COMC-401 Lessons

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Time sure is flying by! With this lesson, we are a third of the way through the year already. I do hope you all enjoyed the lesson on ecology last week. It was an incredibly fun and fascinating lesson to research and write for you, and I hope that as we continue to learn about the different creatures of our world you start to apply this new knowledge, thinking about the kind of ecosystem or biome that a creature lives in. Today we are covering some creatures that are sure to make the hairs on your arms stand up, at least a little bit, as we explore the spiritual side of Care of Magical Creatures. 

Now, some of the creatures we are covering in this lesson are classified as XX by the Ministry of Magic. Do recall, I said we would be covering XXX classified creatures. These XX creatures are being discussed now because we felt they should be discussed with the XXX creatures due to a variety of factors. Without further ado, let's move on to the creatures for the lesson today.

Ghouls: Family Pet or Nuisance?

The first creature we are going to discuss is a Ghoul. Ghouls are classified as XX by the Ministry of Magic, due to their ability to be domesticated. They are considered a sentient beast by the Ministry, while it is a common misconception they are classified as a spirit. The spirit classification has gone through many different definitions. They eat a variety of insects, beetles and moths, and household pests, like spiders and ants. This goes in part with where they live, in attics, barns, and other abandoned and large places. Ghouls are very sensitive to light, which is why they prefer dark spaces like attics. Ghouls have historically been seen as creatures that dwelled in burial grounds and consumed human flesh. Ghouls are similar to poltergeists in that they love to receive attention, and will go to great lengths to attain it. Their great lengths aren’t nearly as boisterous as a poltergeist will be, but they will make quite a bit of noise until they receive attention. This noise can be anywhere from loud noises to what can be considered vulgar phrases. Ghouls have what some consider to be a disturbing appearance, with buck teeth, slimy, dark-colored skin, thin, sparse hair, and often some sort of odor. They are not one of the most intelligent creatures we will encounter, being considered relatively dimwitted.

Though dimwitted, they are considered a type of nuisance in the wizarding world. Under the Beast Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, there is the Ghoul Task Force. The members of the task force investigate calls of Ghouls that need to be removed from houses that have transferred into Muggle ownership, or for the wizarding families that feel the Ghoul is becoming a bothersome part of their day to day life. Many wizarding families consider the Ghoul to be a family pet, and it is often a point of conversation between wizarding families.

A little history tidbit for those interested! The word “ghoul” derives from Arabic folklore, originally being spelled “ghul”. While we are discussing history, let us not forget to mention that we share a common ancestor with Ghouls, dating back anywhere between 600,000 to 200,000 years ago. Ghouls are considered a humanoid being, whereas some think they are the living dead which is incorrect, because they branched off of Homo heidelbergensis just like we did. Homo heidelbergensis, also known as Homo rhodesiensis, was first discovered in Germany in 1907. They have since been found in Africa, western Asia, and other parts of Europe. Other relatives of Homo heidelbergensis, and also Ghouls and modern humans, are Homo neanderthalensis, or the Neanderthals, and Denisova hominin, a species that is still being researched heavily due to very little skeletal and fossil remains. Though Ghouls are considered dimwitted, we actually see an increase in brain size with Homo heidelbergensis.

Because of their classification as a beast, Ghouls receive some basic rights under the classification. Though they cannot contribute to wizarding, they do have the right to life, sustenance, rest, and shelter. These rights ensure that Ghouls are treated appropriately by wizards, including those in the Ghoul Task Force. Because Ghouls have the right to shelter, when the Ghoul Task Force removes a Ghoul from a home they must take it to a new location. Often, they are taken to abandoned buildings that the Ministry has protection spells cast around. If a family is looking for a Ghoul for whatever reason, they can contact the Ghoul Task Force to be taken to the location to select a Ghoul, or one can be selected for them. While the Ghoul Task Force primarily relocates Ghouls, they also have researchers looking at the different Ghouls brought in to try to learn more about the species. This research team is how it was discovered that humans and Ghouls share a common ancestor.

The Ghoul Task Force will also, in the rare cases that it has occurred, reprimand those that do not follow or acknowledge the rights given to Ghouls because of their classification. Most of these consequences include fines and the removal of the Ghoul from their care, which is seen as a very serious consequence. Their fate is decided at a court hearing held by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Those that have had Ghouls removed from their care before are ineligible to receive a new Ghoul from the Ghoul Task Force. They are allowed to seek one out on their own, or allow a Ghoul to stay with them if they come around their home.

