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Cover image for The magical worlds of Harry Potter : a treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts
Format:
Book
Title:
The magical worlds of Harry Potter : a treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts
ISBN:
9780425187012

9780613495776

9780425223185
Edition:
Berkley trade pbk. ed.
Publication Information:
New York : Berkley Books, 2002.
Physical Description:
xi, 209 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Contents:
Did Alchemists Really Search for a Magic Stone? 5 -- Who Was the Most Amazing Animagus? 9 -- Is "Avada Kedavra" a Real Curse? 17 -- Are Basilisks Just Big Snakes? 21 -- Which "Fantastic Beasts" Come from Legend? 23.

Why Would Sirius Black Become a Black Dog? 29 -- Which Creature Doesn't Know When to Say Good-bye? 33 -- Have Witches Always Flown on Broomsticks? 35 -- Why Do Centaurs Avoid Humans? 37.

What Is the Favorite Trick of Cornish Pixies? 39 -- Why Would Voldemort Put the Dark Mark on Death Eaters? 41 -- Why Would Chocolate Help After Escaping a Dementor? 43 -- Is Sibyll Trelawney Ever Right? 45.

Which Creature Is Fit for a King? 47 -- Who Were the First British Wizards? 53 -- If Dumbledore Is So Powerful, Shouldn't He Fight Voldemort? 55 -- Why Would Durmstrang Students Travel by Ship? 59 -- Where Does Magic Come From? 63.

Which Character Can't Die? 67 -- Was the Real Flamel a Successful Alchemist? 71 -- Why Would Fluffy Come from "a Greek Chappie"? 75 -- Why Would the Forest near Hogwarts Be "Forbidden"? 77 -- Are All Giants All Bad? 79.

Which Real-Life Creature Still Eludes Scientists? 83 -- Why Are Harry and Cedric Like Knights of the Round Table? 85 -- Why Are Goblins Such Good Bankers? 87 -- Which of Draco's Sidekicks Is Also Named for a Dragon? 91.

Which Creature Is Master of Both Earth and Sky? 93 -- Why Do Parents Worry About Grindylows? 97 -- Which Is the Least Likely Magical Creature? 99 -- Why Would Anyone Go to School with a Slytherin? 103.

Which Creature May Not Bow Its Head? 107 -- What Is the Most Important Language for Wizards? 109 -- Why Is Each Malfoy Aptly Named? 115 -- Why Won't Wizards Go near a Manticore? 117 -- Why Is the Third Task Set in a Maze? 121.

Why Might Prof. McGonagall Appear As a Cat? 123 -- Why Might a Human Fear Merpeople? 125 -- Why Are Mirrors Magical? 127 -- Which of Voldemort's Cohorts Comes from India? 131 -- Where Do Those Names Come From?! 133.

Besides Mail, What Does the Arrival of an Owl Mean? 139 -- What Makes Harry a Universal Hero? 141 -- What Are the "Runes" on the Pensieve? 153 -- Why Does the Sphinx Ask Harry a Question? 155 -- How Do You Scare a Spider? 159.

Why Do Trolls Stink? 163 -- How Do You Catch a Unicorn? 165 -- Who Really Wrote the Book on Divination? 171 -- What Makes Veela Angry? 173 -- What Kind of Nightmares Created Voldemort? 177 -- Why Do Wizards Use Wands? 181.

Are Any of the "Famous Witches and Wizards" Real? 183.
Summary:
Looks to mythology, folklore, and literature to investigate the sources of ideas for some of the images, characters, and themes found in J.K. Rowling's stories of fledgling wizard Harry Potter.
Holds: