Care of Magical Creatures

Year 37

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Week 1

 

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Welcome everyone, to your first Care of Magical Creatures lesson of the year! I am Professor Memrah (or Christiana, if you prefer), and I have the privilege of teaching you this year.  As most of you know, this is a recent post for me, but I will endeavor to do my best to teach you about the amazing creatures that inhabit our world. 

 

This year we will be studying water-dwelling creatures. These aquatic beings can be quite dangerous, but have no fear, you are safe with me!

 

As you know, the Ministry of Magic classifies all beings as either Beast, Being, or Spirit, as well as ranking them from X to XXXXX based on the level of danger they present to the human race. There are no water-dwelling magical creatures with an X rating, nor any with an XXXXX rating (thank goodness), so those we will be studying this year all fall into the ranking of XX, XXX, or XXXX. That being established, we will begin with those that are deemed least harmful and work our way up. 

 

Alright everyone, gather around. You might notice this tank I have here. I am sure you know this creature, as it is quite common, being native to Great Britain and Ireland, and often studied in Defense Against the Dark Arts as well. Yes, indeed, it is a Grindylow, and a perfect creature to ease you into the world of magical aquatic creatures. Grindylows are labeled a Beast, and rated XX by the Ministry of Magic. They are gifted swimmers, and, as you can see, rather ugly, being an icky green color with horns, and long, strong, spindly fingers that they seem to enjoy wrapping around the neck of their victims. While they do not predominantly target humans for consumption-- favoring other small sea creatures, fish, and algae instead-- they have been known to do so on occasion, to which they owe their reputation as a dark creature. They may be defeated rather simply, however; one merely needs to break their grip in order to gain freedom, and then remain clear of those strong fingers. You may do this a number of ways, and with various jinxes. The Revulsion Jinx, for example, has been known to work, and I am sure the Severing Charm would also do the trick quite nicely, although be careful of your aim, as you wouldn't want to injure yourself in the process.

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On that note, I think it's time for your first assignment of the year.

 

Homework:

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1. Why do you believe the Grindylow is labeled a dark creature yet only has a Ministry of Magic Ranking of XX?

2. Which aquatic magical creature are you most excited to learn about?

3. Why did you decide to study Care of Magical Creatures this term?

 

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Week 2

 

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This week we will be studying two magical species of fish that are very much like two sides of the same coin; the guardian and the destroyer. 

 

The first one we are going to look at is the Ramora. The Ramora is a very strong magical creature that has the ability to anchor ships firmly in place. There seems to be some debate on whether or not this is more of a blessing or more of a curse, as a few deaths from centuries ago have been blamed on them, however, they are largely considered the guardians of seafarers, so I am going to lean towards the former. It is clear that, while they could potentially keep a ship from reaching its destination, they would also be able to anchor a ship during a fierce storm, minimizing the damage and loss of life, which may have led to the guardian reputation. That is mostly speculation, however, as all we truly know about them, in addition to the above, is that they are a silver fish that is native to the Indian Ocean and currently protected by anti-poaching laws… it seems their reputation for luck makes them highly desirable to ship captains. We do also know that they are ranked XX by the Ministry and labeled a Beast.

 

The next creature we will study today is the Shrake. Shrakes are native to the Atlantic Ocean, and are really quite interesting creatures. It is rumored that they were actually created by wizards in the 1800s who wished to take vengeance on a group of muggles that had insulted them. Well, it worked beautifully, as their primary purpose and function to this day, is to shred muggle fishing nets with their sharp spines. Since their primary purpose is to destroy, they are given a XXX ranking by the Ministry of Magic, although this is rather unusual, as no casualties of Shrake attacks have ever been reported. Additionally, we in the magical world have finally found another use for Shrakes, which is more positive in nature; their spines are now used as a potion ingredient.

 

Homework:

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1. Do some research and tell me which ancient leader's death the Ramora was blamed for.

2. What is a potion that Shrake spines have been known to be used in?

3. I would like you to dig up your creativity a little bit and please give me one scenario in which a Ramora's tendency to stop ships would be a bad thing, and one scenario in which a Shrake's tendency to shred muggle nets would be a good thing.

 

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Week 3

 

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Bit of a short lesson today as we will be studying a creature that I was not able to procure a specimen for.  This is rather for the best, however, owing to its built in defense mechanism, which can potentially eat away at the glass walls of a tank anyway. You may have guessed by that description, but for those of you new to the magical world, we will be studying the Lobalug today. 