The Ghoul Task Force did encounter some issues over time. In 1951, they were merged with the Pest Advisory Board, which caused some very upset and angry Ghoul Task Force workers. This decision was made by Wilhelmina Tuft. The following Daily Prophet article shows reactions to the merger. The decision was ultimately overturned by Nobby Leach, the Minister of Magic, in 1963. The merger was final on January 3rd, 1963, though the process started when Leach took office in 1962.

As discussed earlier in the lesson, Ghouls feed on insects and household pests. The Ghoul Task Force has been researching the correlation between Ghoul’s and their slime production. This research has been going on for about twenty years now. While at first no correlation was found, changes in the procedure found that beetles in particular caused a 5.8% increase in slime production when eaten as a primary food source over a period of six months. Arachnids were actually found to decrease slime production by 3.1% when eaten as a primary food source over a course of six months. Small mammals, like rats, caused odd patterns, with some days more than triple the slime being produced, and other days no slime was produced at all, causing the scientists to make a special research team to study the phenomena. This team was started about five years ago. Since their formation, the team has found that female rats seem to cause a more significant change than male rats, and baby rats, often called “pinkies”, do not cause these changes until they reach adult size.

I would now like to welcome Professor Dalloway, former Ghoul Studies professor, to discuss the different species of Ghouls with you today.

Guest Lecture: Species of Ghouls

Thank you so much for inviting me here today! I am Magdalena Dalloway, the former Dean of Students and Ghoul Studies professor. I was invited to explain to you a bit more about the different species of Ghouls. We have four types of Ghouls:

1. Domestic Ghouls: They are classified by the Ministry of Magic as XX, harmless. It is the most common type of Ghoul. The official name is “domestic” but they are often referred to as Family Ghouls because they live in wizarding homes. Domestic Ghouls are covered with fluffy hair with brown and black tones.
2. Sylvan Ghouls: Also classified as XX, harmless, the Sylvan Ghouls are the wild version of Domestic Ghouls. They usually live in abandoned buildings, old mines, and caves. Because this type of Ghoul lacks human company, they can be a bit more moody and shrewish towards human presence, but they are not dangerous. Sylvan Ghouls are covered with thick hair with brown and black tones.
3. Chameleon Ghouls: Classified as XX, harmless, this is a rare type of Ghoul. Chameleon Ghouls have the ability to solidify or camouflage themselves - these capacities are acquired after a long and harsh transitional period from Sylvan to Chameleon Ghoul in which cell mutations occur. Chameleon Ghouls usually have slimy skin.
4. Djinn Ghouls: Djinn Ghouls are a dangerous type, they are classified as XXXXX and they are extremely rare. Colloquially, Djinn Ghouls are called Murderous Ghouls. This type of Ghoul is extremely violent and ferocious. Scholars who have studied their origins say that Djinn Ghouls are an evolution of either Sylvan or Chameleon Ghouls. Be aware that Djinn Ghouls can cause a horrible death unless you know how to fight them. They are exclusively carnivorous. Djinn Ghouls are covered with grayish, thin hair. Djinn Ghouls can live centuries, mostly because they have the capacity to hibernate for long periods of time.

There’s a lot more I could say about Ghouls but to learn more about it you will have to attend my classes… yes, I know *cough* veiled advertising! Thank you so much for welcoming me here today, I return this to our host, Professor Aspen.  

Ghoul Reproduction

Thank you, Professor Dalloway for that wonderful look at Ghoul Species! Aren’t the different species of Ghouls fascinating? There are two parts left to this section of the lesson. First, we will look at Ghoul reproduction.

Let us look at Djinn Ghouls first. Djinn Ghouls are asexual, and, therefore, are considered incapable of reproduction. While the exact cause is currently being researched by the Ghoul Task Force, it has been agreed so far that genetic mutations caused some sort of neurological transformation in their reproductive systems.

Onto the next Ghoul, the Chameleon Ghoul. Their breeding habits are currently being studied at great length by the Ghoul Task Force. While no Chameleon Ghoul has ever been seen to reproduce, and it is commonly accepted that they cannot reproduce, there is no solid evidence to prove or disprove this public opinion.

Lastly, we have to address the reproduction of Domestic and Sylvan Ghouls. Both of these species have specific genders, whereas Chameleon and Djinn Ghouls do not. Though Ghouls are solitary creatures, living on their own and not with other Ghouls, reports have shown that, especially in Sylvan Ghouls, there are Ghoul couples. Ghouls reach sexual maturity after six years of age, and will have a breeding season no more than twice per year. During the mating season, the Ghoul couple will show affection towards each other. The male will bring the female food while the female will make shrill noises showing her thanks. Their gestation period is only four weeks, however, the time between pregnancies is three to four years. Often they will try to carry babies before this window is up, which results in miscarriages. Newborn Ghouls are fully developed, because when born they stay in the amniotic sac, growing and stretching for about fifteen minutes before the sac opens.

