J. K. Rowling's young heroic wizard, Harry Potter, lives in a world populated by dragons, centaurs, trolls, giants and a three-headed dog named Fluffy-among other creatures from ancient myths and legends. Discover the astonishing origins of supernatural beasts, clues to hidden meanings in names, and amazing facts about real-life wizards and magic spells.

From alchemists to unicorns, basilisks to veela, this fascinating compendium brings another dimension to Harry's adventures-from The Sorcerer's Stone to The Order of the Phoenix.