each other, and can grow to a size of at least 10 feet and perhaps even larger [GOF31]. Resembling a giant armoured scorpion, the males have a large sting over their backs, while the females have a blood-sucker on their underside. The name comes from their tendency to blast fire out of one end (they have no heads so it is impossible to tell which end), which propels them forwards at great speed [GOF13]. Only one Skrewt is known to have survived from the initial batch of several hundred that Hagrid created. It was placed in the maze as an obstacle during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF31] and its current location is unknown, although it may have been released into the Forbidden Forest.
Blibbering Humdinger
People didn't used to believe that the Blibbering Humdinger exists. Most still don't. Luna Lovegood does though, but she is a little bit odd [OOTP13].
Bloodhound (Albino)
These are pure white bloodhounds, kept by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Pest Sub-Division) in order to remove Nogtail infestations [FB]. See "Nogtail" entry for more details about these creatures.
Boggart
This is a creature from English folklore, particularly from the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Boggarts are mischievous spirits, which can be helpful if the mood takes them, but can more often be found causing mishaps and hiding tools. Leaving food out for a Boggart is a good way to placate it, but insulting it will doubtless lead to trouble. Boggarts avoid detection by using their ability to take whatever shape they please.
In JKR's world, the Boggart retains its shape-shifting ability, and likes to occupy dark, enclosed spaces. When nobody can see it, the form it takes is unknown. When it is seen, it will take whatever form the person who is viewing it finds most frightening. It is destroyed by laughter, and hence the best way to fight a Boggart is to use a Riddikulus spell to force it to adopt an amusing appearance. When defeated, the Boggart explodes and nothing but smoke remains. Professor Lupin taught Harry's class about Boggarts in a third-year DADA class: on this occasion it took on a variety of different frightening forms, such as a Mummy, a Banshee, a giant Spider, and Professor Snape, before being defeated [POA7].
Boomslang
This is a large, venomous snake, a Muggle creature with magical properties. Its skin is used in potion-making, and is most famously an ingredient required for Polyjuice Potion [COS10]. Both Hermione and Barty Crouch Jnr have been known to steal it from Snape's personal stores in their time, and Snape was not impressed [GOF27].
Bowtruckle XX
This is a small tree-guardian, which grows up to 8 inches in height. It looks as though it is made of bark and twigs, and generally avoids contact with humans. By nature it is a peace-loving creature that lives on a diet of insects. If its tree is threatened, however, the Bowtruckle will defend it by attempting to gouge the attacker's eyes with its long fingers [FB].
Bugbear
This is a bear-like humanoid creature with a particular preference for frightening children. When Ginny Weasley was possessed by Lord Voldemort and killed Hagrid's roosters, Hagrid thought it may be the work of bugbears [COS11].
Bundimun XXX
A Bundimun looks like a patch of green fungus with eyes, although it does have numerous legs which it can use to move at speed when necessary. It is a parasite that infests houses and feeds on dirt. This is not a bad thing in itself, but unfortunately the creature also excretes a foul substance that rots its resident building and will cause it to collapse if left unchecked. It also gives off a violent smell of decay. Scouring charms are required to remove a Bundimun infestation. Diluted secretions from the creature are often used in magical cleaning fluids [FB].
Cat
This is an animal that has been associated with humans and shared living spaces with them for as long as records exist. Cats were revered in ancient Egypt, where they were seen as the living image of the goddess Bast, and records exist back to 4000BC of their domestication. Even earlier finds have occurred in Cyprus, where a shared grave (of a Cat and a human) has been found dating to 9500BC.
The Cat is strictly a Muggle creature, although it has many connections with the wizarding world, hence its inclusion here. Cats are favoured pets of many wizards and Squibs - with Arabella Figg and Argus Filch the most famous cat-owning Squibs known so far. Cats are also on the approved list of pets for Hogwarts students, along with Owls, Toads and possibly Rats [PS/SS5]. Wizards and even Squibs enjoy more advanced communication with cats than Muggles do, as evidenced by Filch's seemingly telepathic relationship with Mrs Norris [PS/SS8].
Lily and James Potter kept a cat as a pet at their home in Godric's Hollow. According to Lily, Harry nearly killed it by zooming around on a toy broomstick when he was a year old [DH10].
