10. Goblins—short, surly creatures with large, pointed heads who control Gringotts, the bank of the wizarding world. Goblins are also accomplished metalworkers—it was a goblin, Ragnuk the First, who forged the sword of Griffindor that is used to kill the basilisk in Chamber of Secrets and later the Horcruxes in Deathly Hallows.
9. Thestrals—winged horse-like creatures only visible to those who have seen death. They pull the carriages that transport students from the train station to Hogwarts each year.
8. Ghosts— the ghosts in Harry Potter are not necessarily scary. Most are friendly, if a little sad, and many help Harry, Ron and Hermione in their quest to defeat Lord Voldemort. Ghosts can fly and walk through walls. Some notable Hogwarts ghosts include Nearly Headless Nick, the Bloody Baron, and Moaning Myrtle.
7. Centaurs—half-human, half-horse creatures. Most centaurs live in herds (like the group in the Forbidden Forest) and pay very little attention to human affairs. Centaurs are highly territorial, and skilled at astronomy.
6. Dementors—soul-sucking creatures in dark cloaks that make those around them feel afraid and hopeless. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban, until the return of Voldemort. They can be combatted with “Patronus” charms—silver-blue apparitions of light and warmth that take the shape of animals. Each wizard or witch has a distinct Patronus.
5. Basilisks—terrifying serpents that can grow up to fifty feet long. If you look at one directly, you die, and looking at one indirectly (through a mirror, camera lens, etc) causes petrification. Basilisks possess powerful venom in their fangs. These creatures play a major role in Chamber of Secrets, where Harry must destroy one which has been living in the pipes of Hogwarts and is being controlled by Voldemort.
4. House-elves—small creatures with very large eyes who are used by some wizards as slaves. Many house-elves are happy to serve their masters, but others, like Dobby, want their freedom. They are very loyal, and possess powerful magical abilities different from those of wizards and witches. Dobby is able to use these powers to help Harry and his companions escape Malfoy Manor in Deathly Hallows Part 1.
3. Werewolves—humans who turn into wolves on nights of the full moon. Remus Lupin, a friend of Harry’s father and member of the Order of the Phoenix, is a werewolf, and one of the only ones who are able to manage the condition enough to live in normal wizarding society. Many witches and wizards are afraid of werewolves, and most werewolves support Voldemort because he does not shun them.
2. Boggarts—shape-shifters which take the shape of a person’s greatest fear. They can be overcome with the charm “Riddikulus,” which gives them humorous characteristics, making them an object of fun instead of fear.
1. Phoenixes—magical birds which, when they die, burst into flame and are reborn from the ashes. They can sing beautifully, and their tears are the only antidote to basilisk venom. Dumbledore’s phoenix, Fawkes, helps out Harry and his friends many times over the course of the series.