======Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Textbook]], Bestiary
  * **Owners:** Required for all first-year [[Hogwarts]] students, including [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]].
  * **Maker:** Authored by [[Newt Scamander]]; Published by [[Obscurus Books]] (real-world book).
=====Description and Appearance=====
  *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* is a standard [[Hogwarts]] [[textbook]] bound in what appears to be leather or a similar material. The copy owned by [[Harry Potter]] is particularly notable for being heavily annotated over the years. Inside its pages are handwritten notes, doodles, and jokes added by [[Harry]], [[Ron Weasley]], and to a lesser extent, [[Hermione Granger]]. These scribbles include ongoing games of hangman and tic-tac-toe, commentary on the creatures described, and humorous asides, indicating it was a well-used and personal item for the trio.
The book contains detailed descriptions and illustrations of various magical creatures. One such illustration, of an [[Erumpent]], is described as showing its thick grey hide, long rope-like tail, and its most dangerous feature: a large, sharp [[Horn]] on its nose.
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
While not possessing innate magical properties like a [[Horcrux]] or a [[Deathly Hallow]], *Fantastic Beasts* is an indispensable tool in the [[Wizarding World]]. Its primary function is to serve as an authoritative encyclopedia of magical creatures.
  * **Educational Tool:** It is the core [[textbook]] for the [[Care of Magical Creatures]] class at [[Hogwarts]].
  * **Reference Guide:** The book provides essential information on the appearance, habits, diet, and perceived threat level of numerous beasts. It is used as a definitive reference by wizards like [[Hermione Granger]] to identify creatures and assess their potential danger.
  * **Classification System:** The book introduces the [[Ministry of Magic]] Classification system, which rates creatures on a scale from 'X' (Boring) to 'XXXXX' (Known wizard killer / impossible to train or domesticate) (real-world book).
=====History=====
Authored by the world-famous [[Magizoologist]] [[Newt Scamander]], *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* was first published in 1927 (real-world book). It quickly became a cornerstone of magical education and a bestseller in the [[Wizarding World]]. By the 1990s, when [[Harry Potter]] attended [[Hogwarts]], the book was in its 52nd edition, cementing its status as the definitive guide to [[Magizoology]]. It was a required purchase for all incoming first-year students.
=====Role in the Story=====
  *Fantastic Beasts* is introduced in //Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone// as part of [[Harry]]'s required school supplies, establishing the formal study of magical creatures as a fundamental part of a wizard's education.
Throughout the series, the book serves as a baseline for magical zoological knowledge. In //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, [[Hermione Granger]]'s skepticism toward creatures [[Luna Lovegood]] believes in, such as the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, stems from their absence in *Fantastic Beasts*, highlighting its perceived authority.
The book plays its most crucial role in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//. While hiding at [[Number 12, Grimmauld Place]], [[Harry]] gives his copy to [[Ron]] for his birthday. Later, when visiting [[Xenophilius Lovegood]], the trio is shown what he claims is the [[Horn]] of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. [[Hermione]], being cautious, correctly identifies it as a highly explosive [[Erumpent]] [[Horn]] by referencing the description and illustration within *Fantastic Beasts*. Her knowledge, gained from the [[textbook]], allows the trio to escape the house just as the [[Horn]] detonates, saving their lives and demonstrating the book's immense practical value.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * **Comic Relief Publication:** In 2001, J.K. Rowling wrote and published a real-world version of *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* for the British charity Comic Relief. This version is presented as a facsimile of [[Harry Potter]]'s own copy and includes numerous handwritten annotations and doodles by [[Harry]] and [[Ron]].
  * **Film Series:** The [[textbook]] and its author served as the inspiration for the *Fantastic Beasts* prequel film series, which follows the adventures of a young [[Newt Scamander]] in the 1920s, decades before the events of the [[Harry Potter]] series. The films greatly expand upon the life of [[Newt Scamander]] and the history of the [[Wizarding World]].