5 Harry Potter Creatures Inspired By Mythology (& 5 Invented For The Franchise)

5 Harry Potter Creatures Inspired By Mythology (& 5 Invented For The Franchise)

The wizarding world is full of weird, wonderful creatures. Which ones were created long before Harry Potter? And which were invented for the series?

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Part of what makes Harry Potter so special is the worldbuilding. Throughout the series, every last detail of wizarding Britain is realized in all its magical splendor — from its human residents down to the non-human creatures that inhabit their society.

Whether it’s Dobby, Buckbeak, or Crookshanks, several of these beings play critical roles in Harry’s adventures at Hogwarts and beyond. While plenty of creatures were borne from JK Rowling’s imagination, others have their origins in lore from hundreds, if not thousands, of years before the series began. So, which are exclusive to the wizarding world, and which have roots in ancient legend?

10 Inspired By Mythology: Centaurs

These cryptic beings first appear in Sorcerer’s Stone, in one of the many Forbidden Forest scenes cut from the movies. When Harry stumbles upon a herd of centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, Firenze, a more human-friendly centaur than his acquaintances (and the only one who gets a speaking part in any movie), takes it upon himself to warn Harry of the dangers he’s foreseen in the stars.

While JK Rowling gave centaurs their proclivity for Divination, their basic elements are the same as in Ancient Greece. They’re half horse, half man, and tend to be wild. However, the key difference is that famous centaurs in Greek mythology often help heroes, while in Harry Potter they generally distrust wizarding society.

9 Invented For The Series: Blast-Ended Skrewts

Not only did Rowling invent Blast-Ended Skrewts, but they’re not even technically a creature in the Harry Potter universe. Instead, these beasts are the result of Hagrid’s own experiments in cross-breeding, combining the genetics of both Manticores and Fire Crabs.

The result is monstrous. The hybrid creatures have a reputation for singing students, and even Harry — Hagrid’s biggest supporter — can’t hide his hatred. Unfortunately, Blast-Ended Skrewts weren’t shown in the Harry Potter movies, but even though they weren’t overly important to the plot of Goblet of Fire, it would have been interesting to see them visually recreated on the big screen.

8 Inspired By Mythology: House-elves

While the term “House-elf” comes courtesy of Rowling’s imagination, elves have been part of European folklore since medieval times. Traditionally, they do menial tasks around the home, only leaving when they’re rewarded with money or clothes.

A lot of scenes involving House-elves may have been left out of the movies, but their essence remains the same as the books — and mythology. Dobby, Kreacher, and their fellow House-elves are passed on through the generations, serving a family’s every need until the day they die or are freed by being gifted clothes. Elves are commonplace in the fantasy genre, and this is definitely a unique spin on the creature.

7 Invented For The Series: Dementors

Dementors are arguably the scariest creatures in all of Harry Potter. With the ability to force those nearby to recall their worst memories — and, when they perform the Dementor’s Kiss, to suck out their soul — they are a living reminder of a person’s most harrowing trauma and grief.

As Rowling told The Times, Dementors are inspired by her own experience with depression. This is exactly what makes them a memorable creation — it’s difficult for viewers to put themselves in Harry’s shoes a lot of the time, but it’s easy to relate to such human emotions.

6 Inspired By Mythology: Basilisks

In Chamber of Secrets, the mysterious and deadly beast living in the bowels of Hogwarts for centuries is revealed to be the Basilisk. This large serpent utilized by the Heir of Slytherin to murder (or Petrify) Muggle-borns with a single glance can only be controlled by Parselmouths, and its venom has the power to kill a person within minutes.

The Basilisk is a legendary reptile whose name literally means “little king” in Greek. Emphasis on the “little” — unlike the mighty size of the beast in Harry Potter, Basilisks were said to be small, but deadly all the less. There’s no denying that Rowling’s version is more impressive — an actual snake-sized snake slithering through the pipes is much less ominous.

5 Invented For The Series: Inferi

Despite its young audience, Harry Potter never shies away from death. The Inferi — introduced in Half-Blood Prince – are one of the most morbid creatures invented for the series. These reincarnated dead bodies are used (and weaponized) by dark wizards such as Lord Voldemort himself.

This terrifying concept leads to one of Harry Potter’s most disturbing moments. When Harry and Dumbledore seek out one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, the Inferi rise up and drag Harry into the depths of the water. It’s incredibly disturbing, with these monsters showing the true depths of wizarding depravity.

4 Inspired By Mythology: Cornish Pixies

Everybody mocks Gilderoy Lockhart when he bigs up the fear factor of Cornish Pixies in Chamber of Secrets, but he might have a point. In Cornish folklore, pixies are mischievous figures known for stealing children or leading travelers astray.

Although their actions are far less extreme in Harry Potter (at least on screen), they still have the same negative reputation. When Lockhart lets a cage loose, it’s total pandemonium. Neville is lifted right off the ground and the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom is trashed. If this is the chaos they cause in a school, it’s easy to imagine them repeating the same devilish acts out in the wider world.

3 Invented For The Series: Kneazles

At first glance, Crookshanks is just a regular ill-tempered cat. However, Rowling confirmed on her eponymous website in 2006 that he is, in fact, half-Kneazle.

Kneazles don’t have any basis in mythology and do most closely resemble cats. Like their feline friends, they only take well to certain people and could be extremely aggressive towards those they dislike (which explains Crookshanks’ attitude towards Peter Pettigrew in his Scabbers form). However, they’re much more intelligent, with an ability to sense suspicious people — which basically makes them super cats.

2 Inspired By Mythology: Sphinxes

Only one sphinx appears in the series, and it never made the transition to the screen. In the book-version of Goblet of Fire, Harry is confronted by a sphinx during the Third Task, with the creature challenging him to solve a riddle to continue on through the maze.

Sphinxes in Greek mythology behave exactly the same. With the head of a woman, body of a lion, and wings of a bird, they are incredibly dangerous and will kill those who incorrectly answer her riddle. This is one of the creatures that changes the least from its source material, and it’s a shame Harry never got his own Greek hero moment in the film.

1 Invented For The Series: Pygmy Puff

These cuddly creatures are entirely of Rowling’s own design – or, in the series, Fred and George Weasley’s. Selectively bred for Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, they’re miniature versions of Puffskeins, a scavenger creature often kept as a wizarding pet.

This breed is one of the most overtly fantastical in Harry Potter. They come in bright pink and purple, and exclusively communicate in squeaks. Considering just how cute they are, it’s no surprise that the twins have trouble keeping them in stock.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-magical-creatures-from-mythology-vs-invented-by-jk-rowling/

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