 

The Lobalug is a very simple creature, so simple in fact, that you might wonder why we are not studying it first this year. This is primarily because simplicity does not necessarily mean safety. The Lobalug packs a very mean punch in the form of a venom sack under its 10 inch-long rubbery snout, with which it shoots out venom when threatened. This venom is highly toxic, so much so that the use of it in potions, while possible, is very tightly regulated and controlled. Thankfully, this creature resides almost entirely on the sea bed of the North Sea, and therefore it is unlikely for a witch or wizard to encounter it by accident, the exception being when Merpeople capture and transport it for use as a weapon.

 

Homework:

 

1. What classification and ranking has the Ministry of Magic given to Lobalugs (Beast, Being or Spirit, and X to XXXXX)?

2. Do some research and tell me three other magical creatures whose venom is toxic and either the effects, or uses, their venom has.

3. Lastly, I would like you to draw what you believe a Lobalug looks like shooting its venom at a foe. You may draw it by hand, or create a graphic, but it must be completed by you and not be just a picture you find (for those of you who are less artistically inclined, do not fear, you will not be graded on the quality of the artwork itself).*

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*If you are unsure of how to upload your picture on site, please PM me and I will send you instructions :)

 

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Week 4

 

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We have quite the lesson prepared for today everyone, as we prepare for the approach of interim. If you will follow me, we are going on a bit of a field trip down to the makeshift pool you can see ahead. Be careful of the stairs, they are a bit slippery as this creature likes to splash quite a bit, but fear not, it won't hurt you.

 

Alright, now that we are here, please gather around the outside of the pool and peer in slowly. See that large shape? That, class, is a Hippocampus. It was quite difficult to procure, as they are quite shy and prefer the deep waters of their Greek homeland, however, this one has been domesticated by Merpeople and perfect for our purposes here. Hippocampi, as you can see, are large creatures with the head and front legs of a horse, and the tail and hindquarters of a fish. They are more than likely non-sentient, and therefore labeled a Beast, having the ranking of XXX, more for their rarity and skittish nature than anything. This one, however, is a female that is quite friendly and docile. Her name is Holly, and you are all going to have the privilege of riding her today! Before we get to that however, you should know that she is what we call a roan, which is a type of horse color that is usually classified as either blue or red, this one being more of a grayish hue and therefore falling under the former. It is also an interesting fact that Hippocampus reproduce more like fish or frogs than horses, laying large eggs through which one is able to see the form of their young, known as a Tadfoal.

 

Alright, I am sure you are eager to take a ride on Holly, so let's get to it. 

 

Homework:

 

1. In which sea are Hippocampi typically found?

2. Briefly describe the reproduction process of Hippocampi.

 

Now, as promised, it is time to take a short ride on Holly. Some muggle wetsuits have been procured, since, while we have magic that can dry us quickly, all of those robes are plain cumbersome in the water. Please change quickly in the tents over there and we can begin. First, be sure to approach her with care and let her smell you before attempting to mount. Come along her left side, grab her gently behind the withers (the bottom of her mane) for support and swing your right leg over. After that, just nudge her slightly with your legs and hold on. She has been around humans enough to know not to stay underwater too long, but this pool is quite deep, so if you start to panic or need help, just let go and float to the surface. Ready?

 

3. Please tell me how your ride went in a minimum of three to four sentences. 

 

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Week 5

 

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Welcome back from break everyone! Now that you have been refreshed, it is time to delve into the more dangerous water-dwellers of our world. This first one has always rather flummoxed me, as I have yet to really understand why we deal with it the way we do, but I am getting ahead of myself. Today we are going to study Kappas. Yes, those Japanese (although there is some debate over that) aquatic menaces are next on the list, and I have managed to procure one for today.  It was not easy, as they are rather violent, being water demons after all, but if you will come into the next room with me, we will take a look at him. Before we enter, I will just mention that Kappas, unlike the other water-dwellers we have studied, live in fresh water, the shallows of ponds and rivers to be precise, and as such, are very much a danger in several countries throughout Asia. 

 

Alright, now that we are all in the room, you will probably notice that this Kappa looks like a strange, scaly monkey with webbed hands, and a unique hollow tube on its head that holds water. He is a bit smaller than usually portrayed, but that does not make him any less dangerous. Kappas feed on the blood of humans, which constitutes their XXXX rating, as they specifically target humans for consumption. Their preferred method of attack is strangulation, and there are only a couple of ways to escape their clutches. One is to trick the creature into bowing. The hollow at the top of its head holds water, which seems to be the main source of its strength, but if you can get a Kappa to bow and the water to drain out, you can weaken it and defeat it with more normal jinxes. 