Centaur XXXX
The Centaur is a creature from Greek mythology. The race was spawned by Centaurus, a son of Apollo and the twin of Lapithus, a great and noble warrior. Centaurus, however, was deformed and went to live amongst the horses of Thessaly. There he mated with the mares, thus creating the Centaur race. In Greek myths, the Centaurs (in contrast to the proud and somewhat aloof creatures of the Harry Potter novels) were portrayed as wild and fond of drunken revelry. In the end they went to war with the people of Lapithus and were destroyed.
The Centaur has the head and body of a human and the body and legs of a horse. In the Harry Potter world, they have human intelligence but keep themselves apart from both wizards and Muggles, preferring to remain in their own communities. Their classification as a "beast" rather than a "being" is entirely at their own request. They dislike any intervention in their affairs by humans and will react with force if they think it necessary. Therefore, many of the ways of the Centaur are still a mystery [FB].
A herd of Centaurs lives in the Forbidden Forest, and Harry has interacted with them on a number of occasions. Firenze escorted Harry from the Forest after he had encountered Lord Voldemort there in his first year [PS/SS15], and Hermione and Harry also led Dolores Umbridge into the herd in the hope that they would attack her just before they flew to the Ministry at the end of their fifth year [OOTP33].
Known Centaurs include Firenze, Ronan, Bane, and Magorian. Of these, Firenze was banished from the herd for fraternising with humans (by agreeing to teach Divination at Hogwarts) [OOTP27].
The Centaurs of the Forbidden Forest finally decided to put aside their disregard of the human world and enter the battle when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts. For the majority of the battle they maintained their neutrality and remained in the Forest, but finally emerged near the end to attack the Death Eaters after Harry's "death" [DH36]. It has since been confirmed that Firenze has been accepted back into the herd, indicating a softening of the Centaurs' stance towards wizardkind [Bloomsbury Chat].
Chameleon Ghoul
A type of Ghoul that can disguise itself as an everyday object to avoid detection. Hermione read about Chameleon Ghouls when she was trying to work out how the creature from the Chamber of Secrets had managed to remain undetected for so long [COS11].
Chicken (Fire Breathing)
When Harry arrived at the Ministry for his hearing, he and Arthur Weasley ran into a wizard called Bob, who was carrying a box containing a Fire-Breathing Chicken. Bob suspected that it was a serious breach of the Ban on Experimental Breeding. As such, there may only be one such animal, or as in the case of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts, a large number may have been bred [OOTP7].
Chimaera XXXXX
This creature has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. It is extremely dangerous and renowned for its vicious nature. In fact, only one wizard is ever known to have managed to kill a Chimaera, and he was so exhausted that he fell to his death from his Winged Horse shortly afterwards. The Chimaera originated in Greece, and its eggs are classified as Grade A Non-Tradeable Goods [FB].
Chizpurfle XX
The Chizpurfle is a tiny parasite that feeds on magic items such as wands and potions. They either infest the fur of magical creatures, or make their way into wizards' houses. Once there they will find whatever magic items they can and gnaw through them. Various potions are available that help with curing Chizpurfle infestations [FB].
Clabbert XX
This is a tree-dwelling creature that looks something like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It has strong arms and legs, allowing it to swing from tree to tree, and short horns on its head. Its diet consists mainly of small lizards and birds. The Clabbert has a large pustule in the middle of its head, which flashes scarlet when danger approaches [FB].
Clauricorn XXX
Alternative name for the Leprechaun [FB].
Cockatrice
This creature shares many features and legends of the Basilisk, but is a separate animal. It is generally regarded as looking like a giant Rooster, with a lizard's tail and wings like a dragon. The wings are functional, and so it possesses the power of flight, whilst sharing with the Basilisk the ability to kill with its gaze. It is also created from the egg of a Rooster, incubated by a Toad (which is one of the alternative descriptions of the method for creating a Basilisk), and is also killed by the crow of the Rooster. Unlike the Basilisk, however, the Weasel is immune to the deadly gaze of the Cockatrice. It is noted that the best way to kill a Cockatrice is to lower a mirror in front of it, as it is not immune to its own gaze.
In the Harry Potter books, a Cockatrice went on the rampage during the Triwizard Tournament of 1792 [GOF15].
Crumple-Horned Snorkack
This is a Scandinavian creature that Luna Lovegood and her father were planning to observe on a trip to Sweden. Unfortunately, their Crumple-Horned Snorkack watching holiday might have been taken in vain, as there has to be some significant doubt as to whether such a creature actually exists. It is very probably yet another of the animals that Luna and Xenophilius believe in and nobody else does [OOTP38].
