Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (9 page)

M.O.M. Classification: XXXXX

The Quintaped is a highly dangerous carnivorous beast with a particular taste for humans. Its low-slung body is covered with thick reddish-brown hair, as are its five legs, each
of which ends in a clubfoot. The Quintaped is found only upon the Isle of Drear off the northernmost tip of Scotland. Drear has been made unplottable for this reason.

Legend has it that the Isle of Drear was once populated by two wizarding families, the McCliverts and the MacBoons. A drunken wizarding duel between Dugald, chief of the clan McClivert, and
Quintius, head of the clan MacBoon, is supposed to have led to the death of Dugald. In retaliation, so the story has it, a gang of McCliverts surrounded the MacBoon dwellings one night and
Transfigured each and every MacBoon into a monstrous five-legged creature. The McCliverts realised too late that the Transfigured MacBoons were infinitely more dangerous in this state (the MacBoons
had the reputation for great ineptitude at magic). Moreover, the MacBoons resisted every attempt to turn them back into human form. The monsters killed every last one of the McCliverts until no
human remained on the island. It was only then that the MacBoon monsters realised that in the absence of anyone to wield a wand, they would be forced to remain as they were forevermore.

Whether this tale is true or not will never be known. Certainly there are no surviving McCliverts or MacBoons to tell us what happened to their ancestors. The Quintapeds cannot talk and have
strenuously resisted every attempt by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to capture a specimen and try to untransfigure it, so we must assume that if they are
indeed, as their nickname suggests, Hairy MacBoons, they are quite happy to live out their days as beasts.

R
AMORA

M.O.M. Classification: XX

The Ramora is a silver fish found in the Indian Ocean. Powerfully magical, it can anchor ships and is a guardian of seafarers. The Ramora is highly valued by the International
Confederation of Wizards, which has set many laws in place to protect the Ramora from wizard poachers.

R
ED
C
AP

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

These dwarflike creatures live in holes on old battlegrounds or wherever human blood has been spilled. Although easily repelled by charms and hexes, they are very dangerous to
solitary Muggles, whom they will attempt to bludgeon to death on dark nights. Red Caps are most prevalent in northern Europe.

R
E
’
EM

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX

Extremely rare giant oxen with golden hides, the Re’em are found both in the wilds of North America and the Far East. Re’em blood gives the drinker immense strength,
though the difficulty in procuring it means that supplies are negligible and rarely for sale on the open market.

R
UNESPOOR

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX

The Runespoor originated in the small African country of Burkina Faso. A three-headed serpent, the Runespoor commonly reaches a length of six or seven feet. Livid orange with
black stripes, the Runespoor is only too easy to spot, so the Ministry of Magic in Burkina Faso has designated certain forests unplottable for the Runespoor’s sole use.

The Runespoor, though not in itself a particularly vicious beast, was once a favourite pet of Dark wizards, no doubt because of its striking and intimidating appearance. It is to the writings of
Parselmouths who have kept and conversed with these serpents that we owe our understanding of their curious habits. It transpires from their records that each of the Runespoor’s heads serves
a different purpose. The left head (as seen by the wizard facing the Runespoor) is the planner. It decides where the Runespoor is to go and what it is to do next. The middle head is the dreamer
(Runespoors may remain stationary for days at a time, lost in glorious visions and imaginings). The right head is the critic and will evaluate the efforts of the left and middle heads with a
continual irritable hissing. The right head’s fangs are extremely venomous. The Runespoor rarely reaches a great age, as the heads tend to attack each other. It is common to see a Runespoor
with the right head missing, the other two heads having banded together to bite it off.

The Runespoor produces eggs through its mouths, the only known magical beast to do so. These eggs are of immense value in the production of potions to stimulate mental agility. A black market in
Runespoor eggs and in the serpents themselves has flourished for several centuries.

S
ALAMANDER

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

The salamander is a small fire-dwelling lizard that feeds on flame. Brilliant white, it appears blue or scarlet depending upon the heat of the fire in which it makes its
appearance.

