It has no face.... Be ready.... it can be anywhere....to engulf you in its darkness....

"Boggarts: Confronting Your Greatest Fear"

The first creature we will review in this book is the Boggart; a shape-shifting creature whose original form is not known. Basically it will turn into your greatest fear. Because it changes shapes all the time depending on who's looking at it, nobody quite knows how it looks like when they're alone. It's best to face a Boggart with another person so that it will be confused on whose fear it should turn into.

Boggarts are usually found hiding in dark places. For example under the bed, inside wardrobes, cupboards, and any place where it can jump out and surprise you. They are rather pesky creatures really, but because of the form they take they can be a very challenging creature to subdue. Of course when you're facing your worst fear you will feel extremely scared and even paralyzed. As such, it takes a certain strength and concentration to handle a Boggart.

The charm you will need to fight it is Riddikulus. Be advised however that just pronouncing it correctly and performing the right wand movement will not be enough. You have to concentrate as well and combat your own fear. First and foremost remember what you see is not real, but rather a relatively harmless creature just trying to mess with your mind. Then you have to portray an image in your mind that makes what you see look like a funny thing instead. Add something to it, change its appearances a bit, whatever will make you laugh. Then your spell would force the Boggart to assume that form you have in mind and when you laugh for real, that's when you will defeat the Boggart.

It does sound simple, but it's going to be hard to achieve success if you do not have the determination and focus. If you'd like to practice handling a Boggart I would suggest you do it with a friend to make it easier. Good luck with your quest on conquering the personification of your greatest fear! Perhaps afterward you can deal with the real thing in the real world.


"Lethifolds: Confronting An Enemy in Your Sleep"

The Lethifold doesn't really have a face. Its appearance simply resembles a black cloak, half an inch in thickness. However, the creature gets thicker as it eats its victim. Lethifolds are very dangerous and sneaky because they attack when you're asleep. So even if you wake up you will only have the chance to see a dark thick blanket covering your face before life as we know it ends. Frightening? Very much. Another name for the Lethifold is the Living Shroud. They are carnivorous beings, and nobody knows too much about them because very few have actually seen them with their own eyes and lived to tell the tale. In fact, only one wizard is known to have survived an attack by a Lethifold. He is called Flavius Belby. And he only survived because he hadn't been fully asleep when the Lethifold attacked.

Lethifolds glide on the ground much like a ghostly figure (Muggles often mistake them for ghosts, what with their form and their mysterious way of moving). Nobody is quite sure of their actual method of movement; whether they could really fly or whether they just glide so fast with their feet (do they even have any feet?) barely touching the ground. Their prey is humans. Naturally they attack at night, and suffocates their victim first before digesting them right there on the victim's bed.

Flavius Belby was attacked while on vacation in Papua New Guinea, and Lethifold is fortunately a very rare species too, only often found in the tropics area. What we would suggest to do when you're lucky enough to spot one before it tries to kill you is using the Patronus Charm (Expecto Patronum). It is not an easy charm to master, but works quite effectively against Lethifolds. Just concentrate on your happiest thoughts and say the spell, and your Patronus will repel the creature away. Other sources claim that kicking the creature also works sometimes, but you can only kick it so much before it returns one last time and you're out of energy. Better be prepared and learn the charm, and if you want to be really safe, stay away from the tropics!


"Pogrebins: Confronting the Stalker of Despair"

Pogrebins are small creatures, barely a foot-tall, native to Russia. The only large part of their body is their grey head, the colour of which helps them stay unnoticed.

They are not very dangerous or hard to defeat, but they are very hard to notice. Pogrebins feed on humans, and they also tend to follow them. Now, when you next see a foot-sized creature following you, you don't tend to get frightened, right? A dog or even a cat can be bigger than that, and they are usually friendly or we can defend ourselves against them. But Pogrebins don't follow you with the wish for you to play with them, pet them, or give them food, you ARE their food! And unfortunately they are really tricky little creatures.

Pogrebins have the ability to give people a feeling of despair and hopelessness. This is precisely what they will do to you when they follow you. They will get you desperate to the point that you give up and fall on the ground, then they will devour you. Of course that won't happen if you notice them and defeat them before that. But that's the hard part.