This theory is lent more weight by the fact that the horn that Xenophilius displayed in his front room, believing it to be from a Snorkack, was actually an Erumpent horn, and to prove this, it exploded - taking half the house with it - when he accidentally hit it with a Stunner. Therefore, we can also treat with some skepticism Luna's description of a Snorkack, which included it having tiny little ears, a bit like a hippo's only purple and hairy, and a tendency to approach anyone who is humming a waltz [DH25].
Crup XXX
This is a wizard-bred dog. It looks very much like a Jack Russell terrier, except for its forked tail. The Crup is a popular wizard pet, and anyone owning a Crup is obliged by law to have its tail removed with a Severing Charm in order to avoid Muggle attention [FB].
An alternative name for the Yeti [FB].
Abraxan
A type of Winged Horse. This type of creature takes its inspiration from Pegasus, the Winged Horse of Greek mythology. Pegasus was the offspring of the sea-god Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa, and sprang from the Gorgon's neck as she was beheaded by Perseus. Initially wild, Pegasus was tamed by the mortal hero Bellerophon with the help of the Goddess Athena, and became Bellerophon's steed. Bellerophon rode Pegasus during his successful quest to slay the Chimaera, but then incurred the wrath of Zeus when he attempted to approach the gods. Zeus cursed Bellerophon, leaving him to life as a cripple in the wilderness, and took Pegasus into service himself. From this point on, Pegasus carried Zeus' thunderbolts for him for the rest of his life.
The Abraxan is a variation on this theme, invented by JKR. It is a very powerful giant palomino with fiery red eyes [FB, GOF15]. The Beauxbatons carriage, which was used to transport the staff and students to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament, was pulled by Abraxans, which according to Madam Maxime drank only single-malt whisky [GOF15]. It is likely that this applies to the Beaxbatons Abraxans only rather than the entire species.
Acromantula XXXXX
This is a huge carnivorous spider, and an invention of JKR. The name derives from the Latin "acro", meaning "highest" or "extreme", along with "-antula" from the word "tarantula", a large spider. Therefore the name may be interpreted as "extreme spider".
The Acromantula is covered in thick black hair and can grow up to 15 feet in size [FB]. It was created by wizards, and probably intended as a guard creature. They are, however, untrainable and extremely dangerous. They have near-human intelligence and are capable of speech, but this doesn't mean you can reason with them. Hagrid had an Acromantula called Aragog as a pet while he was in his third year at Hogwarts. It was suspected to be the creature from the Chamber of Secrets (which it wasn't) and Hagrid was expelled from school. Aragog escaped and set up what is now a well-populated colony in the Forbidden Forest [COS15]. Aragog is now deceased, but the colony continues to thrive [HBP22].
Lord Voldemort somehow convinced the remaining Acromantula to join the Death Eaters in their attack on Hogwarts, although it is not made clear how he did so. It seems fair to assume it involved an offer of letting them eat a lot of fallen enemies, however. They scaled the walls of the castle in search of prey: on one occasion Harry held them back with a Stunning spell, but it seems unlikely that it kept them away for long [DH32]. Voldemort later used their deserted nest as his base within the Forbidden Forest as he waited for Harry to come and give himself up [DH34].
Aethonan
A type of Winged Horse. The Aethonan is chestnut in colour and popular in Britain and Ireland [FB].
Albino Peacock
See "Peacock, Albino".
Aquavirious Maggot
A creature that may look something like a brain, which Luna Lovegood and her father believe is real but possibly nobody else does. Luna is sure they are breeding them in the Department of Mysteries, a view shared by Mr Lovegood. When Harry and the others went to the Department of Mysteries at the end of Harry's fifth year, Luna mistook the brains floating in a tank of green liquid for Aquavirious Maggots [OOTP34].
Armadillo
The Armadillo is a small mammal with a tough armoured shell, a Muggle creature that nonetheless has magical uses. Its bile is used in Wit Sharpening Potion. Harry deliberately spilt his Armadillo bile in a Potions class so that he could overhear what Karkaroff was desperate to talk to Snape about [GOF27].
Ashwinder XXX
This is a thin, pale grey serpent which is created by any magical fire which is allowed to burn unchecked for too long. The Ashwinder rises from the fire and will quickly lay eggs in a secluded place, after which it will crumble into dust. The eggs give off intense heat and will ignite anything they come into contact with. Once frozen, however, they are useful in making Love Potions and relieving ague [FB].
