University of Hawai‘i at Hilo HOHONU 2015 Vol. 13 orange eyes. (Stone 235) Harry's first year introduces the The Integration of Mythical traditional serpentine dragon, something that readers Creatures in the Harry Potter can envision with confidence and clarity. The fourth year, however, provides a vivid insight on the break Series from tradition as Harry watches while “four fully grown, Terri Pinyerd enormous, vicious-looking dragons were rearing onto English 200D their hind legs inside an enclosure fenced with thick Fall 2014 planks of wood, roaring and snorting—torrents of fire were shooting into the dark sky from their open, fanged From the naturalistic expeditions of Pliny the mouths, fifty feet above the ground on their outstretched Elder, to the hobbit's journey across Middle Earth, necks” (Goblet 326). This is a change from the treasure the literary world has been immersed in the alluring hoarding, princess stealing, riddle loving dragons of presence of mythical and fabulous creatures. Ranging fantasy and fairy tales; these are beasts that can merely from the familiar winged dragon to the more unusual be restrained, not tamed. It is with this that Rowling and obscure barometz, the mythical creature brings with sets the feel for her series. The reader is told that not it a sense of imagined history that allows the reader to everything is as it seems, or is expected to be. Danger is become immersed in its world; J.K Rowling's best-selling real, even for wizards. Harry Potter series is one of these worlds. This paper will If the dragon is the embodiment of evil and analyze the presence of classic mythical creatures in the greed, the unicorn is its counterpart as the symbol of Harry Potter series, along with the addition of original innocence and purity. Known in the West at least four creations, while examining the effect that this has on the centuries before the birth of Christ—and possibly even series as a whole in regards to the creation of a world earlier in the East—the legend of the unicorn maintains a that envelopes and intrigues the reader. timeless and universal appeal. Because the image of the Oftentimes while discussing mythical creatures, unicorn maintains an air of probability, it was accepted the image of the dragon is brought to mind. While it as a genuine creature until the nineteenth century (South is difficult to place an exact date due to variations in 5). The classic unicorn possesses the body of a horse, but terminology, the lore surrounding dragons dates back this is not always the case. There are a variety of unicorn- hundreds of years, and it can easily be said that dragons like creatures, some with the body of a fish, others with are the most feared and revered of all mythical beasts and a multitude of limbs, eyes, or mouths, but the defining beings. The essence of their mystique may be due to their factor is the presence of a single, prominent horn. Though shifting nature; while the dragons of earlier times were the unicorn does not appear in the Harry Potter series depicted as the beastly embodiment of evil, there have often, it plays an important role in a variety of aspects in been many variations ranging from the wise and noble, the wizarding world, and in the storyline itself. Unicorn the bloodthirsty and vengeful, and—as in Rowling's horn and hair is considered highly valuable and useful Potter series—the purely animal (Goblet 326). Still, as in potion-making and wandlore, while the blood of a their individual natures may change, the morphology unicorn provides a temporary lifeline to those near death, of the dragon remains at a constant. As Malcolm South though this benefit is rarely ever utilized. In fact, the only states, dragons are “serpentlike creatures of exceptional time that this practice is mentioned is during Harry's first size, with wings, claws, and a tail, breathing fire and/ year as he serves his detention in the Forbidden Forest. or poison, guarding treasure, living in remote areas As he and his classmates attempt to track down an (whether on land, or in or near water), and acting as injured unicorn, Harry gets separated from the rest and antagonists to divine, heroic or chivalric warriors” (28). stumbles upon the horrible sight of Voldemort drinking While Rowling's dragons follow this description as far the blood from the unicorn's wound. Later, the centaur, as morphology, the dragon plays a different role as an Firenze, explains to Harry why this practice is frowned antagonist in the wizarding world. As stated earlier, the upon: dragons in Rowling's world are unique in the sense that “Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood they do not possess the tradition-implied sentience that is used for?” many dragons of modern or classical lore seem to; they “No,” said Harry, startled by the odd question. are merely beasts, and fairly vicious ones at that. The “We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions.” first mention of a dragon in the Harry Potter series is the “That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,” said Firenze. “Only one who has introduction of Hagrid s baby dragon, Norbert: ' nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would All at once there was a scraping noise and commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked but at a terrible price. You have slain something like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you huge compared to its skinny jet body; it had a long will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, moment the blood touches your lips.” (Stone 258) 69 University of Hawai‘i at Hilo HOHONU 2015 Vol. 13 The killing of a unicorn takes on symbolic meanings find the beautiful mermaids so frequently depicted in both Rowling's interpretation and in classical lore. in Muggle literature and painting. The selkies of Traditionally, only a virgin maiden could possess the Scotland and the Merrows of Ireland are less ability to successfully capture a unicorn, due to her beautiful, but they share that love of music which own innocence and purity. This led to tales of “unicorn is common to all merpeople.” (Fantastic hunts” where a virgin would be used to lure the unicorn Beasts 29) into submission, while the hunters would attack and, inevitably, kill the unsuspecting creature. Christian Here there is a distinction between warm water (or symbolism likens the unicorn hunters to Christ's salt water) merpeople, and freshwater, the latter being enemies, and by extension the evil that extinguishes described as “less beautiful.” In fact, the depiction of the good (South 17). Rowling s interpretation takes few ' freshwater merpeople in Harry's fourth year gives them liberties and, all in all, maintains the traditional image of a wilder, more violent appearance: the unicorn. Another mythical creature kept classical is the “The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, centaur. Again, in Harry's first year during his detention dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were in the Forbidden Forest, readers are introduced to Ronan, their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of Bane, and Firenze, three wise and proud centaurs who pebbles around their necks. They leered at Harry follow the classic combination of man and horse. This as he swam past; one or two of them emerged from is the “true form,” and lesser details such as the types of their caves to watch him better, their powerful, legs, or the presence of wings are merely details (South silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched 225). Symbolically, the centaur represents a dichotomy in their hands.” (Goblet 498) between wisdom and violence; something that Rowling portrays with ease. Upon meeting the centaur Firenze, They are described here as being fairly tribal, living Harry Potter is asked to ride upon his back to safety, a in caves and wielding spears. As with the dragons, request that angers the other centaurs: Rowling's depiction of merpeople brings with it a sense of fantastical reality; the shock of a childhood icon being “Firenze!” Bane thundered. “What are you doing? so grim and gritty in “real life” borders on the symbolic. You have a human on your back! Have you no One of the few creatures that Rowling did not shame? Are you a common mule?” alter is the mandrake. The mandrake is more plant “Do you realize who this is?” said Firenze. “This than animal, and while the mandrake plant does truly is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, exist, it is not as animated as myth would imply. It is the better.” the root of the mandrake that gives it interest, and Pliny “What have you been telling him?” growled Bane. the Elder described it as such: “This plant grows close to “Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set the ground and bears violet flowers and orange berries. ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read The roots are shaped like human beings, the white roots what is to come in the movements of the planets?” being male, and the black female. So deadly is their (Stone 257). magic that trained dogs are employed to dig up the plants” (Natura 104).