Ghoul Conditions

The final thing I would like to discuss are two conditions that affect Ghouls. The first condition I would like to discuss is Ghothisis. It is a respiratory infection very similar to tuberculosis. Ghothisis is very infectious amongst Ghouls, but is thankfully not transmittable to humans. It is a leading cause of deaths in Ghouls, though Djinn Ghouls appear to be immune. This is one of the dangers of Ghouls living in abandoned places, as they are more prone to contain dust and other contagions that cause respiratory infections.

The second thing I would like to discuss is Ghoulism, or albinism for Ghouls. Every Ghoul carries the condition, though Chameleon Ghouls seem to be more susceptible to it. Ghoulism causes the depigmentation of cells, which is why Ghouls do not like light; their skin is so light colored they burn very easily. If they are in a situation that gives them constant sun exposure they can be burned to death. Djinn Ghouls can only be burned to death through magical means, like a magical fire.

My, I do hope you all enjoyed that! That was only the beginning, however. I have a few more interesting creatures for all of you - but they should not be new to you! Let’s jump right into the discussion.

The Three Divisions

The next creature we will be discussing today is the ghost. I am sure that after attending this school for three years, you will have noticed the ghosts that reside here. There are a countless amount of ghosts that walk (or glide, rather) these halls and we will talk about a small handful, but we will definitely not get to all of them. But first, let us discuss ghosts as a species before we consider them as individuals. So take out your notebooks, because I’m going to be giving a lot of information in a short amount of time. Feel free to tell me if I’m going too fast for you!

Ghosts are categorized as spirits. This categorization may be a given, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless. But how and when did this categorization come to be? Let us briefly go over the history of the three divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. This may give you a bit of a flashback to Year Two, Lesson One. Prior to 1811, the division and categorization of magical creatures was very disorganized and chaotic. In fact, the categories being, beast, and spirit did not even exist. One Wizards’ Council Chief, Burdock Muldoon actually made an effort to come up with a solid definition for beings. His description in 1448 was:

“Beings are considered as any individual that possesses magic and is able to walk on two legs.”

Sounds like a good definition, right? Reconsider! Chief Muldoon created a summit, where he intended to discuss new laws to be created and enforced. All beings were invited to this summit. The day of the summit, Chief Muldoon realized that his idea would never work. Several goblins brought all sorts of creatures that fit the description including, but not limited to Fwoopers, ghosts, pixies, Diricrawls, and imps. If that doesn’t sound too unmanageable, you should know that hags were able to attend and all they did was search for children for them to feast upon. Do I even need to mention the trolls that were constantly swinging their clubs at everything? And where do ghosts fit into this? Well, they don’t. Since they only glide and do not walk, they were not invited to this particular meeting.

In 1450, the magical community revamped the definition for beings. Muldoon’s successor, Chieftainess Elfrida Clagg made several achievements during her time as the Chieftainess of the Wizards’ Council, especially when it involved magical creatures. However, one of her first acts as Chieftainess was redefining beings. Her definition reads as:

“From now on, those who possess magical qualities and have the ability to speak human tongues will be known as beings.”

Her improved definition was put to the test at the next summit. Some of the creatures present at this summit were trolls, since they can be taught to speak, and Jarveys. As you know, Jarveys do speak, but seldom say anything intelligent or appropriate. In fact, at this particular summit, the Jarveys attempted to break every councilman's ankle! Centaurs were invited to this meeting, but instead of attending, they decided to boycott, as merpeople were not invited once again.

Also in attendance at this meeting were a few ghosts. Since they now fit the description, they were finally invited to the summit. However, they left the meeting prematurely. When asked why, one ghost representative insisted it was because of "the Council's unashamed emphasis on the needs of the living as opposed to the wishes of the dead".

Centuries passed before the definition was revised for one last time. In 1811, the then Minister for Magic, Grogan Stump (as you will recall from Year Two) not only gave us a new definition for beings, but he also created two brand new categories: beasts and spirits. Let us first read Stump’s final revision of beings:

“[A being is] any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping these laws.”

At first, many different creatures fell into this category. Hags, vampires, centaurs, merpeople, and even ghosts. However, although merpeople were allowed to be beings upon receiving translators, they did not wish to be associated with the hags and vampires. Centaurs agreed with the merpeople and so they were moved to a new and different classification- beasts. Grogan Stump defines beasts as so:

“Beasts will be known as any magical creature who does not possess the adequate comprehension or responsibility of the magical community’s laws.”

