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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:51:13 GMT -5
P- Phoenix: The Phoenix is a large scarlet bird with a gold tail, beak and talons. Its most startling feature is its ability to regenerate itself: it bursts into flame when its body becomes old and rises from the ashes as a new-born chick. This allows these birds to grow to a great age. The Phoenix can disappear and re-appear at will, and also boasts magical tears and song. The tears have potent healing capabilities, able to bring a person back even from the brink of death, whilst the song will increase the courage of the good and strike fear into the hearts of the evil.
- Pixie: The Pixie is, like the Imp and the Leprechaun, a small mischievous humanoid creature. It grows up to 8 inches in height and can fly, even though it is wingless. Pixies delight in jokes and tricks, all the time emitting a high-pitched babbling which is understood only by other Pixies.
- Plimpy: This is a spherical fish which has two rubbery legs and webbed feet. The Plimpy prowls lake-beds searching for food, particularly water snails. Merpeople regard the Plimpy as a pest and tie its legs together, causing it to drift away.
- Pogrebin: This is a Russian demon which has a large smooth grey head that resembles a rock. Pogrebins follow humans by staying in their shadow and crouching down to look like a rock if their victim turns round. The effect on the human of being tailed by a Pogrebin is an overwhelming sense of despair. The Pogrebin waits until its prey sinks to their knees to weep at the futility of it all, and then jumps on them and attempts to eat them. The best way to deal with a Pogrebin is with any attacking hex or a good kick.
- Porlock: This is a horse-guardian from England. It has shaggy fur and a very large nose, and walks on two legs. It lives only to guard the herd of horses it has chosen to protect.
- Puffskein: This is a passive spherical creature often kept as a pet by wizard children. Its body is covered in soft fur and it is quite happy to be thrown about. It has an extraordinary long tongue which it uses to scour its surroundings looking for food. By choice it prefers to locate the noses of sleeping humans and eat their bogies.
- Pygmy Puff: This a miniature version of the Puffskein, and was quite possibly bred specially by Fred and George Weasley for sale in their shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Pygmy Puffs are small, round and fluffy, and emit a high-pitched squeaking noise. The ones for sale in the Weasleys' shop were coloured either pink or purple.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:52:06 GMT -5
Q- Quintaped: Legend states that the Quintaped came about as the result of a feud between two wizarding families on the Isle of Drear, Scotland. The McClivert clan are said to have transfigured the whole of the MacBoon clan into hideous beasts in a revenge attack. It is unclear whether this is true or not, but the Quintaped is sometimes known as the Hairy MacBoon, and nobody can get near enough to one without being killed to attempt to untransfigure it. The Quintaped is large, hairy and looks like a five-legged spider. It is extremely aggressive and has a particular taste for human flesh, as the McCliverts found to their cost (if the legend is true).
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:53:38 GMT -5
R- Rabbit (Transforming): In Magical Menagerie there was a fat white rabbit for sale that repeatedly turned itself into a silk top hat and back again.
- Ramora: The Ramora is a silver fish resident in the Indian Ocean. It is a guardian of seafarers and is powerfully magical.
- Rat: It is unclear whether Rats are approved pets at Hogwarts. Harry’s instructions in his first year stated that he could choose between an Owl, a Cat or a Toad. Ron, however, had Scabbers (who at least pretended to be a rat) as his pet and nobody seemed put out. Having said this, there are no records of any other students having Rats as pets.
- Re'em: Re’em are exceptionally rare, but can be found by the fortunate in North America and the Far East. They look like giant oxen, but have a golden hide. Re’em blood bestows great strength on the drinker, although due to the scarcity of the animal it is difficult to come by.
- Runespoor: This is a three-headed serpent which can grow to around 6 or 7 feet in length. The three heads each serve their own purpose: the left head is the planner – it takes decisions about what the Runespoor will do next; the middle head is a dreamer – the creature is fond of idling away time in fantasies; the right head is a critic – it appraises the work of the other two heads, usually unfavourably. Conflicts between the heads are common, and the Runespoor rarely lives to an old age. Runespoor eggs are greatly prized and used in potions to stimulate mental agility.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:57:21 GMT -5
S- Salamander: The Salamander is born and lives in fire, and feeds on the flames. It lives only as long as the fire that produced it continues to burn, and can only survive outside fire for a short time. Salamander blood has powerful curative properties.
- Sea-Serpent: These are huge sea-dwelling serpents, as their name would suggest. Despite their appearance they are not aggressive, and no records of human death due to a Sea Serpent attack exist. They can reach up to 100 feet in length, have a horse-like head and a long serpentine body.
- Selkie: Alternative name for Merpeople.
- Siren: Alternative name for Merpeople.
- Slug (Flesh-eating): Not a great deal is known about these, apart from the fact that Hagrid once had some difficulty with them eating the cabbages at Hogwarts, and had to go to Knockturn Alley to buy some repellent. This may just have been a cover story, however, as flesh-eating slugs are more likely to eat flesh than cabbages.
- Snake: This is another creature familiar to Muggles. In the wizarding world, snakes may be conjured using a Serpensortia spell, or communicated with by anyone with the gift of speaking Parseltongue. Snakes seem to have more to say for themselves than one might expect, if Harry’s encounter with a Boa Constrictor at the zoo is anything to go by.
- Snidget: The Snidget is spherical golden bird which acted as the fore-runner of the Snitch in Quidditch. Early Seekers would attempt to catch a single Snidget which was released in the playing arena and prevented from flying outside it by magical means. This practice almost led to the extinction of the species, and so the Snitch (which exhibits identical flying behaviour) was developed as a humane alternative. The Snidget has a long thin beak and red eyes. It can fly very fast, and change direction at high speeds.
