Newt Scamander's Briefcase

• Type: Magical Device, Portable Magical Menagerie
• Owners: Newt Scamander
• Maker: Unknown

On the outside, Newt Scamander's briefcase appears to be a worn, standard-issue brown leather briefcase from the 1920s, complete with brass locks. Its unassuming appearance is a deliberate camouflage designed to avoid attracting the attention of Muggles (or No-Majes). The briefcase is equipped with a special latch that can be switched to a “Muggle-Worthy” setting. When activated, this security feature conceals the true contents of the case. If opened by an unauthorized person in this mode, it will appear to contain mundane items such as maps, a telescope, an alarm clock, and various baked goods (Fantastic Beasts film).

The briefcase's primary magical feature is a powerful and expertly applied Undetectable Extension Charm. This charm makes the internal dimensions of the case immense, far exceeding its external measurements. This allows Newt Scamander to house and care for a vast number of magical creatures. Key properties include:

• Spatial Expansion: The interior is large enough to contain a massive, multi-level workshop and numerous distinct, magically-created habitats tailored to the specific needs of its creatures. These environments replicate everything from deserts and snowy plains to forests and jungles (Fantastic Beasts film).
• Habitat Control: Newt is able to magically maintain these complex ecosystems, providing the ideal environment for the creatures he rescues and studies as part of his work in Magizoology.
• Security Enchantments: The briefcase is enchanted to prevent its inhabitants from escaping easily, although a particularly determined creature like a Niffler has been known to bypass the lock. The “Muggle-Worthy” setting provides an additional layer of concealment from non-magical people.
• Portability: As a briefcase, its primary function is to serve as a portable sanctuary, allowing Newt Scamander to transport his menagerie safely and discreetly during his travels across the globe.

The exact origins of the briefcase, including when and where Newt Scamander acquired it, are unknown. He used it extensively throughout his global travels to research his famous book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In 1926, Newt brought the briefcase to New York City. At a bank, it was accidentally switched with an identical-looking case belonging to a No-Maj named Jacob Kowalski. This mishap led to the escape of several magical creatures into the city, instigating a major incident that brought Newt to the attention of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) (Fantastic Beasts film).

While this specific briefcase does not appear in the original seven Harry Potter novels, it is a central object and plot device in the Fantastic Beasts film series. The accidental exchange of the briefcase drives the plot of the first film, bringing the main characters together. It serves as Newt's workshop, a sanctuary for his creatures, and a physical representation of his life's passion. The magic used on the briefcase, specifically the Undetectable Extension Charm, is well-established in the original book series. Similar enchantments were used by Arthur Weasley on his Ford Anglia, on wizarding tents, and most notably by Hermione Granger on her small, beaded handbag, which she used to carry countless essential items during the hunt for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

• The magical briefcase was created by J.K. Rowling for the screenplay of the 2016 film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• It functions as a narrative device similar to Hermione Granger's beaded bag, providing the main character with a seemingly impossible amount of storage and resources within a small, portable container.
• In the films, the interior of the case is depicted as a vast, shed-like structure descending into a massive open space containing numerous distinct, magically-enclosed biomes for the creatures.