Whenever you'll try to turn around and locate them, they will just sit down. Yes, it doesn't seem like they will be hidden right? Unfortunately, their over-sized grey head, closely resembles that of a small rock, which complicates their identification. Your only option would be to start kicking all the rocks around you, in order to identify which one is the little devil.

If you succeed in that, then you've pretty much managed to defend yourself. The only thing left to do is to scare them away or completely defeat them. You can harm them with Muggle ways of fighting, like giving them a good kick, though your best option would be a stunning spell like Stupefy. It is also to be noted t you will only be able to defend yourself if you can first defeat the fear inside you, if you can battle the despair that the Pogrebin will provoke in you, then they cannot harm you.

If you do not think you are capable of doing that, I suggest you stay away from Russia.



"Demiguises: Confronting the Invisible...Is This Possible?"

Nearly everyone has seen an ape at least once in their lives, no matter if they've seen it on television or in a zoo. Though, how many of us can actually say we've seen an ape-like creature called a Demiguise? I'd feel safe betting my broomstick and saying only a few have. Why am I so confident? Well, because the Demiguise has the ability to become invisible and it is native only to the Far East, so be prepared to make one truck of a trip.

The Demiguise is very similar to an ape in looks. The most noticeable differences would be that the Demiguise has bigger, deeper-set, black eyes, and the hair which covers its body is always silver-gray. Their hair is of great value for wizards and witches in the Wizarding world. It gains its value by being used as a clothing material, and is the base material for the famous Invisibility Cloak. Yes, an Invisibility Cloak, one of the rarest items one can possess in the Wizarding world. There are many people, who thought an Invisibility Cloak merely had a charm on it, but a true Invisibility Cloak is made from the Demiguise's hair.

Both the personality and attitude of a Demiguise are also extremely different from that of an ape. Unlike the ape, the Demiguise is a peaceful creature and a herbivore meaning it feeds on grass, leaves, plants, and various other forms of vegetation. Now that you know these characteristics about the Demiguise, if you've studied your 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Fine Them' you might wonder why this seemingly harmless creature has a creature rating of 'xxxx'. The first reason for this rating is because an Invisibility Cloak can be made from Demiguise hair and the second reason is for the Demiguise's unique defensive mechanism.

Although it is a peaceful creature, non-aggressive and wouldn't attack anyone; the Demiguise is constantly being hunted, mainly because of its hair. So whenever it is threatened, the Demiguise becomes invisible and with that ability, it hides in attempt to avoid the attackers.

Again, the Demiguise is a non-aggressive creature by nature and will not attack you, thus, it presents no immediate danger. Though, as stated before, if it senses that you want to harm it, it will turn invisible and run away. It may only be a minor threat to you, say, if you are afraid of apes, or if you have a weak heart and it scares you to death by appearing out of no where.



"Veela: Confronting the Magic of Beauty"

In many cases, when facing an enemy it's the fear that helps you fight. Seeing something ugly or scary that's ready to attack you will make you try to defend and counter-attack. But what happens when our enemy is pretty, and their beauty so charming that you wouldn't even think about defending yourself? What happens when quite the contrary, all you want is their presence and their love? In this chapter we'll talk exactly about that.

The Veela aren't really dangerous if you have basic knowledge about them. Often compared to the Sirens of Greek Mythology, they are young and very attractive girls. Their appearance and seductive dances seem to be magical, and make most males lose their mind.
They cannot really be classified as creatures either, since they are part-human, or at least one of their forms is. Although they can get full control over males when in their attractive human form, the real danger from the Veela lays in their other form.

Once you make a Veela angry, it turns into something that looks like the Harpies from Greek Mythology, a bird-like creature. It still keeps its silhouette, but its face turns into a cruel-beaked bird head, and they get long scaly wings from their shoulders, turning the once beauty into a hideous beast.

And if that wasn't enough, then you should also know that when in their angry form, the Veela can throw fire-balls. As you can judge yourself from the "angry" part, they won't be nice, attractive and seductive when they'll be throwing those balls at you. No, quite on the contrary.

