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There are some works of fiction which treat other works of fiction as canon (for example, the race of E.T. in Star Wars).

Are there any works of fictions (from a different author, of course) which are treated as canon in the Harry Potter universe?

I think some fairy tales might border on this, but only the species of creatures, not the plotline, so they shouldn't count, unless persons or events are also canon.

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    Merlin appears to have existed to some degree, which sort of implies some link to the Arthurian legend.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Sep 28, 2012 at 12:54
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    I hope this gets accepted before Pottermore canonizes the Power Rangers.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Oct 24, 2012 at 15:41
  • @GorchestopherH How would the Power Rangers be a true story in the Potter universe?? I don't remember even the slightest hint to something like this.
    – vsz
    Oct 24, 2012 at 15:48
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    They're not at all. I was joking at the possibility, which technically exists, that JKR may choose to add them into canon through Pottermore in the future. To everyone's horror of course.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Oct 24, 2012 at 15:53
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    There are also the vampires and the werewolves that you should take into account; as they are the product of some other literature or fiction art. However, they cannot be pinpointed to a particular work.
    – SylvainL
    Jul 9, 2015 at 8:05

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To some degree, The Arthurian Legend. Although I'm not sure it can be solidly classified as "a work of fiction" in the way the OP likely expects, as it is a legend and not a modern work.

According to Pottermore, Merlin apparently has existed in HP canon (and belonged to house Slytherin). This implies that the Arthurian Legend is, to some extent, linked to HP canon.

Of course, we know that Merlin's character from the legend itself does not fit with the HP definition of magicals and whatnot (Merlin was said to be a cambion, which is not explicitly shown to be within the reach of HP mythos).

Here's the quote from pottermore:

Here’s a little-known fact that the other three houses don’t bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin?

Again, they obviously don't jibe, but to some extent it satisfies the question.

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    Just to point out, some Arthurian legendarium places Arthur as living before Hogwarts would have been founded (and some was written during the approximate time of its founding). That doesn't really work well with him having attended Hogwarts. Grumble...this is why I don't particularly like Pottermore.
    – NominSim
    Sep 28, 2012 at 20:30
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    (Not saying that this is a bad answer, in fact I think it is a good answer...was just ranting about JKRs canon addendums)
    – NominSim
    Sep 28, 2012 at 21:48
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    @NominSim It is Slytherin, they might be stretching the truth.
    – Tacroy
    Sep 28, 2012 at 22:28
  • @GorchestopherH: It's "jibe", not "jive".
    – Keith Thompson
    Sep 28, 2012 at 23:29
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    The extent to which they created a "new legend of Merlin" only goes as far as that quote. Meaning, all we know of this "potentially different Merlin" is that in HP he's still the "most famous wizard in history". No versions of the Arthurian legend circa more than 10 years ago have anything to do with Merlin attending a wizarding school.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Oct 1, 2012 at 16:20
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As others have said, the Arthurian Legend, or at least "Merlin". I want to add Greek Mythology as another possibility. See Hagrid's three-headed dog.

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    In the case of the Arthurian Legend, Pottermore has created a canon discrepancy stating that Merlin was a Slytherin, when the founding of Hogwarts was stated in Chamber of Secrets to be "around 1000 years ago" from 1992-tenth or eleventh century. King Arthur was supposed to have lived in the sixth century.
    – Rose Zee
    Nov 9, 2015 at 5:10
  • As I understand it the author of the question is looking for plotlines of fiction rather than just a species. I guess it's relatively similar how Fluffy guards a gate much like Cerberus did.
    – CandiedMango
    Nov 9, 2015 at 6:03
  • @RoseZee - The King Author in Harry Potter lived a couple of centuries later than the one of popular legend.
    – ibid
    Apr 8, 2016 at 17:22
  • RozeZee - If so, does any Harry Potter source give a genealogy or history of this King Arthur?
    – M. A. Golding
    Dec 21, 2017 at 19:34
  • I would like it if people would stop referring to the Arthurian Legend or the Arthurian Myth. Most of the Arthurian stories people know come from Medieval romances than can be considered historical fiction set in what was assumed to be a real historical setting and were considered, even then, to be about as accurate as a typical western movie. The earliest references to Arthur seem like myths in some cases, like legends in others, and like history in still others. Re dating the reign of King Arthur disregards the historical elements.
    – M. A. Golding
    Dec 21, 2017 at 19:40
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Nicholas Flamel although a real person, has some degree entered into myth which was then incorporated into the HP universe.

In addition, other common myths like the Loch Ness monster and the Bermuda triangle are mentioned.

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