Scorpion

• Type: Living Creature (Arachnid)
• Owners: N/A
• Maker: N/A (Natural Creature)

A scorpion is a mundane, non-magical arachnid known for its pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, which is often carried in a forward curve over its back and ends with a venomous stinger. As they are common creatures in the Muggle world, wizards and witches are generally familiar with their appearance.

Scorpions are considered non-magical creatures within the wizarding world and possess no inherent magical abilities. However, their physical attributes, particularly their deadly sting, are referenced in magical contexts and are a characteristic feature of certain magical beasts.

• The sting of a scorpion is noted to be lethal to spiders. This piece of natural lore was a key component of the riddle given to Harry Potter by a Sphinx during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
• The Manticore, a dangerous magical beast with an XXXXX Ministry of Magic Classification, is described in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as having the sting of a giant scorpion, which is said to cause instant death.
• The Blast-Ended Skrewt, a hybrid creature bred by Rubeus Hagrid, is a cross between a Manticore and a Fire Crab and possesses a long, curled stinger like that of a scorpion.

As a natural, non-magical creature, the scorpion does not have a specific history within the magical community beyond its existence in the natural world. Unlike creatures such as the Basilisk or the Phoenix, it was not created or bred through magical means, nor is it sought for specific potion ingredients in known texts.

The scorpion appears in the narrative in several distinct but minor ways:

• In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it is part of the Sphinx's riddle, which Harry Potter must solve to pass through to the center of the Triwizard Maze. The riddle highlights that a scorpion's sting can kill a spider.
• In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn uses a simile involving a scorpion to describe the potent sensation of drinking Felix Felicis, comparing the initial jolt to “a burning scorpion… stinging you in the stomach.”

• The name of Draco Malfoy's son is Scorpius, a Latin word meaning “scorpion,” and a constellation of the same name. His full name is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)