What should you do if you meet one, or more of them? Well, if you don't know any fancy magic, you must make sure you don't make them angry, otherwise you're doomed - since you will basically have to fight them, as there is no other way to defeat them.

To confront them when they are in their seductive form is really hard if you are alone, and especially if you are a male. Thus, it's the best if you are always in company with someone else.

However, don't think that just because you're a female and cannot be seduced by a Veela, that you're completely safe from those Veelas; females seem to get the Veelas much angrier than males. Males usually have to worry about the seducing, while the females have nasty fire-balls aimed at them.

Though, if a male is reasonable enough, and tries really hard to resist the seduction, he can avoid full control from the Veela.
If you are weak, mentally or physically, then it's best for you to just stay away from the Veela population.



"Vampires: Confronting the Stalkers of the Night"

Vampires are one of the most mysterious creatures in the Wizarding world. Although they're classified as non-wizards and part humans, their unique characteristics also classify them as creatures in the Wizarding world. That being said, according to the Ministry of Magic, they are classified as "beings" rather than "beasts".

Just as the Veela, the Vampires also originate from Europe, and can mostly be found there, although they have spread all over the world. The reason for their worldwide presence is because in order to survive, they need to drink human blood. To avoid being noticed and avoid arousing suspicion, they live far from each other, separating themselves according to territory.

Normally, vampires are very dangerous and cause quite a lot of trouble, so humans do their best to hunt them down. However, it's not an easy task to do. The only two things that could possibly hurt a vampire are sunlight, and a stake driven through their heart. Because of that, they cannot venture out through the day, due to the fear of sunlight.

Therefore, it is advised to avoid wandering during night-time by yourself, seeing as that is the time the vampires go out. Traveling in groups is preferable, if there is no way to avoid it, seeing as vampires normally do not attack big groups of people.

While wearing a stake all the time might be silly and tiresome, it is recommended if a vampire is known to be in proximity. Relying on sunlight all the time is a tad risky, especially when living in countries where sunlight is not so common.

While magic works too, it has a far weaker effect on the vampires compared to sunlight and a stake. Magic can only weaken the vampire, unlike the destroying effect of the previously mentioned methods. Using a Lumos spell, tempting as it may be, is also completely useless- the only source of light that can destroy this creature is the one made by the sun - otherwise known as sunlight.

Last, but certainly not least, if you have no other choices, it's always good to try and fool them. Promising your attacker a great quantity of blood or the like might just give you a direct path to escape. However, beware, vampires are no fools - they are very clever murderers who will not hesitate to follow you and get their revenge, should you get away. Be very cautious around them, they do not like to be messed with.



"Werewolves: Confronting the Human-Beasts"

Besides vampires and other mysteries, stands the werewolf. The werewolf, has many things in common with the vampire. They are both part-humans, and they both pass on their 'Human-Beast' status through an infected bite. A bite from a werewolf during the full moon will cause the receiver to become a werewolf as well.

Despite the similarities, there are also a few major differences between the two. One of them, is that the werewolf takes his werewolf shape only once a month, during the full moon. As long as the moon is not full, the werewolf stays in its normal human form.

They turn into a creature that is very similar to a wolf, but a tad different. You could say the werewolf looks like a combination of a wolf and a human, leaning more towards the wolf side. The werewolf in its transformed state is extremely aggressive, and its instincts tell it to kill the living creatures around him. A survivor of a werewolf attack usually would become a werewolf himself, due to the infective bite- however, a survivor of such attack is rather rare. That is the reason for the classification of the werewolf in the Ministry of Magic - a beast, instead of being.

To a skilled wizard, dealing with the werewolf should be considerably simple, seeing as a werewolf is unable to cast magic, due to its inability to speak and think like a human. However, the werewolf is very strong, agile and fast - it will take much more than a simple stupefying spell to take it down. Precision is required.

Another major difference is that although there is no cure for both vampires and werewolves, there are ways of keeping a werewolf non-aggressive during full moon. One of them is the use of the Wolfsbane Potion, which basically lets the werewolf change into a usual wolf that can control itself and thus not attack anyone. The other is the homorphus charm, that will turn the werewolf back to human form, and although it lasts only for a small time, it's effect can be prolonged with more casts.