Salamanders can survive up to six hours outside a fire if regularly fed pepper. They will live only as long as the fire from which they sprang burns. Salamander blood has powerful curative and
restorative properties.

S
EA
S
ERPENT

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

Sea serpents are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean seas. Though alarming in appearance, sea serpents are not known ever to have killed any human, despite
hysterical Muggle accounts of their ferocious behaviour. Reaching lengths of up to a hundred feet, the sea serpent has a horselike head and a long snakelike body that rises in humps out of the
sea.

S
HRAKE

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

A fish covered entirely in spines and found in the Atlantic Ocean. The first shoal of Shrake is believed to have been created as a revenge against Muggle fisherfolk who had
insulted a team of sailing wizards in the early 1800s. From that day on, any Muggles fishing in that particular patch of sea have found their nets come up ripped and empty owing to the Shrakes
swimming deep below.

S
NIDGET

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX
¹²

The Golden Snidget is an extremely rare, protected species of bird. Completely round, with a very long, thin beak and glistening, jewel-like red eyes, the Golden Snidget is an
extremely fast flier that can change direction with uncanny speed and skill, owing to the rotational joints of its wings.

The Golden Snidget’s feathers and eyes are so highly prized that it was at one time in danger of being hunted to extinction by wizards. The danger was recognised in time and the species
protected, the most notable factor being the substitution of the Golden Snitch for the Snidget in the game of Quidditch.
¹³
Snidget sanctuaries exist
worldwide.

12
The Golden Snidget gains a XXXX rating not because it is dangerous but because severe penalties are attached to its capture or
injury.

13
Anyone interested in the role played by the Golden Snidget in the development of the game of Quidditch is advised to consult
Quidditch Through the Ages
by Kennilworthy Whisp (Whizz Hard Books, 1952).

S
PHINX

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX

The Egyptian sphinx has a human head on a lion’s body. For over a thousand years it has been used by witches and wizards to guard valuables and secret hideaways. Highly
intelligent, the sphinx delights in puzzles and riddles. It is usually dangerous only when what it is guarding is threatened.

S
TREELER

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

The Streeler is a giant snail that changes colour on an hourly basis and deposits behind it a trail so venomous that it shrivels and burns all vegetation over which it passes.
The Streeler is native to several African countries, though it has been successfully raised by wizards in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It is kept as a pet by those who enjoy its kaleidoscopic
colour changes, and its venom is one of the few substances known to kill Horklumps.

T
EBO

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX

The Tebo is an ash-coloured warthog found in Congo and Zaire. It has the power of invisibility, making it difficult to evade or catch, and is very dangerous. Tebo hide is highly
prized by wizards for protective shields and clothing.

T
ROLL

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX

The troll is a fearsome creature up to twelve feet tall and weighing over a tonne. Notable for its equally prodigious strength and stupidity, the troll is often violent and
unpredictable. Trolls originated in Scandinavia but these days they may be found in Britain, Ireland, and other areas of northern Europe.

Trolls generally converse in grunts that appear to constitute a crude language, though some have been known to understand and even to speak a few simple human words. The more intelligent of the
species have been trained as guardians.

There are three types of troll: mountain, forest, and river. The mountain troll is the largest and most vicious. It is bald, with a pale-grey skin. The forest troll has a pale-green skin and
some specimens have hair, which is green or brown, thin, and straggly. The river troll has short horns and may be hairy. It has a purplish skin, and is often found lurking beneath bridges. Trolls
eat raw flesh and are not fussy in their prey, which ranges from wild animals to humans.

U
NICORN

M.O.M. Classification: XXXX
¹⁴

The unicorn is a beautiful beast found throughout the forests of northern Europe. It is a pure white, horned horse when fully grown, though the foals are initially golden, and
turn silver before achieving maturity. The unicorn’s horn, blood, and hair all have highly magical properties.
¹⁵
It generally avoids human contact,
is more likely to allow a witch to approach it than a wizard, and is so fleet of foot that it is very difficult to capture.

14
See footnote on centaur classification.

15
The unicorn, like the fairy, has received an excellent Muggle press – in this case justified.

W
EREWOLF