'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' Explained

From Cornish Pixies to the Hungarian Horntail, there’s no shortage of peculiar beasts in Harry Potter. Luckily, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' is here to help you understand the ins and outs of the wizarding world’s most incredible creatures.

Seth Hartman

May 12, 2022

'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' Explained

There’s no doubt that the Harry Potter series is a spectacular feat of world-building, from the labyrinthine shifting staircases of Hogwarts Castle and the intricate history of witches and wizards who made their mark to those smaller details like wands, broomsticks, and Butterbeer. But for many fans of the series, the standouts that elevate the story to new heights are the countless magical creatures featured throughout all seven installments. With such a wide range of beasts, it can be a bit daunting to dive right in.

What is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is both a fictional textbook, marked as required reading for witches and wizards who attend Hogwarts, and a real-world companion guide, designed to inject an added layer of context, detail, and lore to some of the magical creatures encountered in the wizarding world. While many of these magical marvels remain elusive to even the most seasoned fans, this companion piece can help us make sense of them. While many magical objects and texts only exist in the wizarding world, we can experience the wonders of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them just like the students of Hogwarts.

The Fictional Textbook

In the Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a notable textbook on the required reading list for all Hogwarts students when Harry attends the school. Written by famed Hufflepuff Newt Scamander, around whom the Fantastic Beasts film series revolves, this text offers a comprehensive overview of Magizoology, or the study of magical creatures. Newt gained expertise in this field through his many global research expeditions. Harry first comes across this book in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while purchasing school supplies in Diagon Alley with Hagrid.

The Companion Guide

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was originally penned by J.K. Rowling in 2001 with a mission: to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. While Harry had to find his textbook by accessing Diagon Alley through a secret entrance, it’s now easily available to listeners in audio, voiced by none other than Eddie Redmayne, who brings Newt to life brilliantly in the film series of the same name.

Magical Creatures Found Within Fantastic Beasts

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them not only includes descriptions of a host of magical creatures—45, to be precise—it also mentions some of Newt’s own exploits and adventures. Before you hear it from Newt himself, here’s a primer on some of the most memorable beasts from the Harry Potter series.

Basilisk

The Basilisk is said to be one of the most “curious or deadly” creatures in the wizarding world. Born from a chicken’s egg hatched under a toad, these gigantic snakes can kill their prey with merely a glance from their glowing yellow eyes. If that weren't enough, their sharp fangs contain one of the most lethal poisons in existence, capable of destroying even the toughest magical items.

A brilliant green serpent that may reach up to 50-feet...

Troll

These gigantic mountain dwellers may not be the brightest, but they sure do pack a punch. Trolls stand at about 12 feet in height and are often seen carrying massive clubs on their shoulders. Marked by their grayish-blue skin and violent disposition, these monsters should be avoided at any cost.

Equally prodigious strength and stupidity...

Hippogriff

With the head and claws of an eagle and the body of a horse, these majestic creatures are as temperamental as they are beautiful. Hippogriffs are proud but will serve any human they deem worthy of respect. Keep your head down and your movements slow—or the Hippogriff may use you as its next scratching post.

It has the head of a giant eagle and the body of a horse.

Werewolf

Werewolves are magical beasts that morph from humans, and their transformative affliction can be understood almost like a disease. Humans with this condition are doomed to transform into rabid wolf hybrids once a month, on the night of the full moon. Werewolves pass this condition along to other humans through their bite—if you can survive it.

Phoenix

The phoenix is perhaps the most graceful creature in the wizarding world. Born from flame, these majestic birds are both highly intelligent and extremely loyal. They will bond with a human for life, serving and protecting them at all costs. A phoenix’s tear is capable of healing even the most fatal of wounds. When the time comes to die, the phoenix burns itself to cinder and is reborn from the ashes.

A magnificent, swan-sized scarlet bird...

Dragon

Dragons are perhaps the most famous magical beasts—with good reason. These flying, fire-breathing lizards are intimidating, to say the least, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Many species are mentioned in the series, from the massive Hungarian Horntail to the relatively small and easygoing Norwegian Ridgeback.

Merpeople

Merpeople are among the most intelligent, mysterious, and downright eerie creatures in Harry Potter. Multiple variations exist, with some resembling the beautiful mermaids of Greek myth and others sporting a wilder look. Merpeople form social hierarchies and have their own colony at the bottom of Hogwarts’s Great Lake.

