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Now, then, listen up.  I don't want to have to be saying this twice.

Third Year - Lesson 1

Magical creatures.  Monsters.  Large beasts with sharp pointy teeth.  Small rodents that can kill you with a flick of their tails.  Why would anyone want to work with such creatures?  The reasons are as varied as the creatures.

Some wizards just have a liking for strange beasts.  Rubeus Hagrid is known for his love of large, dangerous creatures.  He simply doesn't comprehend that they can be dangerous.  Happiness, for Mr. Hagrid, would be a dragon or two, a few hippogriffs, and maybe a vorpal bunny just for fun.

Other wizards are drawn to magical creatures in the way that muggles are drawn to zoology.  They want to understand the animal world around them.  Understand the place that magical creatures occupy in the world, magical or otherwise.  

Some wizards are interested in the power the creatures can offer them.  Good wizards might seek magical creatures to obtain a hair or a feather for a wand.  Evil wizards might seek certain creatures to use against their enemies, perhaps trying to sneak a lethifold into the home of such a person.

Some wizards seek parts of the creatures for ingredients.  Whether unicorn hair, flobberworm slime, or billywig stinger, different creatures parts have different properties in magic.  Good wizards won't kill the creature simply for their parts, but would wait for it to be slain naturally.  Other wizards do not care.

Of course, there is the nature of human safety.  There are some magical creatures, such as the Nundu, which are incredibly dangerous.  Because the wizards are aware of the danger, they will carefully track them, to make sure that the danger is minimized.   

Third Year - Assignment 1

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.  What are the 5 basic reasons as to why wizards study magical creatures?

2.  Are there any other reasons a wizard might study magical creature?

3.  Why do you want to study magical creatures?

What is your name and House?