- Sphinx: This Sphinx has a human head but the body of a lion. It has long been used by wizards to guard doorways and treasure, and can become aggressive when whatever it is guarding is threatened. The Sphinx has the power of speech, but usually converses only in riddles.
- Spider: Aside from the Acromantula, additional smaller spiders – although larger than standard Muggle spiders – exist in the wizarding world. Giant tarantulas can be bought from Knockturn Alley, and Lee Jordan had one on the Hogwarts Express in Harry’s first year.
- Sprite: This is a water-dwelling demon dangerous to humans. The female water Sprite, also known as the Water Nymph, is often exceptionally beautiful and takes pleasure into luring human men into its lake or river and causing them to drown. Both male and female Sprites are dangerous, however, and so should be avoided.
- Squid: A giant squid inhabits the lake at Hogwarts. It seems to be a docile and friendly creature as it lets the students pet it, and also on one occasion pulled Dennis Creevey out of the water when he fell out of a boat.
- Streeler: This is a giant snail which leaves a trail behind it so venomous that it burns any vegetation it touches. The most remarkable thing about the Streeler is that it changes colour every hour.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:59:06 GMT -5
T- Tebo: This is an African warthog. When visible it is grey, but it has the power to make itself invisible which makes it very difficult to catch. Tebo hide is thus hard to come by, but can be used to make protective clothing.
- Thestral: A type of Winged Horse. Thestrals are skeletal in appearance, with protruding bones and a dragonish face. They are visible only to those who have seen death. Thestrals are traditionally associated with bad luck, although this is only a legend and is untrue. Hagrid believes he is the only wizard in Britain to have successfully trained a Thestral.
- Toad: Toads are on the list of approved pets for Hogwarts students, although it is unclear whether anyone except Neville Longbottom has one. Owls and Cats are much more sought-after.
- Troll: There are three types of troll, defined by their favoured habitat: Mountain Trolls, Forest Trolls and River Trolls. The Mountain Troll is the largest and the most vicious of the three. All species, however, are huge (up to 12 feet in height), violent and stupid. They are, however, very strong and have been known to be trained as guardians. Trolls do not speak in a traditional human sense, but communicate with each other via a series of grunts. They eat raw meat, and hunt anything at all including animals and humans.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 8:59:55 GMT -5
U- Umbugular Slashkilter: Some sort of (probably very vicious) magical creature that Luna Lovegood believes Cornelius Fudge used to protect himself during his time in office as the Minister of Magic.
- Unicorn: The Unicorn is a pure white horse with a single horn on its brow. Fast and shy, they are rarely seen. They inhabit the forests of Europe, and their horn, hair and blood are all highly magical. It is considered a great crime to kill a Unicorn, however, as they are such beautiful and gentle creatures.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 9:01:15 GMT -5
V- Vampire: Vampires are humanoid creatures who live entirely in the dark (as sunlight causes then severe pain and even death) and drink human blood. As with Werewolves, it is likely that Vampires were once human, but were magically changed, probably due to receiving a bite. Vampires are considered to be Dark creatures and are referenced in many books on Defence Against the Dark Arts.
- Veela: The Veela is also a very close relative of humans, but with interesting powers. Veelas are universally female, exceptionally beautiful, and can exert a strong grip over human males with their brand of sensual dancing. Any males watching will instantly be overcome with a desire to watch them and impress them with some great heroic feat. Even when they are not dancing, the Veela carries a certain aura which is deeply inspiring to men. The effect seems to wear off a little with age, as Arthur Weasley was able to resist the charm of the Veelas’ dance at the Quidditch World Cup, whereas Harry and Ron were about to leap on them.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 9:02:35 GMT -5
W- Werewolf: This creature is a human afflicted with the disease of lycanthopy, which is contracted via the bite of another Werewolf. Anyone who has this disease will be normal for the majority of the time. At each full moon, however, they will transform into a ravenous psychopathic wolf-maniac which actively seeks out humans to kill. When the full moon has passed, the affected person returns to normal. Development of the Wolfsbane potion has relieved the suffering of those with lycanthropy: when taking this as a medicine, sufferers are transformed only into a harmless normal wolf at full moon rather than a Werewolf.
- Winged Horse: There are various species of Winged Horses: Abraxans, Aethonans, Granians and Thestrals. Each is referred to separately.
- Wood Nymph: These are small fairy-like creatures, able to speak and to sing, which are apparently happy to interact with wizards and indeed do as they are told. According to Fleur Delacour, they are used amongst the Christmas decorations at Beauxbatons, where they sing to the students.
- Wrackspurt: This is an invisible insect which floats into their victim's head through their ear and makes their brain go fuzzy. Like many things in life, it is likely that it does not exist except in the imagination of Luna Lovegood.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 9:03:01 GMT -5
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 9:03:32 GMT -5
Y- Yeti: This is most likely a relative of the troll, native to mountainous regions of Tibet. The Yeti can grow up to 15 feet in height and is covered in white hair. It will attack and attempt to eat any animal or human it can find.
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Post by Headmistress Silvia on Aug 16, 2006 9:04:04 GMT -5
Z- Zombie: A Zombie is a dead body that has been re-animated by a supernatural force – presumably some sort of Dark Arts magic must be involved in this process. Professor Quirrell claimed that he’d been given his turban by an African prince as a thank-you present for seeing off a particularly troublesome Zombie, although he hadn’t done anything of the sort, of course.
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