Beasts

• Type: Ministry of Magic Classification; Magical Law
• Owners: The Wizarding community, as defined and regulated by the Ministry of Magic
• Maker: The definition was formalized by Grogan Stump, Minister for Magic, in 1811.

The term Beast is not a physical descriptor but an official, legal classification used by the Ministry of Magic to categorize magical creatures. The formal definition, established in 1811, designates a Beast as “any creature that does not have sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws.” This classification serves as the fundamental dividing line between creatures with near-human intelligence and legal rights (Beings) and those without. Consequently, the term encompasses an enormous variety of creatures, from the semi-sentient Centaur to the non-sentient Flobberworm. The management and control of these creatures fall under the jurisdiction of the Beast Division within the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

The primary 'property' of the Beast classification is its legal and social application within the Wizarding world. It dictates how a creature is treated under magical law, including rights, responsibilities, and regulations regarding breeding, ownership, and disposal. The system, however, is fraught with complexities and exceptions:

• Voluntary Classification: Both Centaurs and Merpeople were offered 'Being' status but refused in protest of the exclusion of other intelligent creatures. They requested to remain classified as 'Beasts' and are handled by the Beast Division's Centaur Liaison Office and a corresponding office for merfolk.
• Sentient but Dangerous: Creatures like the Acromantula and the Manticore are capable of intelligent speech but are deemed too violent and untameable to be classified as Beings. They are therefore classified as XXXXX (most dangerous) Beasts.
• Ambiguous Cases: The Werewolf presents a unique challenge, existing as a Being (human) for most of the month and a Beast during the full moon. This has led to jurisdiction disputes between the Beast Division and the Being Division.

The official definition of 'Beast' was the result of centuries of debate. Early attempts to separate magical creatures were crude and unsatisfactory.

• 14th Century: Burdock Muldoon, Chief of the Wizards' Council, declared that any member of the magical community who walked on two legs would henceforth be granted the status of 'Being', with all others remaining 'Beasts'. This definition failed as it excluded two-legged Pixies and Trolls while also excluding Centaurs and Merpeople who had been invited to the summit.
• Elfrida Clagg: Muldoon's successor, Elfrida Clagg, attempted to redefine a 'Being' as any creature that could make itself understood by speaking human language. While this included Centaurs and Merpeople, it also included disruptive creatures like the Jarvey and failed to account for silent entities like Ghosts.
• 1811 Definition: The deadlock was finally broken in 1811 when Grogan Stump, the newly appointed Minister for Magic, decreed that a 'Being' was a creature with sufficient intelligence to understand and contribute to magical law. This established the three divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures—Beast Division, Being Division, and Spirit Division—that exist to this day.

The 'Beast' classification is central to many plotlines and character motivations in the series.

• Rubeus Hagrid: As the Care of Magical Creatures professor, Hagrid's love for creatures officially classified as 'Beasts' is a defining trait. His insistence on seeing the good in dangerous creatures like Aragog the Acromantula, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback, and Fluffy the Cerberus often places him and his friends in peril.
• Buckbeak's Trial: In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the execution order for the Hippogriff Buckbeak highlights the bureaucratic and often unforgiving nature of the Ministry of Magic's regulations, specifically the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, which is part of the Beast Division.
• Newt Scamander: The author of the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander is the world's most famous Magizoologist. His life's work revolves around the study and protection of magical beasts.
• Social Commentary: The often arbitrary line between 'Beast' and 'Being' serves as a backdrop for Hermione Granger's social activism. While her work with S.P.E.W. focuses on House-Elves (who are classified as 'Beings'), her passionate defense of the marginalized reflects the broader themes of prejudice tied to these classifications.

• The majority of the detailed history and definitions regarding the 'Beast' classification are derived from the introduction to the supplementary book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, first published for charity in 2001.
• The Fantastic Beasts film series, written by J.K. Rowling, vastly expands the on-screen depiction of Magizoology and showcases dozens of creatures that fall under the 'Beast' classification (film).