Werewolves, much like the wolves, might travel in packs. It is pretty rare, seeing as werewolves do not usually expose themselves as werewolves, and the chance of meeting another one of their kind is rare indeed. However, with the humankind against them, packs of werewolves are becoming more common with the time.

The best way to avoid a werewolf is, of course, not to wander around during full moon.



"Dementors: Confronting Your Saddest Memories"

Dementors are definitely one of the most dangerous creatures in the Wizarding world, and probably the most dangerous "faceless" creature. They are not the prettiest of creatures out there either, they are "floating" cloaks under which hides a grey, slimy, skeletal body. Their origins are unknown, and it will probably never be revealed since Dementors can't talk. They do have a shapeless hole in the place where their mouth should be, but that serves other purposes. That's why it's still a mystery how the Ministry of Magic managed to make a deal with them to guard the wizard prison, Azkaban.

Dementors can't see. They have scabbed skin where their eyes should be, though they can still sense people because of their emotions. They feed on people's positive emotions such as happiness, excitement, hope, etc, and their mere presence can suck every happy feeling or memory from people, leaving only despair in exchange. Since they take away all the good memories and feelings, people will only remember their bad memories and feel deeply sad. This is why wizards in Azkaban become insane or die in a short period of time. Being exposed to a Dementor for a long time may also result in the wizard losing their powers as well.

This isn't their most dangerous ability though. The act known as "Dementor's Kiss" is far more terrifying. If a Dementor gets too close to a human, they will suck their soul out, leaving the body soulless and without any trace of life.

The Dementor's Kiss is strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic and is only used on the most dangerous and evil wizard criminals, mostly killers. However, although Dementors follow the Ministry of Magic's orders they can often refuse to do so, especially if a dark wizards gets them on his side, then they would simply use the Dementor's Kiss on all their victims.

Dementors aren't very fast though, they basically glide instead of walking, so if you know the right way to get rid of them you shouldn't have any problems. Handling a Dementor however, isn't easy at all, unless you are a high skilled and experienced wizard. Because of the effect the Dementor has, people need to react quickly and attack before it's too late. Once the Dementor is near you for a while you will be petrified, frozen inside from the cold and sad feelings and all your worst memories.

Your best chance is to strike as soon as possible, which requires the use of an Expecto Patronum charm. It's not an easy spell to master, and only highly trained wizards can do it effectively, but it's the only way of fighting and defeating a Dementor. The charm will produce a foggy figure but only if you do it perfectly. Patronusses without a full form will have a lower effect on the Dementor.

If someone has been in a close encounter with a Dementor, chocolate is an effective tool in order to help them calm down and regain their strength.



"Inferius: Confronting the Dead"

Inferius are really terrifying beings that you should hope never to encounter in your life. It is pretty much what Muggles like to call ‘zombies’. They are dead people—corpses—that are reanimated by dark wizards. Don’t be fooled; they are no longer what the living person once was, instead they’re merely a doll, a puppet, with its master controlling its will. They can’t think or have a will of their own because their sole purpose is to serve the dark wizard’s bidding. They were often used during the Wizarding Wars, but otherwise very rarely seen. Only really powerful wizards with familiarity with the Dark Arts may create an Inferius. The branch of Dark Arts that focuses on Inferi is called Necromancy.

Inferi’s weakness is light and heat. They are creatures of the darkness and they only succumb to fire. In order to defeat an Inferi, a fire or light spell would work best, such as Incendio. Then again, if you happen to be unlucky enough to face a whole army of them, you’re likely to be outnumbered. Inferi are resistant to most offensive spells because they are immune to pain. If you were to try severing their limbs, for example, they would just keep on going as if nothing happened because they wouldn’t be able to feel it. Remember, they’re already dead, so just stick with the fire spell. Or create anything shiny enough to blind them with the light. Don’t even try to physically wrestle them or anything of the sort, they’re strong and may take the opportunity of contact to kill you instead.

