Post by DOG on Jul 8, 2011 17:13:32 GMT -5
Regulation and classification:
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures of the Ministry of Magic is responsible for overseeing and regulating magical creatures. It is divided into three divisions: the Beast Division, the Being Division, and the Spirit Division. A "being" is generally defined, according to Fantastic Beasts, as "any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws." This includes humans, goblins, hags, and vampires.
According to this definition, fairies, pixies, gnomes, and most other creatures are classified as "beasts." Centaurs and merpeople are said to have rejected "being" status in favour of "beast" status, as have leprechauns. Werewolves and Animagi are notable because they are typically in human form—a werewolf transforms from human state only at the full moon, and an Animagus is a human who has learned to transform into an animal at will. Their classification is unclear, and offices responsible for werewolves exist in both the Beast and Being Divisions. A number of creatures, such as house-elves, giants, banshees, veelas, dwarfs, and Dementors, have never been described in the novels either as beings or as beasts, so their legal status is unclear. Affairs related to ghosts come under the auspices of the Spirit Division.
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures of the Ministry of Magic is responsible for overseeing and regulating magical creatures. It is divided into three divisions: the Beast Division, the Being Division, and the Spirit Division. A "being" is generally defined, according to Fantastic Beasts, as "any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws." This includes humans, goblins, hags, and vampires.
According to this definition, fairies, pixies, gnomes, and most other creatures are classified as "beasts." Centaurs and merpeople are said to have rejected "being" status in favour of "beast" status, as have leprechauns. Werewolves and Animagi are notable because they are typically in human form—a werewolf transforms from human state only at the full moon, and an Animagus is a human who has learned to transform into an animal at will. Their classification is unclear, and offices responsible for werewolves exist in both the Beast and Being Divisions. A number of creatures, such as house-elves, giants, banshees, veelas, dwarfs, and Dementors, have never been described in the novels either as beings or as beasts, so their legal status is unclear. Affairs related to ghosts come under the auspices of the Spirit Division.