Also known as sirens, selkies, merrows...

Acromantula

While we’re on the topic of spooky critters, how about giant spiders? These massive arachnids are as smart as they are phobia inducing, and some are capable of human speech. Acromantulas are generally very dangerous to humans, sporting vicious fangs and a venom that can be useful for brewing potions.

Pixie

Standing eight inches high, these little imps are pranksters by nature. Pixies are surprisingly strong and vocal, possessing the ability to release a high-pitched scream that is enough to leave anyone’s ears ringing.

Up to eight inches in height and very mischievous...

Sphinx

The sphinx is a very majestic creature. With the head of a human and the body of a lion, this intelligent beast is known to enjoy posing riddles. If you answer correctly, the sphinx will gladly let you free. If not, well…prepare to run.

How Fantastic Beasts ties into Harry Potter

Now that you've had a thorough introduction to several of the beasts found in the wizarding world, it's time to study these creatures in the wild with the help of Harry Potter himself. Here are a few of our favorite instances in which Harry and his fellow students interact with the magical creatures detailed above.

Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the Harry Potter series. Proceed with caution if you've yet to listen!

Basilisk

The Basilisk makes a very prominent appearance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, effectively acting as the installment’s central antagonist. The monster of Salazar Slytherin, the Basilisk is discovered by a young Tom Riddle (aka Voldemort) during his time at Hogwarts. Through the events of the book, the Basilisk slinks its way around the castle, petrifying students who gaze at its deadly yellow eyes. Ultimately, Harry uses his Parseltongue skills to enter the titular chamber and slay the beast, ending its reign of terror over Hogwarts.

Troll

Despite this beast's evident lack of brains, one mountain troll’s attack on the girls' bathrooms in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone leads to a very fateful encounter. This troll is beset on the school by the duplicitous Professor Quirrell in an attempt to distract the staff while he explores the forbidden third floor. The enraged mountain troll traps a freshman Hermione Granger in a bathroom stall, only to be found by Harry and Ron. Though mountain trolls have few physical weaknesses, a well-timed wand up the nose and a clever use of wingardium leviosa proves to be this one’s downfall. This event marks the true beginning of the legendary friendship between the three young students.

Hippogriff

Featured prominently in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Hippogriff Buckbeak belongs to Hagrid. In his very first demonstration as the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Hagrid teaches his students how to approach the Hippogriff respectfully. After the lesson, Harry does this with great caution and care, earning him a ride on Buckbeak’s back. However, Draco Malfoy’s disrespectful antics cause him to suffer an injury from Buckbeak’s claws, launching an investigation into Hagrid and the beast in question.

Werewolf

Like the Hippogriff, werewolves make their most prominent appearance in Prisoner of Azkaban. During the story's climax, a major character reveals that he is a werewolf, retroactively explaining his erratic behavior throughout the school year. Once a month, this otherwise gentle fellow would retreat to the Shrieking Shack, where he could suffer through his werewolf transformation in solitude. In the throes of his change, he would lose all control of his mind, unleashing the base animal instincts of the monster within.

Phoenix

During his terrifying encounter with the Basilisk in Chamber of Secrets, Harry is on the brink of death, from both blood loss and the potent venom coursing through his veins. At the 11th hour, Dumbledore’s loyal phoenix, Fawkes, swoops in to provide Harry with the Sword of Gryffindor. This magical item proves powerful enough to slay the great snake—but the poison and bodily injuries remain. Fawkes gives the young wizard one of his tears, saving the day and Harry's life. The trusty phoenix then carries Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lockhart out of the chamber and back into the main castle. Without Fawkes, Harry (and all hope for the wizarding world) would certainly have died in Book 2.

Dragon

While dragons make many cameos throughout the series, one of their most notable appearances is in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, when Hagrid brings a mysterious egg back from the pub. This egg is, of course, no ordinary egg, and after some time, it hatches a small dragon. Hagrid affectionately names this adorable baby monster Norbert and tries to take care of it in his little shack. Alas, dragons are infamously bad pets. Before long, Ron must call in his brother Charlie, a dragon expert, to help extract the beast from the Hogwarts grounds.

Whether you’re new to the wizarding world or a longtime fan, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is bound to be the most fun you’ve ever had with a textbook. Just like a student of Hogwarts, you can better acquaint yourself with the fascinating magical menagerie of the wizarding world.