Of course, the hardest thing to face is when someone is using your loved one’s own dead body against you. Coming face to face with someone you love again, who is supposed to be dead, can be paralyzing. You may not be able to think or even react quick enough to save yourself. The key is to remember that Inferi are no longer the same people they were when they were alive. They are no longer that someone you love. They’re merely puppets now and their only intention is to destroy you. Summoning that will and courage to destroy them before they could touch you is not going to be easy, but when it comes to such situation, it still needs to be done. Let us all just pray that we will never have to be in that kind of circumstances!



"Ghosts: Confronting the Restless Souls"

Ghosts are, to put it simply, spirits of the dead. They are like an imprint left on the living world by the departed soul. They no longer have their bodies, which have died, and so they're now just a transparent, floating spirit with no corporeal form. A lot of ghosts live at Hogwarts for example, and they are known to inhabit houses too for one reason or another. Not everyone who dies can or will come back as a ghost. It's more like a choice. The reason one becomes a ghost instead of moving on to the afterlife is usually because they are either afraid of death or they have a significantly strong connection to those places they continue to haunt until now. While ghosts are visible, they cannot really affect living beings physically. You can see them, and they appear much like their old living self, only in a grey-silver see-through form.

While they may not be able to touch or move anything, when they pass you you can still feel a cold sensation where you make contact with them. They are not affected by gravity, so they mostly just float around weightlessly if they want to move somewhere. They don't need to eat or sleep anymore, for obvious reasons, though there's a rumor that says they may be able to taste rotten food. If humans celebrate their birthday, it is not uncommon for ghosts to celebrate their deathday. Most ghosts are friendly, but overall they aren't really all that dangerous considering they can't harm someone physically. The exception being Poltergeist ghosts, which tend to be mischievous and could actually cause actual vandalism such as throwing or knocking things over.

Because they're mostly harmless, and already dead, there isn't really a way to destroy ghosts. They can be petrified by a Basilisk's gaze though, which effect can be reversed with a Mandrake Restorative Draught. If you encounter a particularly naughty Poltergeist, you should try negotiating with them by offering something in return, because if you're looking for a way to get rid of them, I'm afraid there really isn't a clear answer!



"Kitsune: Confronting a trickster"

Chinese Fireballs are not the only Asian creatures to look out for, there is also the subtle and sneaky called the kitsune. Mostly indigenous to Japan, these creatures usually resemble your average every day fox. Which is only part of the problem when it comes to identifying them!

If you're lucky, or not so lucky, you will find yourself in front of a very old or very powerful kitsune. You would be lucky in the sense that with age and power, kitsunes grow extra tails. The largest number of tails that a kitsune may posses is nine, and it would at that point be very distinguishable from your garden variety fox. You would be less than lucky in the fact that it would be a very powerful creature and much more difficult to subdue if it meant you harm.

Another difficulty in identifying kitsune is that they are shape shifters and often take the form of humans particularly that of a beautiful human woman. Though it usually takes them around a hundred years to learn this technique, due to their long life span which can range up to 500 years, this hiding method is particularly dangerous. Even in this form however, they do have a weakness that will help you identify them and that is their tail. They will try to hide them the best that they can under clothing but since they can be careless in nature it will often slip out if you keep your eyes peeled for it.

Now that you know how to identify a kitsune what should you do if you are confronted by one? First, do not immediately panic. Kitsune are not evil creatures, but can be malicious if they think you are greedy, boastful, or abusive. Mostly they will try to trick you in ways that are more for their amusement and not meant as harmful. Of course, many unwary Muggles and wizards alike have gotten hurt because of these pranks.

Kitsunes are known to take up with certain people and travel with them in order to help them out. If a kitsune promises to help you they will not break it. A good way to prevent them being malicious towards you is to be very polite to the kitsune in question, and to treat him or her with respect. If they do seem to mean you harm the best way to defeat them is to look for their foxfire which they usually carry in their tail or mouth when in fox form. The foxfire carries a lot of the kitsune’s magic and they will agree to anything to get it back. They are also susceptible to physical harm just as any living creature but they will try to use their illusion magic to throw you off the right path so that they can escape.

