Chinese Fireball

Chinese Fireball
Species information
Eye colour	Yellow
Skin colour	Scarlet
Related to	Dragon
Native to	China
Alternative names	Liondragon
Length of average adult	25ft
Mortality	Mortal
Distinction	Shot mushroom-shaped fire from nostrils Carnivorous Generally tolerant towards other dragons Fast and intelligent
Affiliation	Romanian Dragon Sanctuary Chinese Dragon Sanctuary
Ministry of Magic Classification	Beast XXXXX
Status	Extant

"...a red one with an odd fringe of fine gold spikes around its face, which was shooting mushroom-shaped fire clouds into the air..."

— Description of a Chinese Fireball

The Chinese Fireball (Chinese: 中國火球龍), also known as the Liondragon, was a dragon native to China, which was named for the rounded balls of flame that shot from its nostrils.

Description

The dragon breathing fire

Physical description

The Fireball was scarlet in colour and smooth scaled, with a fringe of golden spikes around its snub-snouted face and extremely protuberant eyes. They weighed between two and four tons. Its diet was carnivorous, consisting of mainly mammals, with many Fireballs preferring pigs and humans.

The Chinese Fireball breed of dragons generally yielded females that were larger than males. The eggs of the Fireball were vivid crimson speckled with gold, and the shells were prized for use in Chinese wizardry. Powdered Chinese Fireball eggs had uses that were discovered by Quong Po in the 15th or 16th century.

Traits

Its name was derived from the mushroom-shaped flame that came from its nostrils when angered, along with the large mushroom-shaped flame it could shoot from its mouth. The Fireball was aggressive but, unlike other dragons, it was more tolerant of its own kind, and would sometimes consent to share its territory with up to two other dragons. They were also said to be very fast and clever (at least for a dragon).

The egg of the Chinese Fireball

Potion ingredient

The powdered spikes of the Fireball could be used to brew the Hair-Dying Potion.

The claws of the Chinese Fireball were the first ingredient in Dai Ryusaki's mind-enhancing potion, the ingredients and recipe of which was sought by the Dark organisation R in their attempts to overthrow the British Ministry of Magic.

During the 1990–1991 school year, one of the members of R, Eustace Burke, attempted to break into the vault of Sir Elric Parpidum, a famous dragon killer who kept trophies of his kills in his vault, to acquire some Chinese Fireball claws, then later went to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary for the same reason. After his apprehension, Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde, an upper-ranking member of R, managed to acquire some claws in order to complete the potion.

History

Sir Elric Parpidum's duel

Sir Elric Parpidum was a famous dragon killer who was active centuries before the 20th century. His most famous duel was with a Chinese Fireball, which he killed and took the claws of as a trophy, storing the claws in his vault in Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

20th century

The Chinese Fireball at the Magical Creatures Reserve

In the 1985–1986 school year, a Chinese Fireball resided in the Scorched Vale of the Magical Creatures Reserve. During the 1985–1986 school year, Rubeus Hagrid introduced her to Jacob's sibling, who helped her regain the ability to breathe fire.

A Chinese Fireball was used as one of the obstacles in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament in 1994, brought to Hogwarts by Charles Weasley. Viktor Krum faced the dragon in an attempt to retrieve a Golden egg it was guarding, and used a Conjunctivitis Curse to temporarily blind the dragon and snatch the golden egg, but it crushed its own eggs and because of that, points were taken off.

2010–2011 school year

The Chinese Fireball at the moment it hatched

The egg of a Chinese Fireball was stolen from a legal trade sanctioned by the British Ministry of Magic by Long Shouren and a Hogwarts student. They hid the egg at the Room of Requirement, but the egg hatched before Shouren could find a secure home for it, the female hatchling was then cared by the student and Colby Frey.

Behind the scenes

A Chinese Fireball as seen in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

• Despite being from China, the Fireball resembles a European dragon. In China, dragons are portrayed as being low-slung, elongated and slender with no wings. They are also traditionally associated with water rather than fire, and are usually portrayed as benevolent to people.
• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, the Chinese Fireball is the first dragon to be seen. It will block the player's progress with a steady stream of flame, and its egg must be hatched so that it will become distracted with the hatchling.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened