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First Year - Lesson 4

Diricawl

The Diricawl is a plump-bodied, fluffy-feathered flightless bird.  It originated in Mauritius.  It eats various vegetation, favoring fruits.  

The Diricawl is a Class XX (2X) beast.  It can be domesticated, though few wizards care to make them into pets.  Their feathers, however, are ideal for disappearing charms.  Use of a Diricawl feather as a quill in making disappearing spell scrolls is thought to enhance the power of the spell.

The reason the Diricawl's feathers are so useful is because of its method of escaping danger.  It can vanish in a puff of feathers and reappear elsewhere, away from danger.  This amazing ability has also given rise to an usual situation.  The Muggles knew the Diricawl as a 'Dodo' and they believed they had hunted the species to extinction.  The International Confederation of Wizards considered as to whether Muggles should be made aware that the Diricawl yet lives.  However, as the loss of the 'Dodo' made Muggles more aware of the danger of slaying other creatures to extinction, the ICW has decided to keep the Muggles in the dark.

Because of the Diricawl's tendency to vanish, pictures are hard to obtain.  Here are several drawings, however, for your reference.

Troll

The troll is a large creature, up to twelve feet tall and weighing more than 2000 pounds (1 ton).  Trolls are incredibly strong, stupid, violent, unpredictable, and dangerous.

Trolls come in three varieties: Mountain, Forest, and River.  Mountain Trolls are the largest and most violent.  They are balled with pale-grey skin.  Forest Trolls have pale-green skin and some have thin, straggly green or brown hair.  River Trolls have short horns and may be hairy.  They have purplish skin and are most often fund beneath bridges.

Trolls are a class XXXX (4X) beast.  Their immense strength, viciousness, and stupidity make them very dangerous to deal with.  They can converse in grunts, which seem to be a crude language.  Some trolls, more intelligent, have been trained as guardians.  However, as they eat flesh, and are not picky as to whether it is goat meat or human meat, great care should be taken if a troll is encountered.

Trolls tend to live in hard to reach areas and favor caves (or bridges if they are river trolls).  Troll sweat is an ingredient in strength potions, though few want to imbibe.

Due to the dangerous nature of the troll, few genuine photos have been obtained.  The following images will have to do.

Furry Purr Beast

The Furry Purr Beast appears to be a normal cat.  However, they are not cats.  They are more dangerous than cats.  They have a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, all resembling a normal feline.

The Furry Purr Beast's power is in its strange ability to make others due its bidding.  A person unaware of the Furry Purr Beast's powers will find himself buying expensive food for the creature, giving it the best bedding, and letting it inside and outside all day long.  Worse, the person will believe they are doing it of their own free will, even when they spend hours petting the Furry Purr Beast, instead of doing more productive tasks.  It is because of this ability to enslave that the Furry Purr Beast is rated Class XXX (3X).  

Some wizards enjoy Furry Purr Beasts as pets, provided the proper charms are used to limit the beast's power.  Furry Purr Beast hair and saliva are ideal for control charms and potions.

First Year - Assignment 4

Direct your answers to your professor at comc@starpaw.com.   Clicking on this link will fill in year and assignment number.

All answers must be in your own words.  

Remember, making your answers interesting and/or amusing may result in bonus points at the end of the term.

1.  Describe a Diricawl.

2.  What is the Diricawl's  Ministry of Magic rating?  Why does it have that rating?

3.  Describe a Troll.

4.  What is the Troll's Ministry of Magic rating?  Why does it have that rating?

5.  Describe a Furry Purr Beast.

6.  What is the Furry Purr Beast's Ministry of Magic rating?  Why does it have that rating?

7.  You are on a journey, and you spot an Diricawl.  What do you do and why?

8.  You are in the mountains and you spot a Troll.  What do you do and why?

9.  You are walking along the road and you spot a Furry Purr Beast.  What do you do and why?

10.  How do Diricawls, Trolls, and Furry Purr Beasts avoid Muggle Notice?

What is your name and House?