Though you might find it hard to imagine, kitsune’s make loyal companions and even mates. There have been numerous cases of a kitsune taking the form of a human only to find love in the human world. Half-breeds are rare but not unheard of. Sadly these marriages usually go very badly for the kitsune especially when pairing with Muggles because usually the their mate doesn’t know what they really are until later. Once finding out that their mate is actually a fox creature the kitsune is often rejected and forced to flee and sometimes is killed.



"Kelpies: Confronting The Shape-Shifter"

First of all, what exactly is the Kelpie? The Kelpie is simply a water demon who has the ability to change its shape at will, a term also known as shape-shifting. That's what makes the Kelpie really hard to find or recognize. That and the fact that it feeds on human flesh make it a really dangerous challenge, earning it a rating of xxxx at the Ministry of Magic.

Though it is a shape-shifter, it's said that the Kelpie usually takes two forms, either the one of a sea-serpent, or the one of a horse with bulrushes. But it is also believed that it only takes the form of a sea-serpent while in the water, so on land it can mostly be found in the shape of a horse. The Kelpie actually finds that shape very useful---the horse is rather fast and this way it can lure people to get on its back more easily. Why would it lure people to ride it, you may wonder? Well, once it has someone on its back its skin turns into its basic form---smooth and adhesive, so whoever gets on its back is glued to it and can't get down. Then the Kelpie quickly runs to a river, lake, or any other type of water reserve and drowns the person on its back in the water. After, the Kelpie feeds on its victim, usually devouring everything except the heart and the liver.

You can't really negotiate with Kelpies, and most potions and spells won't have any effect on them. The best known way to calm down the Kelpie and make it passive is putting a bridle over its head. This is however quite hard to do; the Kelpie is very agile and moves all the time, in case you get in touch with it you will be glued to it. Probably the only way to achieve this is by using an object moving charm, such as the Locomotor Charm or the Placement Charm. But it will still be hard even with those as you have to be extra skilled, concentrated, and accurate for the charm to be effective. Please keep in mind that the Placement Charm is still more accurate than the Locomotor one, so it is best to use that one.

The Kelpie mostly populates the rivers, lakes, and other small water places of Ireland, Scotland, and Britain, though that doesn't mean that it can't be found in other areas around the world. The biggest Kelpie can supposedly be found in Loch Ness, Scotland. Not to be confused with the actual Loch Ness monster though, as they're two different creatures! But hopefully you won't have to meet either of them.



"Chameleon Ghoul : Confronting the Chameleon of Chameleons"

A Chameleon Ghoul is a type of ghoul that can disguise itself as something else to avoid detection. It can be an everyday object like a vase, a suit of armour, a ugly stone statue, or even your favourite leather coat hanging at the back of your wardrobe. The Chameleon Ghoul tends to live in the homes of witches and wizards, or in a place that is saturated with magic, like a magic school or ancient magical ruins. They eat practically anything under the sun, ranging from smelly old socks to moths and spiders. They are relatively harmless creatures and are often seen as nuisances because of the disguises they choose. After all, who would want to wear a leather coat or drink from a glass only to find that the object was actually a disguised Chameleon Ghoul? Although it is possible that some might find this amusing, the majority of wizarding folk considering them to be a pest. Luckily, Chameleon Ghouls are relatively dimwitted, and can easily be scared off if you are able to find it.

If one needs to deal with a Chameleon Ghoul, simply firecall the Ghoul Task Force that is part of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures under the Ministry of Magic. The Ghoul Task Force investigates undesirable circumstances where ghouls move in to residential areas and become a problem for the inhabitants. The Task Force also removes ghouls from formerly wizard-owned homes that have now passed into Muggle hands. The duty of the Task Force is to try and relocate the ghoul peacefully to a new wizarding home, with as less fuss as possible. Often it is easy to find a wizarding family that offers to host the ghoul, as ghouls are very desirable pets but only if they are of a harmless variety to the witches and wizards. However, Chameleon Ghouls are unfortunately often too difficult to find to relocate, hence they tend to act nuisances in their current dwellings.