Augurey XX
Also known as the Irish Phoenix. This is a greenish-black bird which by legend foretells the death of anybody who hears its cry. In truth, it actually sings when rain is approaching. The Augurey in fact flies only during rain and remains in its nest at other times [FB].
Banshee
The Banshee is humanoid in appearance, looking akin to a skeletal woman. The sound of the Banshee's wail is believed to foretell death. Gilderoy Lockhart claimed to have banished the Bandon Banshee, which of course he didn't [COS16].
Basilisk XXXXX
This is a creature from Greek mythology, usually portrayed as the King of the Serpents. Its name comes from the Greek basiliskos, which means "Little King". It is very much akin to the Cockatrice, so much so that in some stories the two creatures are seen as interchangeable. They are different, however, although closely related. Stories disagree about how Basilisks are created: some state that they require an egg laid by a Rooster and incubated by a Toad, whilst others prefer a serpent's egg incubated by a Rooster. JKR goes with the first of these versions.
In the Harry Potter world, the Basilisk is an enormous snake, originally bred deliberately by the dark wizard Herpo the Foul. It is brilliant green (with the male also having a scarlet crest), can grow up to 50 feet in size, and can kill anything that looks into its eyes simply using its deadly gaze. It also carries lethal venom in its fangs and can kill by using this poison as well. Basilisks can live for hundreds of years and are uncontrollable by anyone except a Parselmouth [FB].
Herpo created the first Basilisk after considerable experimentation revealed that using a Toad to incubate a chicken egg would produce the fearsome creature he was after [FB]. This very Basilisk was reputed to have lived for 900 years, although even this remarkable figure was outdone by the serpent from the Chamber of Secrets. This creature was placed in the Chamber by Salazar Slytherin and survived for 1000 years [COS9] before it was unleashed upon the school twice during the 20th century, under the orders of Tom Riddle on both occasions. It killed Moaning Myrtle first time out, but met its match the second time, when a combination of Harry Potter and Fawkes the Phoenix defeated and killed it [COS17]. It was showing no signs of old age at the time, however, and it can be assumed that it would have continued to live for considerably longer but for its untimely demise.
Spiders are known to particularly fear the Basilisk, and will flee if they sense the presence of one (although it is fair to say that most animals would also be wise to follow such a plan). The main weakness of the Basilisk is that the crowing of the Rooster is fatal to it [COS16]. The breeding of Basilisks has been illegal since medieval times [FB].
Basilisk venom is one of the few known substances that can destroy a Horcrux [DH6]. The only other known one is the enchanted inferno Fiendfyre [DH31].
Bicorn
A two-horned beast, fabled to grow very fat through eating good and faithful husbands. Horn of Bicorn is used in potion-making, notably in the manufacture of Polyjuice Potion [COS10].
Bigfoot
An alternative name for the Yeti [FB].
Billywig XXX
The Billywig is a vivid blue insect native to Australia. It travels at great speed and carries a sting that can cause giddiness and levitation. Many younger wizards attempt to get stung on purpose, although care should be taken as repeated stinging can produce uncontrollable levitation which can last for days or even permanently [FB].
Biting Fairy XXX
Alternative name for the Doxy [FB].
Blast-Ended Skrewt
This is a creature invented entirely by JKR. It is, in fact, a cross-breed - created by Hagrid - between the Manticore and the Fire Crab (see below for more details about both), a process which seems best left to the imagination [GOF24]. They are extremely aggressive, with a tendency to attack and eat each other, and can grow to a size of at least 10 feet and perhaps even larger [GOF31]. Resembling a giant armoured scorpion, the males have a large sting over their backs, while the females have a blood-sucker on their underside. The name comes from their tendency to blast fire out of one end (they have no heads so it is impossible to tell which end), which propels them forwards at great speed [GOF13]. Only one Skrewt is known to have survived from the initial batch of several hundred that Hagrid created. It was placed in the maze as an obstacle during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament [GOF31] and its current location is unknown, although it may have been released into the Forbidden Forest.
Blibbering Humdinger
People didn't used to believe that the Blibbering Humdinger exists. Most still don't. Luna Lovegood does though, but she is a little bit odd [OOTP13].
