Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Nifflers====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** [[Magical Creature]] * **Owners:** [[Rubeus Hagrid]] (for teaching purposes), [[Lee Jordan]] * **Maker:** Natural species, not made A Niffler is a British beast with a //[[Ministry of Magic]] Classification// of XXX, meaning a competent wizard should be able to cope with one. (//Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them// book) =====Description and Appearance===== Nifflers are small, rodent-like creatures native to Britain. They are described as being fluffy, covered in black fur, and having a long snout, making them resemble a cross between a mole and a platypus. Their most notable physical feature is a pouch on their bellies which serves as a storage space for treasure they collect. This pouch possesses magical dimensional properties, allowing a Niffler to hold far more than seems physically possible, similar to an [[Undetectable Extension Charm]]. Despite their gentle and even affectionate nature, Nifflers can be highly destructive to property in their single-minded pursuit of shiny objects. For this reason, [[Hermione Granger]] noted that they are not suitable to be kept as house pets. They live in lairs, which can be up to twenty feet below ground, and give birth to litters of six to eight young. (//Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them// book) =====Magical Properties and Usage===== The Niffler's primary "magical property" is its instinctual and powerful attraction to glittering and valuable objects, such as [[gold]], silver, and jewels. This makes them exceptional at locating treasure. They use their long snouts and sharp claws to burrow deep into the ground with great speed. Due to this innate ability, Nifflers have been utilized by certain members of the wizarding community: * **Treasure Hunting:** [[Goblins]] are known to keep Nifflers to help them burrow deep into the earth to search for treasure. * **Education:** Nifflers were used in [[Rubeus Hagrid]]'s fourth-year [[Care of Magical Creatures]] class at [[Hogwarts]] to teach students about magical beasts. Hagrid buried [[Leprechaun Gold]] for the students' Nifflers to find as part of a competition. * **Disruption:** [[Lee Jordan]] used two Nifflers as a prank to cause chaos in Professor [[Dolores Umbridge]]'s office, where they tore the room apart in an attempt to get shiny items. One even tried to bite the rings from her fingers. =====History===== The history of the Niffler species is not detailed in the texts, but their use by [[Goblins]] suggests a long-standing relationship with the wizarding world as a tool for locating buried valuables. Their inclusion in the [[Care of Magical Creatures]] curriculum indicates they are a well-documented and understood beast. Their presence in the story is primarily as a creature studied at [[Hogwarts]] and as an instrument of mischief during the students' rebellion against [[Dolores Umbridge]]. =====Role in the Story===== Nifflers first appear during [[Harry Potter]]'s fourth year in //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//. In a [[Care of Magical Creatures]] lesson, [[Rubeus Hagrid]] has each student take a Niffler and search for buried [[Leprechaun Gold]]. [[Ron Weasley]]'s Niffler won, and Ron became particularly fond of the creature, expressing a wish to own one. He was disappointed to learn that the [[Leprechaun Gold]] it had collected would vanish. In //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, [[Lee Jordan]] levitates a pair of Nifflers through the window of [[Dolores Umbridge]]'s office. The creatures wreak havoc, destroying furniture and decorations in their hunt for anything shiny. Professor Umbridge, believing [[Hagrid]] was responsible, was furious. [[Hagrid]] was ultimately called to remove them safely. =====Behind the Scenes===== * The Niffler's role in the wizarding world was significantly expanded in the //Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them// film series. In the films, [[Newt Scamander]] owns a particularly mischievous Niffler that frequently escapes his magical suitcase to steal valuables, driving several key plot points. (//Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them// film) * The companion book, //Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them//, provides the canonical [[Ministry of Magic]] Classification and details about their lairs and breeding habits, information not present in the original seven novels.