It is unlikely that you will recognise a Chameleon Ghoul when you see it, as they often choose to pose as their disguised self instead of remaining in their ghoul form for very long. It is speculated that the Chameleon Ghoul is actually uglier than normal ghouls, thus explaining its tendency of disguising itself as anything rather than its true form. The only method to confront a Chameleon Ghoul is to lure it with a mixture of honey and fresh dew, which seems to be its favourite food and trap it. Unfortunately, the Chameleon Ghoul somehow has a sixth sense and will not reveal its true form if there is anyone or any magical devices nearby.



"Velithes: Confronting the Amnesiacs"

A Velithe is a creature that looks much like a human skeleton, it though only grows to 3 feet tall. It sees with its glowing green eyes, but can feel your presence. They will throw one of their bones at you, wich will knock you out even without much force. The Velithe has a M.O.M. rating of XXXXX, because as soon as you look away from it, you can't remember anthing that happened during the time you could see it. Another reason for the M.O.M. rating of XXXXX is that if they touch you, they will turn human, and you will turn into a Velithe.

If you see a Velithe, keep your eyes on it no matter what, because otherwise it is easy for it to attack you unseen. It is impossibe to defeat, but you can buy yourself some time. You need to use Diffindo to cut it in half, or use Stupefy to knock it into a wall to shatter it into pieces. It takes a while for it to assemble itself again. Also, if it is about to throw the bone at you, you must use Expelliarmus to make the bone fly out of its hands. To do even better, you can put something in the Velithe's eye to blind it.

Velithes live in cold, damp caves and jungles. They feed on small animals such as bats and mice. They will also feed on small birds. They are not prey to any other creatures, but get in fights with other magical creatures. Velithes will also eat knotgrass and gillyweed that they find. If they get a hold of a wand, they will take a bite or two out of it. So don't let them get a hold of your wand. If they like a kind of food, they will hunt for that kind of food. They will be able to smell the food so don't carry those things with you.



"Sociopaths: Confronting Those Without a Conscience"

Dark creatures such as vampires or dementors would be terrifying to face. If there is a silver lining to such an encounter, it would be that they are immediately recognizable; you would know right away what you were dealing with. Some might say this is not a lot of comfort. However, certain humans- those with darkness in their spirits, be they Muggle, witch or wizard- can be just as dangerous, and much harder to identify.

In the realm of peer interactions, unless we are hermits, we interact with many in the course of our daily lives. Most of us want to believe people are basically good and there is much evidence to support it. Sociopaths will exploit this belief, and can do unimaginable harm before we get wise to them. They are usually quite charming and good at blending in; although they do not feel normal emotions such as affection or empathy, they are skilled at imitating them. They are unconcerned with morals, values or other people's feelings. Research suggests their brains are wired differently, but wondering what makes them tick is as much use as wondering what is under a dementor's hood. The goal is to get away before they drain you dry.

Sociopathic behavior can range from mild to extreme, in a sort of sliding scale. Many of us have experienced the milder versions- the classmate or coworker who shirks his part of a group project but is quick to claim the credit; the "friend" who repeatedly borrows things and doesn't return them, or returns them damaged; the neighbor who repeatedly calls on you for help, but is never around when it's your turn.

Identifying behaviors include superficial charm, chronic lying, shifting blame, excessive flattery, intolerance of boredom, thrill-seeking, bids for sympathy or pity, and in general, taking far more than they give.

While an unnatural coldness in the air warns of an approaching dementor, a sociopath can smoothly appear, get what they want and vanish before we will feel the effects. An encounter with a sociopath can leave us feeling used, manipulated, insignificant, anxious, guilty, deceived or sympathetic. A sociopath will put forth considerable effort to get our sympathy while at the same time continually hurting us or those around us, without remorse. They feel no guilt for the harm they inflict, which can be through direct action or neglect. The key words are "repeatedly" and "continually". If you compare this person to others in your life and see a pattern, you can be reasonably sure you are dealing with a sociopath. With or without a wand, the unwavering goal to win, dominate and control makes these people quite dangerous.

There are a number of effective strategies to show them you will not be their target. As well, once they see you are wise to them, they won't hang around; they'll move on to an easier mark. A list of things to avoid, and positive actions to take will help to get a sociopath out of your air space.