 

Homework:

 

1. Which country, other than Japan, have some believed that Kappas were more common to?

2. How would you trick a Kappa into bowing should you ever encounter one in the wild?

3. I mentioned in the lesson that there were two major ways to defeat or escape a Kappa. Somewhere in the area of my desk, I have hidden a picture with the item necessary to defeat a Kappa that is not mentioned in the lesson. Please locate this picture and include both its location, and what should be written in the blank on it, in your answer. 

 

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Week 6

 

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This week’s lesson hits on a creature that I find many students are often keen to learn about, Merpeople. 

 

Merpeople are a race of highly intelligent creatures, originally native to Greece, although they have spread out over the years and are now found almost everywhere in the world.  They thrive in community, forming their own clans and tribes, and are highly skilled in making their own weapons, building underwater stone cities, and creating art, jewelry, and music, which they are particularly fond of.  While many clans seem to be rather war-like, there are some that have been known to coexist and cooperate quite well with wizards, those in our own Black Lake a clear example of this. Merpeople are fully deserving of Being status by the Ministry, but they were denied it for many years, only finally attaining it in 1811 when Grogan Stump, the Minister for Magic at the time, changed the Ministry of Magic definition of Being.  Still, in the end, they opted for being labeled as Beasts of their own volition.

 

In appearance, Merpeople are humanoid creatures that appear to be half fish and half human.  They are not actual hybrids, however, being their own unique creature, and quite different than most muggle stories portray them.  They are taller than humans, around 7 feet tall, not often beautiful, and they use their own language instead of the human tongue of whatever land they reside in.  That tongue is unintelligible to most humans, sounding like mere screeches above water, but some skilled wizards have been known to speak it.  While they are, as I mentioned, less beautiful as a whole than the stunning creatures portrayed in muggle mythology, there are some that are considerably more beautiful than others, primarily the sirens of the warm waters of their native homeland in Greece.  Those living in the colder, more northern waters of Scotland and Ireland are less beautiful, often having grey skin, yellow eyes, and green hair. 

 

Homework:

 

1. Which creatures have Merpeople been known to domesticate?

2. Why did Merpeople abandon the Being status in favor of Beast after they were finally named Beings?

3. In a minimum of three to four sentences, tell me about a muggle legend surrounding Merpeople.

 

 

Week 7

 

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Now we come to the most dangerous water-dwelling creature that we are going to study this term... the Kelpie (not to worry, we do not have one here, I would hate to lose my job in my first year after all ;) ).

 

Kelpies are large water demons, like Kappas, but that have the added ability to shapeshift at will, making them even more dangerous. Rated XXXX by the Ministry of Magic, and with a very defined taste for human flesh, they should be avoided at all costs. You might wonder why Kelpies are not given the highest rating by the Ministry, and how you may, in fact, avoid them since they shape shift, but it is actually fairly easy. Although their true form is unknown, each Kelpie typically favors a specific shape, that of a horse with a bullrush mane being the most common. This shape is likely favored because Kelpies prefer to kill their victims by luring them onto their backs and dragging them underwater to eat them where they cannot escape. It is all rather gruesome, as pieces begin to float to the surface, eventually alerting others to what has occurred, but far too late for the poor victim. Thankfully, Kelpies do not seem to stray very far from their territories, and it is fairly easy to ascertain a Kelpie's favorite hunting grounds after a time, and avoid them. If, however, you are faced with one, there is a way to defeat it rather easily. I will leave that for you look up for your assignment though, which we will get to shortly. 

 

Lastly, I wish to mention that there is some benefit that we derive from Kelpies; namely, that their hair can be used as wand cores. If one can render them docile, the hair is fairly easy to get, although it has been stated that this is an inferior substance to use as a core. Having had firsthand knowledge of using it, however, I would have to disagree and say that it just needs the right hand to tame it.

 

Homework:

 

1. Where does the largest reported (and most famous) Kelpie reside, and what shape does it prefer?

2. In your opinion, what are some reasons that wandmakers might find Kelpie hair difficult to work with?

3. Please look up and discover the best way to defeat a Kelpie, then, in a minimum of four to five sentences, write me a story about encountering and defeating one. 

 

 

Week 8 

 

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Welcome to the last lesson of the year!  My how the time flies it seems.   

 

For your last lesson you have but one task.  I would like you to make up an aquatic magical creature.  It can be anything from sweet and docile, to a carnivorous water monster, but I would like you to write at least one small paragraph describing what your creature is, its name, appearance, behavior, what ranking you believe it would receive from the Ministry of Magic (X to XXXXX), what it is useful for, etc…  Pretty much the more detail and effort put into it, the higher your marks will be.