Bloodhound (Albino)
These are pure white bloodhounds, kept by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Pest Sub-Division) in order to remove Nogtail infestations [FB]. See "Nogtail" entry for more details about these creatures.
Boggart
This is a creature from English folklore, particularly from the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Boggarts are mischievous spirits, which can be helpful if the mood takes them, but can more often be found causing mishaps and hiding tools. Leaving food out for a Boggart is a good way to placate it, but insulting it will doubtless lead to trouble. Boggarts avoid detection by using their ability to take whatever shape they please.
In JKR's world, the Boggart retains its shape-shifting ability, and likes to occupy dark, enclosed spaces. When nobody can see it, the form it takes is unknown. When it is seen, it will take whatever form the person who is viewing it finds most frightening. It is destroyed by laughter, and hence the best way to fight a Boggart is to use a Riddikulus spell to force it to adopt an amusing appearance. When defeated, the Boggart explodes and nothing but smoke remains. Professor Lupin taught Harry's class about Boggarts in a third-year DADA class: on this occasion it took on a variety of different frightening forms, such as a Mummy, a Banshee, a giant Spider, and Professor Snape, before being defeated [POA7].
Boomslang
This is a large, venomous snake, a Muggle creature with magical properties. Its skin is used in potion-making, and is most famously an ingredient required for Polyjuice Potion [COS10]. Both Hermione and Barty Crouch Jnr have been known to steal it from Snape's personal stores in their time, and Snape was not impressed [GOF27].
Bowtruckle XX
This is a small tree-guardian, which grows up to 8 inches in height. It looks as though it is made of bark and twigs, and generally avoids contact with humans. By nature it is a peace-loving creature that lives on a diet of insects. If its tree is threatened, however, the Bowtruckle will defend it by attempting to gouge the attacker's eyes with its long fingers [FB].
Bugbear
This is a bear-like humanoid creature with a particular preference for frightening children. When Ginny Weasley was possessed by Lord Voldemort and killed Hagrid's roosters, Hagrid thought it may be the work of bugbears [COS11].
Bundimun XXX
A Bundimun looks like a patch of green fungus with eyes, although it does have numerous legs which it can use to move at speed when necessary. It is a parasite that infests houses and feeds on dirt. This is not a bad thing in itself, but unfortunately the creature also excretes a foul substance that rots its resident building and will cause it to collapse if left unchecked. It also gives off a violent smell of decay. Scouring charms are required to remove a Bundimun infestation. Diluted secretions from the creature are often used in magical cleaning fluids [FB].
Cat
This is an animal that has been associated with humans and shared living spaces with them for as long as records exist. Cats were revered in ancient Egypt, where they were seen as the living image of the goddess Bast, and records exist back to 4000BC of their domestication. Even earlier finds have occurred in Cyprus, where a shared grave (of a Cat and a human) has been found dating to 9500BC.
The Cat is strictly a Muggle creature, although it has many connections with the wizarding world, hence its inclusion here. Cats are favoured pets of many wizards and Squibs - with Arabella Figg and Argus Filch the most famous cat-owning Squibs known so far. Cats are also on the approved list of pets for Hogwarts students, along with Owls, Toads and possibly Rats [PS/SS5]. Wizards and even Squibs enjoy more advanced communication with cats than Muggles do, as evidenced by Filch's seemingly telepathic relationship with Mrs Norris [PS/SS8].
Lily and James Potter kept a cat as a pet at their home in Godric's Hollow. According to Lily, Harry nearly killed it by zooming around on a toy broomstick when he was a year old [DH10].
Centaur XXXX
The Centaur is a creature from Greek mythology. The race was spawned by Centaurus, a son of Apollo and the twin of Lapithus, a great and noble warrior. Centaurus, however, was deformed and went to live amongst the horses of Thessaly. There he mated with the mares, thus creating the Centaur race. In Greek myths, the Centaurs (in contrast to the proud and somewhat aloof creatures of the Harry Potter novels) were portrayed as wild and fond of drunken revelry. In the end they went to war with the people of Lapithus and were destroyed.
The Centaur has the head and body of a human and the body and legs of a horse. In the Harry Potter world, they have human intelligence but keep themselves apart from both wizards and Muggles, preferring to remain in their own communities. Their classification as a "beast" rather than a "being" is entirely at their own request. They dislike any intervention in their affairs by humans and will react with force if they think it necessary. Therefore, many of the ways of the Centaur are still a mystery [FB].
