How Well Do You Know Your Fantastic Beasts Creatures?

I miss Hogwarts. I miss platform nine and three-quarters, professor Snape’s snarky mumbling, and the judgmental Sorting Hat. Well, I’ve never actually been there, but J.K. Rowling has certainly made something that we can all relate to and made us feel that we belong there. Thank goodness though since Rowling and all the intellectual property holders are not done yet with the Wizarding World. We’re talking about Fantastic Beasts 2 or Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and of course, the main stars of that movie, the Fantastic Beasts creatures.

Well, actually, the stars are a young Albus Dumbledore at his prime and his frenemy Johnny Dep– er, Grindelwald. However, there is no denying that Fantastic Beasts creatures are central to the plot and storyline. Still, the creatures in Fantastic Beasts can be quite confusing since there are a lot of them. Knowing most Fantastic Beasts beasts, however, should make you pass the test of any fan who dares challenge your knowledge of the Harry Potter mythos, and challenge you they will, to see if you are a mere muggle– sorry, no-maj, pardon my British.

The first movie, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, has presented the viewers with around 26 Fantastic Beasts creatures, that’s already a lot. We will mention those too, along with some expected new additions in the upcoming sequel which is expected to arrive on Nov. 16 in the US. Here are 30 creatures in Fantastic Beasts, enough to make a Hagrid faint and worship Newt Scamander:

Augurey

Photo by YouTube/Warner Bros. Pictures

Looks to be the Wizarding World’s version of exotic birds… yes they do have owls, the ones that deliver letters. However, this one appears to be more like a vulture in appearance, at least according to the books.

Firedrake

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Estrildis

A drake, apart from a famous rapper, is also a creature resembling a dragon but smaller. That is what a firedrake appears to be, resembling a flying lizard with long antennae. Firedrakes emit sparks from their tails which can set things ablaze.

Marmite

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Lady Junky

Pretty much a bioluminescent squid creature that emits a natural light, giving them a glowing appearance.

Obscurus

A magical parasite which pretty much serves as a manifestation of a disturbed wizard/witch since they only appear when their host is physically or psychologically abused. They are black and smokey in appearance like Dementors, meaning they are bad.

Kelpie

Photo by YouTube/Warner Bros. Pictures

Pretty similar to the shapeshifting water spirit of Scotland with the same name. Kelpie in the Wizarding World is an underwater creature whose camouflage resembles that of kelp. They also bite but can be tamed.

Leucrotta

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/PhoenicisLunae

This one has a moose-like appearance except its antlers are longer, sharper, and more jagged. What makes it special is its huge mouth, like really huge when it opens, enough to fit in a Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

Matagot

Photo by Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/IlvermornyWizard

A spirit familiar which resembles a Sphinx cat, meaning hairless. Often used by the Ministry of Magic for trivial and security tasks.

Niffler

This troublemaker looks to be a cross between a platypus and a mole. One of them has caused trouble for Scamander because they are kleptomaniacs which steal anything shiny if you’ve seen the first movie.

Thestral

You know the Pegasus? Well, Thestrals are the spiritual opposites of those things. They are dark, emaciated, bat-winged horse creatures and can only be seen by people who have witnessed death firsthand.

Zouwu

Photo by YouTube/Warner Bros. Pictures

Cat creatures which are as large as elephants. The Zouwu has a striped body, scraggly mane, four fangs that curl up out of its mouth. They are also native to China in the Wizarding World.

Billywig

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Diver4d

They are fast-moving, blue Australian insects in the Wizarding World. They have an innate Wingardium Leviosa in their stings (yup, they sting, Australia after all), which will make anyone they sting levitate.

Bowtruckle

Sprig-like creatures of the Wizarding World, unlike their flora-creature kin, the Whomping Willow, they are not violent nor murderous. They are actually small and shy, thank goodness.

Demiguise

Ape-like creatures that are invisible to the less-skilled and can also predict the future. Quite a handful, these things. Apparently, Harry Potter’s famous invisibility cloak is made out of Demiguise fur.

Diricawl

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Logo8th

The muggles call these things the dodo bird and think they have gone extinct. Anyway, the Diricrawls have since vanished from nonwizard communities since they have the ability to disappear and reappear in places.

Doxy

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Steamblust

These things are fairy-like pests and are aptly named Biting Fairy. Their bite is venomous too, probably nothing Ms. Pomfrey can’t handle.

Erumpent

Pretty much the rhinoceros of the Wizarding World. Their thick hide makes them repel most spells and their horns have fluids that will make victims explode. Makes you wonder why Voldemort did not weaponize these things.

Fwooper

Brightly-colored African birds whose shades range from orange, pink, lime green or yellow. Their songs can drive people insane so a silencing charm is necessary to keep them captive.

Graphorn

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Steamblust

Huge creatures which are nearly extinct with the last pair kept alive by Scamander himself. Their hide is thicker and stronger than that of dragons.

Nundu

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Steamblust

A lion and a pufferfish get crossed in a fantasy universe… what could go wrong eh? Well, the Wizarding World’s Nundu is the result and is also among the most dangerous creatures alive.

Mooncalf

Photo by YouTube/Trailerz World

Small bulgy-eyed Llama creatures which are shy and perform a mating ritual dance under the moonlight. Oh, they are also cute as hell.

Murtlap

Some sort of odd marine rodent with fleshy spines on its back that have healing properties.

Occamy

Unique serpentine creatures which change their size to fit in the space they are currently in. Any space, in fact. They are also made of pure silver.

Swooping Evil

Some sort of reptilian butterflies which can feed on brains and deflect spells. Their venom can also be used to erase bad memories if diluted.

Thunderbird

No, this is not a squad of elite fighter planes. They are huge eagle-faced beasts that can create storms with their wings. They are also native to Arizona, U.S. Fitting, eh?

House Elf

Oh, we all know these guys, the blue-collar workers/slaves of the Wizarding World. They go partey if their owners give them pieces of clothing as they consider that a gesture of bond severance.

Goblin

If house elves are blue collar creatures, then goblins of the Wizarding World are the white collar intellectuals. They even work in banks and some also teach in Hogwarts, <ahem> *swish and flick.*

Giant

No matter what the fantasy universe, giants will be giants. Huge humanoid creatures with bad postures, by the way, Hagrid’s mother is a giant, which pretty much explains his size.

Runespoor

Three-headed snakes which grow to be around 7-feet long in the books, though they appear huge in the deleted scenes of the first movie. regardless, Lord Voldemort will go ga-ga over these creatures.

Grindylow

Photo by Harry Potter Wikia/Diver4d

Small water demons which are at home, well, underwater. They were a big part of the Triwizard Tournament in the fourth Harry Potter movie too.

Boggart

Photo by YouTube/Warner Bros. Pictures

Can be seen in what appears to be a flashback moment between a student Newt Scamander and his professor in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Albus Dumbledore. No one knows what they look like because they take up the form of what their viewer fears the most.

That about sums it up, remember to look up this cheat sheet whenever a Potterhead quizzes you.

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