Look around, as there could be a beast near you
It's not hard to predict "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" to be a box-office hit. In fact, the prequel to the Harry Potter series won't have any serious competition during its November 16 playdate. (Marvel's "Doctor Strange", with Benedict Cumberbatch on the titular role, will be out two weeks earlier.) And Harry Potter fans have marked their calendars. David Yates, who directed the last four Potter films, will helm "Fantastic Beasts". And no less than J.K. Rowling will pen the screenplay. But here's a catch. The book, which the film is based from, is more of an encyclopedia of strange creatures that Muggles won't recognize at all. Unless the likes of Hermione Granger are seen around.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was published in 2001. The first four books of "The Harry Potter" series were bestsellers by then. Rowling used the pseudonym, Newt Scamander, who was mentioned in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". He was a magizoologist, a wizard who studied magical creatures. And he compiled a list of it. This was a core module of first-year students at Hogwarts, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione (and their Gryffindor cohorts) have a copy of Scamander's textbook.
Readers would go through the introduction again and again. It described the goings on in the Ministry of Magic, where there was a heated discussion on how a beast must be defined. It was initially agreed that any creature that could talk with wizard (or human) must be excluded from the list. There was a slight uproar, as trolls were taught to speak like a wizard (or a human). Another gathering led to a more formal agreement. The ministry must recognized these creatures. Otherwise, they might be agents of He Who Must Not Be Named.
Harry Potter encountered magical creatures during his tenure at Hogwarts. On the top of the list was the basilisk, who could kill anyone with a single glance. A close second was Ararog, whom Hagrid nursed in his cupboard. It wasn't a coincidence that both appeared in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". (Maybe Myrtle would know more.) The rest would be found in this compilation. Don't be surprised if Rowling updates it sooner or later. (The enormous success of "Fantastic Beasts" is expected. Besides, Rowling has an encyclopedic knowledge of magical creatures, wizards, and witches.) Here's a sample:
Niffler. It's a British beast, which goblins keep as a "house pet". They're not companions to these daemons, as these beasts were tasked to burrow the soil for treasure. It seems like a case of commensalism.
Fwooper. An illustration reveals an angry bird, and it's not an exaggeration. One song will drive any listener into madness. Some might wonder why Roald Dahl haven't thought of this creature.
Quintaped. Muggles must be glad that this creature is only found in the northernmost tip of Scotland. This carnivore has a particular taste for humans.
Moke. It has the ability to shrink to a size that Muggles will unable to detect, but wizards and witches can locate it. They value it for its skin. It must be a lucky charm, as it's used as a moneybag and a purse. There's no such thing as extinction among magical creatures.
Kappa. It's a letter in the Greek alphabet, it's another feared creature. Muggles must never come near ponds, its natural habitat. This creature, which has an appearance of a fish-scaled monkey, would want human blood. And nothing else.
If you got excited, then don't have second thoughts of finding a copy of this book.
