How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
In retaliation, so the story has it, a gang of McCliverts surrounded the MacBoon dwellings one night and Transfigured each and every MacBoon into a monstrous five- legged creature. The McCliverts realised too late that the Transfigured MacBoons were infinitely more dangerous in this state (the MacBoons had the reputation for great ineptitude at magic). Moreover, the MacBoons resisted every attempt to turn them back into human form. The monsters killed every last one of the McCliverts until no human remained on the island. It was only then that the MacBoon monsters realised that in the absence of anyone to wield a wand, they would be forced to remain as they were forevermore. (25.2)
This story raises a pretty interesting question about the Quintapeds—are they beings or beasts? If they were once wizards, shouldn't they really be classified as beings? Or does the fact that they're now violent and unpredictable mean that they're just beasts forever and always? The world may never know.
Quote #8
Trolls generally converse in grunts that appear to constitute a crude language, though some have been known to understand and even to speak a few simple human words. The more intelligent of the species have been trained as guardians. (28.3)
Trolls very nearly made it into beings status…except for the fact that they're really stupid and can't understand anything about magical laws. That's a strike against them. If everyone had held to the old standard of just being able to speak, wizards would be forced to deal with trolls running around at every single meeting.
Quote #9
This classification refers, of course, to the werewolf in its transformed state. When there is no full moon, the werewolf is as harmless as any other human. For a heartrending account of one wizard's battle with lycanthropy, see the classic Hairy Snout, Human Heart by an anonymous author. (30.1)
Poor werewolves. These guys are forever doomed to have two identities—one of which they definitely don't want. After all, who'd want to be an uncontrollable beast part of the time? Well, who except Fenrir Greyback.