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In the teaser for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, we see that Newt works under/with Dumbledore. I was wondering,

In the storyline of Harry Potter, is Newt ever referenced by Dumbledore or anyone else?

I might be missing something, but I don't remember any such reference. Then again, I might have forgotten it, making this question a bit naive. So bear with me.

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36

Newt Scamander is the author of the book "Fantastic beasts and where to find them", both in the real world (J.K Rowling used Newt's name to publish the real book) and in the books and movies. He is mentioned as such in the first book:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone, chapter 5: Diagon Alley. (Emphasis mine)

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following

  • The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
  • A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
  • Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
  • A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch
  • One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
  • Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
  • The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

He is also included as an easter egg on the Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban movie. His name appears on the Marauder's map: enter image description here

More about this easter egg here: Why was Newt Scamander's name on the Marauder's map when Fred and George gave it to Harry?

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  • 1
    We now know which movies could be made in future in HP franchise. ;)
    – Not
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 9:43
  • 2
    @Not I was really hoping they'd take this route with the Fantastic Beasts sequels-- they could easily have continued the story in A History of Magic, or could even have had Grindelwald-related shenanigans in Quidditch Through the Ages
    – PlutoThePlanet
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 15:56
  • @Not A History of Magic would be really fun to watch, as would Quidditch Through The Ages, done in the style of Fantastic Beasts as Pluto mentions.
    – TylerH
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 15:56
  • @Not yeah, The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) starring Miranda Goshawk
    – user13267
    Commented Jun 27, 2018 at 2:50
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In the 7 books he’s mentioned as the author of Fantastic Beasts.

During the series itself, Newt is only ever mentioned once, as the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, one of the required textbooks. During the series, he’s not said to have interacted with anyone else we know (like Dumbledore) and from how we hear about him, it’s not even clear he’s alive or lived during recent enough times where it would have been possible for him to have done this. For example, Great Expectations may be on a booklist, but that doesn’t mean anyone at the school personally knew or ever spoke to Charles Dickens. Newt’s name is on the course list as an author, but it’s not even clear if Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a modernly-written book, or if it was written ages ago by a long-dead wizard.

“Set Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble”
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the book Newt wrote, is only ever mentioned twice in the series after it appears on the booklist, but Newt himself isn’t mentioned again in any way during the seven books. Fantastic Beasts is mentioned when Harry pretends he forgot it to go see Hagrid.

“At last, Harry had managed it by pretending he’d lost his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and doubling back after class one day.”
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 27 (The Centaur and the Sneak)

It’s mentioned again when Hermione explains how she recognized the Erumpent horn.

“There’s a description in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! Mr Lovegood, you need to get rid of it straight away, don’t you know it can explode at the slightest touch?”
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 20 (Xenophilius Lovegood)

Those are the only mentions of Newt Scamander or his work during the seven books.

The Fantastic Beasts textbook showed he spoke to Dumbledore.

Though the seven books don’t show or reference Newt interacting with the characters we know, in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook, Albus Dumbledore mentions in his foreword that he was honored when Newt asked him to write it. So yes, Dumbledore does mention Newt, though not in a way that implies they had known each other before his writing the foreword.

“I WAS DEEPLY HONOURED when Newt Scamander asked me to write the foreword for this very special edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

This means Newt Scamander would have had to speak to Dumbledore at least once. It’s not mentioned that they knew each other well, but it is mentioned that they spoke at least once. Dumbledore also doesn’t say he taught Newt, so nothing written there even hints at them knowing each other in any way other than Dumbledore knowing that Newt wrote a very good textbook.

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9

Newt Scamander is not only the protagonist of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, he also wrote the book by that same name. That book is used by the students at Hogwarts as their first year study book for Care of Magical Creatures.

Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

  1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
  2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
  3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
  4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, chapter "Diagon Alley", by J.K. Rowling; emphasis mine

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  • 2
    While you're correct that it's on the list of required textbooks for first year students, first years don't actually study Care of Magical Creatures. It's an optional subject for Hogwarts students from their third year onwards; I'm pretty sure it's first mentioned in Chamber of Secrets when Harry has to decide which new subjects he wants to take in his third year.
    – Anthony Grist
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 15:54
  • @AnthonyGrist It's a good point, really. I was going to ask that question myself but someone else has already done so.
    – The Dark Lord
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 23:52
5

Newt Scamander is referenced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the author of a textbook.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners’ Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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