So with a final definition for beings, and a new category for the ones who didn’t fit in, all was well. However, the ghosts seemed to disagree. As Newton Scamander points out in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, “...it was insensitive to class them as “beings” when they were so clearly “has-beens”. Stump appointed them a new, more personalized category- spirits. He deemed spirits to be:

“...a sentient magical creature that has sufficient knowledge to understand magical law but bears no responsibility to shape it. Spirits also are capable of experiencing life and death, unlike non-beings.”

Now that I have finished that little history lesson, it is time to move on to the much anticipated creature discussion.

Poltergeists: Bodies of Chaos

Just so that no one is confused, let’s briefly touch on poltergeists. Poltergeists are often mistakenly called ghosts. In fact, “poltergeist” literally means “noisy ghost” but they are not ghosts at all. Poltergeists have a few characteristics that distinguish them from the latter. For example, they are not silver or transparent; if they have a body, it is solid. They can be affected by some spells, however they cannot die. So once they are created, they “live” forever. These spirits, classified as XXX, have never been human. They are born out of chaotic environments, and can be dangerous or impish souls. The places they choose to haunt are typically locations where children or teenagers are present.

You may have heard of Peeves, the poltergeist that haunts our school. And if you haven’t by now, how very fortunate you are. All poltergeists enjoy creating disturbances, and Peeves is no exception. Some of his most notable escapades have included throwing objects at students and teachers, packing chewing gum in the locks of doors, and even unfastening ceiling fixtures.

Many people have attempted to drive out poltergeists, Peeves included, but this is not allowed by the Ministry. If the creature has chosen the residence as its home to haunt, it cannot be removed. Though the creature may eventually stop existing if their home loses activity. Poltergeists “play” off of the emotions and reactions of humans, so if their outlet is empty, they have no means of existing. However, if the residence grows and gains more activity, the same entity will most likely reappear.

Ghosts: The True Spirits

Not to be confused with poltergeists, ghosts are spirits, classified as XX, who are no longer a part of their previous, physical forms.

Why doesn’t everyone become a ghost? The reasoning for this is because either the soul in question fears death, they have “unfinished business” (whatever it may be), or they have a very strong connection to the location they chose to haunt. Also, take note that only magical people can become ghosts. At the same time, it is more likely for humans with magical abilities to sense ghosts. Muggles, though many will claim otherwise, usually will not see or hear them. They can, however, “feel” their presence. This may be in the form of an “eerie” feeling of not being alone, or just the decrease of room or body temperature.

Ghosts appear to be transparent and have almost the same appearance they had when they were alive. The only thing different is that they no longer have any color, but instead they are typically grey or silver. Other than this minor characterization, they take on the image of how they last appeared when they were alive. The effect that ghosts have on the physical environment around them is very limited. By now, you may have noticed that ghosts have the ability to glide anywhere they please, no matter if it is through a wall, a desk, the floor, et cetera.

Something that people tend to not be clear on when it comes to ghosts is their lifespan. In most cases, when you die, you have a choice to make. Will your soul stay in the mortal world, or will you choose to give up all things material and move on? Most choose to move on, but there are those who simply cannot let go of their mundane lives. No matter what someone chooses, this choice is permanent. So once you decide to become a ghost, you remain a ghost for all of eternity.

These curious creatures also seem to have a minor effect on a few elements, specifically air, water, and fire. When gliding on or through the water, the ghost will cause the liquid to feel icy. The same goes for air. You can tell when a ghost enters the room, because it will become exceptionally chilly. You may also have noticed that although the ghosts are known for decreasing temperatures in certain situations, they can pass through flames and the flames will continue to burn, but they do not remain entirely unchanged. The flames will appear to be blue. And for those of you who are curious, yes, you can pass through a ghost, but I do not recommend it, unless you enjoy feeling like you’ve been submerged in freezing water.

Closing

Alright, class! I think we are done with today’s lesson. I hope you enjoyed this long and informative lecture. Please don’t forget to thank Professor Dalloway for her guest appearance today on your way out. Next time, I will talk about a couple more interesting creatures, but right now, I have a couple assignments for you to complete. Make sure to read the chapter on House Ghosts in The Care of Magical Creatures Companion Guide in the library, as there are some questions about them included in your assignments.

Main lesson content written by Professor Elizabeth Anne and Professor Aurelia Cattercorn

Guest lecture written by Professor Magdalena Dalloway

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