A herd of Centaurs lives in the Forbidden Forest, and Harry has interacted with them on a number of occasions. Firenze escorted Harry from the Forest after he had encountered Lord Voldemort there in his first year [PS/SS15], and Hermione and Harry also led Dolores Umbridge into the herd in the hope that they would attack her just before they flew to the Ministry at the end of their fifth year [OOTP33].
Known Centaurs include Firenze, Ronan, Bane, and Magorian. Of these, Firenze was banished from the herd for fraternising with humans (by agreeing to teach Divination at Hogwarts) [OOTP27].
The Centaurs of the Forbidden Forest finally decided to put aside their disregard of the human world and enter the battle when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts. For the majority of the battle they maintained their neutrality and remained in the Forest, but finally emerged near the end to attack the Death Eaters after Harry's "death" [DH36]. It has since been confirmed that Firenze has been accepted back into the herd, indicating a softening of the Centaurs' stance towards wizardkind [Bloomsbury Chat].
Chameleon Ghoul
A type of Ghoul that can disguise itself as an everyday object to avoid detection. Hermione read about Chameleon Ghouls when she was trying to work out how the creature from the Chamber of Secrets had managed to remain undetected for so long [COS11].
Chicken (Fire Breathing)
When Harry arrived at the Ministry for his hearing, he and Arthur Weasley ran into a wizard called Bob, who was carrying a box containing a Fire-Breathing Chicken. Bob suspected that it was a serious breach of the Ban on Experimental Breeding. As such, there may only be one such animal, or as in the case of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts, a large number may have been bred [OOTP7].
Chimaera XXXXX
This creature has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. It is extremely dangerous and renowned for its vicious nature. In fact, only one wizard is ever known to have managed to kill a Chimaera, and he was so exhausted that he fell to his death from his Winged Horse shortly afterwards. The Chimaera originated in Greece, and its eggs are classified as Grade A Non-Tradeable Goods [FB].
Chizpurfle XX
The Chizpurfle is a tiny parasite that feeds on magic items such as wands and potions. They either infest the fur of magical creatures, or make their way into wizards' houses. Once there they will find whatever magic items they can and gnaw through them. Various potions are available that help with curing Chizpurfle infestations [FB].
Clabbert XX
This is a tree-dwelling creature that looks something like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It has strong arms and legs, allowing it to swing from tree to tree, and short horns on its head. Its diet consists mainly of small lizards and birds. The Clabbert has a large pustule in the middle of its head, which flashes scarlet when danger approaches [FB].
Clauricorn XXX
Alternative name for the Leprechaun [FB].
Cockatrice
This creature shares many features and legends of the Basilisk, but is a separate animal. It is generally regarded as looking like a giant Rooster, with a lizard's tail and wings like a dragon. The wings are functional, and so it possesses the power of flight, whilst sharing with the Basilisk the ability to kill with its gaze. It is also created from the egg of a Rooster, incubated by a Toad (which is one of the alternative descriptions of the method for creating a Basilisk), and is also killed by the crow of the Rooster. Unlike the Basilisk, however, the Weasel is immune to the deadly gaze of the Cockatrice. It is noted that the best way to kill a Cockatrice is to lower a mirror in front of it, as it is not immune to its own gaze.
In the Harry Potter books, a Cockatrice went on the rampage during the Triwizard Tournament of 1792 [GOF15].
Crumple-Horned Snorkack
This is a Scandinavian creature that Luna Lovegood and her father were planning to observe on a trip to Sweden. Unfortunately, their Crumple-Horned Snorkack watching holiday might have been taken in vain, as there has to be some significant doubt as to whether such a creature actually exists. It is very probably yet another of the animals that Luna and Xenophilius believe in and nobody else does [OOTP38].
This theory is lent more weight by the fact that the horn that Xenophilius displayed in his front room, believing it to be from a Snorkack, was actually an Erumpent horn, and to prove this, it exploded - taking half the house with it - when he accidentally hit it with a Stunner. Therefore, we can also treat with some skepticism Luna's description of a Snorkack, which included it having tiny little ears, a bit like a hippo's only purple and hairy, and a tendency to approach anyone who is humming a waltz [DH25].
Crup XXX
This is a wizard-bred dog. It looks very much like a Jack Russell terrier, except for its forked tail. The Crup is a popular wizard pet, and anyone owning a Crup is obliged by law to have its tail removed with a Severing Charm in order to avoid Muggle attention [FB].