Fire Crab

Fire Crab
Species information
Eye colour	Black
Skin colour	Grey
Related to	Blast-Ended Skrewt
Native to	Fiji
Mortality	Mortal
Distinction	Jewelled shell which is extremely valuable Shoots flames from rear end
Affiliation	Fire
Ministry of Magic Classification	Beast XXX
Status	Endangered

"Despite its name, the Fire Crab greatly resembles a large tortoise with a heavily jewelled shell. In its native Fiji, a stretch of coast has been turned into a reservation for its protection, not only against Muggles, who might be tempted by its valuable shell, but also against unscrupulous wizards, who use the shells as highly prized cauldrons. The Fire Crab does, however, have its own defence mechanism: it shoots flames from its rear end when attacked. Fire Crabs are exported as pets, but a special licence is necessary."

— Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The Fire Crab was a large, tortoise-like crab magical beast native to the island of Fiji. Different Fire Crab variants existed which could be identified by the jewels in their shells. Noted variants included shells fitted with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.

Description

It had six legs and a heavily jewelled, multicoloured shell. It was able to defend itself by shooting flames from its rear end when attacked. The Fire Crab was a protected species, and a reservation had been created to protect them from Muggles who would value the jewelled shell, as well as wizards who used the shells as cauldrons.

Fire Crabs were sold and exported as pets in places such as the Magical Menagerie, but the owners required a special licence. The Ministry of Magic stated that a competent wizard should be able to cope with this animal, however they still officially advised wizards not to approach a Fire Crab from behind or to leave it unattended near flammable material. Fifth-years, for their Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L., had to demonstrate how to feed and clean a Fire Crab without sustaining serious burns. According to Liz Tuttle, Fijian wizards sometimes used Fire Crabs to power the cooking pits during their luau feasts.

History

During the 1984–1985 school year, a Fire Crab was one of the three pets that Amos Diggory brought from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures as a potential gift for Rubeus Hagrid's birthday celebration. During the 1987–1988 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, fourth-year students were educated about the handling of Fire Crabs in Care of Magical Creatures by Professor Silvanus Kettleburn. During one of these lessons, Kettleburn used a Fire Crab named Hieronymus to show his students.

In the summer of 1993, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley saw a Fire Crab for sale in the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley. Rubeus Hagrid was able to get Fire Crabs and Manticores to mate before the start of the 1994–1995 school year, creating the hybrid Blast-Ended Skrewts. During the Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations in 1996 at Hogwarts, fifth year examinees for Care of Magical Creatures class had to demonstrate how to clean and feed a Fire Crab without sustaining serious burns.

During the 2010–2011 school year, Professor Horace Slughorn encountered a Fire Crab being sold by a disreputable seller in Hogsmeade and purchased it to ensure it wouldn't be killed in order to turn its shell into a cauldron or to sell its valuable jewels. He had intended to transfer the creature to Rubeus Hagrid so that it could find a new home at a Fire Crab sanctuary in Fiji. However, as Hagrid was unavailable, Slughorn was forced to bring the Fire Crab back to the Potions Classroom at Hogwarts. Unable to move the Fire Crab when his class began without risking serious injury, Slughorn explained the situation to his students, with one offering to help him calm the creature down. After the Fire Crab had been calmed, Slughorn commended the student for their efforts before eventually transferring the creature to Hagrid.

During the Calamity in the late 2010s and early 2020s, Rubeus Hagrid allowed Magizoologist members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force to help him handle several live Fire Crabs. However, the primary takeaway they got from this was a boost in their tolerance of pain.

Behind the scenes

A Fire Crab as depicted in PC version of the Philosopher's Stone video game

A Fire Crab as seen in the PC version of the Prisoner of Azkaban video game

• Despite being a protected species, Fire Crabs appear as enemies that can be killed in many Harry Potter video games. Therefore, their role as such is likely not canon.
• In the Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets GBA and PC video games based on the series, the player must hit a Fire Crab with the Tickling Charm (or the Knockback Jinx at least twice, which is what it took for Harry since he didn't learn the Tickling Charm until his second year) to stun it, then cast the Knockback Jinx to push it into a pit. It will then either cease its attacks on you or be unable to attack you.
  • In the PC versions Fire Crabs can be encountered in the Forbidden Forest, Rictusempra Challenge, Skurge Challenge or in certain areas of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
  • In the PC version of Philosopher's Stone, Harry encounters a "Fire Turtle" in the Fire Seed Caves in the Forbidden Forest. The "Fire Turtle" appears to be an early version of the Fire Crab. Its look is likely due to the "first-time creation".
  • In the GBA version of Chamber of Secrets, a Fire Crab is a Vaults Guardian at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
• In the console versions of the Chamber of Secrets video game, Incendio can be cast at a flipped over Fire Crab to kill it.
• In the Prisoner of Azkaban game, it can be knocked over and pushed around with the Tickling Charm.
• In the GBA version of Goblet of Fire, they have to be splashed with water on their rear end.
• In the DS, PSP and IOS versions of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Fire Crabs are an enemy that can't be killed, but can be stunned using Stupefy. They also appear in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance) (as "tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell")
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only) (First identified as Fire Crab)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (GBA version only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (DS/PSP/IOS version only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (DS/IOS version only)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy (Mentioned only)

See also

• Blast-Ended Skrewt
• Fire Dwelling Salamander