Care of Magical Creatures Extra Lessons
written by Annabelle Lovegood
Need help revising for a test? Stuck for how to de-gnome your garden? Can't remember what a Horklump looks like but can't find a lesson on it? Look no further! These extra classes may repeat some lessons but will be a guide to the world of magical creatures!
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
3
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1,380
Lesson 1: An Introduction to CoMC Extra Lessons (CoMCEL) and the Ministry of Magic
Chapter 1
Welcome to Care of Magical Creatures Extra Lessons! I hope you enjoy these lessons and you benefit from them! Today's lesson will probably be the most boring out of them all, but it is probably the most important. But, before we start, I would like to make a few announcements. They are as follows:
1. There will be no compulsory homework, however, you will benefit from it. Homework will be stated at the end of the lesson.
2. You will need a copy (or from the library) of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them if you wish to complete all homework.
3. There is to be no cheating if you do decide to take on the homework.
Ok, so with those out of the way, let's begin the lesson. I would firstly like to tell you about the Ministry of Magic classifications. The Ministry have a few different ways to classify magical creatures, one of which involves many Xs.
X = BORING
XX = HARMLESS, MAY BE DOMESTICATED
XXX = COMPETENT WIZARD SHOULD COPE
XXXX = DANGEROUS, REQUIRES SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE, SKILLED WIZARD SHOULD HANDLE
So, now we have those classifications out of the way, let's look at how each creature is classed into a category, not depending on how ferocious they are, but what type of creature they are. There was an argument in the fourteenth century about what would be allowed to be a 'being', someone who could speak the English language and help the shaping of our laws. Here is a passage from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
'Burdock Muldoon, Chief of the Wizard's Council in the fourteenth century, decreed that any member of the magical community that walked on two legs would henceforth be granted the status of 'being', all others to remain 'beasts'. In a spirit of friendships he summoned all being to meet with the Wizards at a summit to discuss new magical laws and found to his intense dismay that he had miscalculated. The meeting hall was crammed with goblins who had brought with them as many two legged creatures as they could find. As Bathilda Bagshot tells us in A History of Magic:
Little could be heard over the squawking of the Diricawls, the moaning of the Augureys and the relentless, piercing song of the Fwoopers. As witches and wizards attempted to consult the papers before them, sundry pixies and fairies whirled around their heads, giggling and jabbering. A dozen or so trolls began to smash apart the chamber with their clubs, while hags glided about the place in search of children to eat. The Council Chief stood up to open the meeting, slipped on a pile of Porlock dung and ran cursing from the hall.'
Did you read carefully through the passage? If you didn't, go through it again, this time reading carefully. So, there are now three ways to categorise the creatures; beast, being, and spirit. Here is a question for you to think about. Do you think that the Chief gave a clear, accurate definition of a being? If you don't, what do you think should be classed as a being? Think about your answers before I give you a definition of all three categories.
Being. A being is a creature that can speak the English language and to help shape our wizarding laws. As I mentioned before, that is the accurate definition. I hope you didn't go back and use that definition as your answer if you cheated!
Beast. A creature that cannot speak the English language or help the shaping of wizarding laws in any way. The Diricawl, for example, is not classed as a being, no matter what it says in the passage above.
Spirit. A spirit is a ghost or something that does not have a clear, solid body. They do not have a say on the wizarding laws as they have already passed away and missed their chance. Beings, However, do.
Centaurs actually refuse to classed as beings, although they can if they want, because they do not want to be in a category with Vampires and such.
Well, that's all for today's lesson. I hoped you enjoyed your very first CoMCEL class! The homework is as follows:
1. Read pages XIII TO XXXV of Fantastic Beasts.
2. Write an essay all about how creatures are classed by X rating.
3. If you want to get ahead, read about winged horses near the end of Fantastic Beasts.
1. There will be no compulsory homework, however, you will benefit from it. Homework will be stated at the end of the lesson.
2. You will need a copy (or from the library) of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them if you wish to complete all homework.
3. There is to be no cheating if you do decide to take on the homework.
Ok, so with those out of the way, let's begin the lesson. I would firstly like to tell you about the Ministry of Magic classifications. The Ministry have a few different ways to classify magical creatures, one of which involves many Xs.
X = BORING
XX = HARMLESS, MAY BE DOMESTICATED
XXX = COMPETENT WIZARD SHOULD COPE
XXXX = DANGEROUS, REQUIRES SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE, SKILLED WIZARD SHOULD HANDLE
So, now we have those classifications out of the way, let's look at how each creature is classed into a category, not depending on how ferocious they are, but what type of creature they are. There was an argument in the fourteenth century about what would be allowed to be a 'being', someone who could speak the English language and help the shaping of our laws. Here is a passage from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
'Burdock Muldoon, Chief of the Wizard's Council in the fourteenth century, decreed that any member of the magical community that walked on two legs would henceforth be granted the status of 'being', all others to remain 'beasts'. In a spirit of friendships he summoned all being to meet with the Wizards at a summit to discuss new magical laws and found to his intense dismay that he had miscalculated. The meeting hall was crammed with goblins who had brought with them as many two legged creatures as they could find. As Bathilda Bagshot tells us in A History of Magic:
Little could be heard over the squawking of the Diricawls, the moaning of the Augureys and the relentless, piercing song of the Fwoopers. As witches and wizards attempted to consult the papers before them, sundry pixies and fairies whirled around their heads, giggling and jabbering. A dozen or so trolls began to smash apart the chamber with their clubs, while hags glided about the place in search of children to eat. The Council Chief stood up to open the meeting, slipped on a pile of Porlock dung and ran cursing from the hall.'
Did you read carefully through the passage? If you didn't, go through it again, this time reading carefully. So, there are now three ways to categorise the creatures; beast, being, and spirit. Here is a question for you to think about. Do you think that the Chief gave a clear, accurate definition of a being? If you don't, what do you think should be classed as a being? Think about your answers before I give you a definition of all three categories.
Being. A being is a creature that can speak the English language and to help shape our wizarding laws. As I mentioned before, that is the accurate definition. I hope you didn't go back and use that definition as your answer if you cheated!
Beast. A creature that cannot speak the English language or help the shaping of wizarding laws in any way. The Diricawl, for example, is not classed as a being, no matter what it says in the passage above.
Spirit. A spirit is a ghost or something that does not have a clear, solid body. They do not have a say on the wizarding laws as they have already passed away and missed their chance. Beings, However, do.
Centaurs actually refuse to classed as beings, although they can if they want, because they do not want to be in a category with Vampires and such.
Well, that's all for today's lesson. I hoped you enjoyed your very first CoMCEL class! The homework is as follows:
1. Read pages XIII TO XXXV of Fantastic Beasts.
2. Write an essay all about how creatures are classed by X rating.
3. If you want to get ahead, read about winged horses near the end of Fantastic Beasts.
