Salamander

• Type: Magical Beast
• Ministry of Magic Classification: XXX (Competent wizard should be able to cope)
• Native Range: Any magical fire
• Diet: Flames
• Appearance: Small, fire-dwelling lizard
• Key Properties: Lives only in fire; Salamander blood possesses powerful curative and restorative properties.

A Salamander is a small, fire-dwelling lizard that is born out of magical flames. Its physical appearance is directly linked to the intensity of the fire from which it originates and in which it lives. When the fire is burning low, a Salamander may appear white, but as the heat intensifies, its color can change to a brilliant scarlet or blue. According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, they are blazing white, appearing blue or scarlet depending on the heat of their natal flame.

The life cycle of a Salamander is intrinsically tied to fire. They are born from flames and can only survive as long as the fire that spawned them continues to burn. Outside of their native fire, Salamanders can be kept alive for a short period, typically up to six hours, provided they are regularly fed hot peppers. The most significant magical property of a Salamander lies in its blood. Salamander blood is a potent magical ingredient known for its powerful curative and restorative abilities, making it a valuable component in certain strengthening potions.

Salamanders are a subject of study in Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During the 1993-1994 school year, Professor Rubeus Hagrid taught his third-year students about these creatures. For the lesson, Hagrid brought a number of live Salamanders from the Gryffindor Common Room fire to the grounds. The students, including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, were tasked with collecting and feeding them filibuster-brand “Fire-Starting” peppers to keep them alive. The creature is also catalogued in the famous magizoological textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

The primary appearance of the Salamander occurs in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Their introduction during a Care of Magical Creatures class serves to illustrate Professor Hagrid's hands-on, if sometimes reckless, teaching methods. The lesson provides a moment of levity and wonder as students interact with the fire-dwelling creatures, contrasting with the more dangerous magical beasts Hagrid introduces later. The scene also highlights Hermione Granger's academic diligence, as she is already well-versed in the creature's needs from her reading.

• Mythological Origins: The magical Salamander in the Harry Potter universe is based on the ancient and mythological creature of the same name. In European folklore and alchemy dating back to classical antiquity, salamanders were believed to be born from fire and to be immune to its effects.
• In the film adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander uses a Salamander to gently warm and mend Jacob Kowalski's hand after it was bitten by a Murtlap. (film)
• In the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban video game, Salamanders appear as enemies in a Challenge level, where they can be extinguished with the Glacius spell. (video game)