Don't:
-argue with them
-give them the chance to talk you around to their viewpoint
-give them ANY personal information
-talk to them about future goals or plans
-let them catch you in an emotionally vulnerable state
-let them know what upsets you (they will use it to manipulate you)
-accept help from them in any form
-borrow money from them
-do anything you might have to apologize for.

Do:
-keep your guard up
-distance yourself as much as possible
-stay on safe, neutral topics of conversation
-give firm answers such as "No, that won't work for me" and repeat them until he/she backs off
-understand that it's not about you
-avoid them if you're feeling emotional or upset
-remain calm, composed and impersonal in their presence
-take what they say with a grain of salt (they love to stir up trouble)
-show them you're too intelligent to fall for their schemes
-show them you're not easily swayed
-set firm, consistent limits and boundaries
-trust your intuition.

Upon hearing the word "sociopath" most people think of serial killers. This is the extreme end of the continuum and hopefully none of us will encounter one in our lifetime. We are far more likely to run into those at the other end or in the middle. Learning to spot them takes vigilance and practice, but it is well worth the effort.

There is a silver lining here also. Learning how to effectively set limits and boundaries with others builds self-assurance. It makes us far less likely to be a target of any kind. This too takes practice, but each time we stand up for ourselves or someone else, we become stronger. The experience of being victimized gives us an interesting choice. We can let it make us angry and bitter, or we can realize that perpetrators like these lead a hollow, miserable existence. We can be glad, despite the pain they caused, that we are nothing like them. We can go forward with increased compassion for ourselves and others, as strong survivors.



"Hellhound: Confronting the killer dog"

Hellhound is a very interesting creature. Some people said Hellhound was ghost, white dog. And some poeple said that Hellhound was a demon dog that really like to kill people.
But in the history of hellhound, hellhound is a supernatural dog in folklore.
A wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the often seen dragon.
Features that have been attributed to hellhounds include mangled black fur, glowing red eyes, super strength or speed, ghostly or phantom characteristics, and a foul odor. Certain European legends state that if someone stares into a hellhound's eyes twice or more, that person will surely die. In cultures that associate the afterlife with fire, hellhounds may have fire-based abilities and appearance.

They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure. In European legends, seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be an omen or even a cause of death. They are said to be the protectors of the supernatural. Guarding the secrecy of supernatural creatures, or beings, from the world. Some supernatural dogs, such as the Welsh Cŵn Annwn, were regarded as benign, but encountering them was still considered a sign of imminent death.

The Bearer of Death is a term used in describing the Hellhound. Hellhounds have been said to be as black as coal and smell of burning brimstone. They tend to leave behind a burned area wherever they go. Their eyes are a deep, bright, and almost glowing red. They have razor sharp teeth, super strength and speed, and are commonly associated with graveyards and the underworld. Hellhounds are called The Bearers of Death because they were supposedly created by ancient demons to serve as heralds of death. According to legend, seeing one leads to a person's death. Sometimes it is said to be once; other times it requires three sightings for the curse to take effect and kill the victim.

These factors make the Hellhound a feared symbol and worthy of the name “Bearer of Death”. The Hellhound has been seen several times throughout history, and it is not specific to any one place. The most recent sightings occurred in Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, and Vilseck, Germany, in or near cemeteries.

The most famous hellhound is probably Cerberus from Greek mythology. Hellhounds are also famous for appearing in Northern European mythology and folklore as a part of the Wild Hunt.
These hounds are given several different names in local folklore, but they display typical hellhound characteristics. The myth is common across Great Britain, and many names are given to the apparitions: Moddey Dhoo of the Isle of Man, Gwyllgi of Wales, and so on. The earliest mention of these myths are in both Walter Map's De Nugis Curianium (1190) and the Welsh myth cycle of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi.

In southern Mexico and Central America folklore, the Cadejo is a big black dog that haunts travellers who walk late at night on rural roads. The term is also common in American blues music, such as with Robert Johnson's 1937 song, Hellhound on My Trail.

In Greek mythology the hellhound belonged to Hades, the Greek god of death and the underworld, its name in Greek mythology is Cerberus, it has three heads but is still black with razor sharp teeth and super strength, it is used to guard the gates of hell.