- "...any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws"
- — Definition of a being[src]
Being is a classification created by the Ministry of Magic to categorise creatures in the wizarding world. The definition of a being is a creature that can understand and shape the laws of the wizarding world.[1]
It appears in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
History[]
In the fourteenth century, the Wizards' Council first thought it was necessary to integrate non-wizards. In order to facilitate it effectively, they had decide who can have a voice in governance and who is truly worthy of certain legal rights. Those that could were to be labelled a being, while other creatures were to be classified a beast.[1]
Burdock Muldoon, Chief of the Wizards' Council, was the first to try. However, his definition of a being was any creature that could walk on two legs, which did not work because there are two-legged creatures that do not possess the level of intelligence to understand wizarding law. He invited such creatures to a meeting which ended with trolls destroying the chamber, creatures like Diricawls making a racket, others like pixies giggling while flying around and Burdock slipped on Porlock dung when he tried to open up proceedings. Burdock decided that there was no need fo integrate non-wizards and forsworn any further efforts.[1]
Burdock's successor, Elfrida Clagg redefined a beast as a creature that can speak in the human tongue. Creatures that could make themselves understood were asked to attend a gathering so they could prove their ability to speak. Clagg also failed to reach a resolution. Trolls had been taught a few simple sentences by goblins and proceeded to destroy the hall with their clubs. Jarveys ran under the table and bit any ankles they could reach. Ghosts left in protest when they realised the needs of the living were to be prioritised. Centaurs, now classified as beings, protested by refusing to attend because the new definition did not include merpeople who can only speak Mermish above water.[1]
In 1811, Grogan Stump finally reached an adequate definition of a being and beast. A being is a creature with enough intelligence to understand the laws of the wizarding world and "bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws". With this, Stump ensured that creatures like trolls, who were questioned without goblin representatives and did not understand what was being said to them, fairies, pixies and gnomes received the categorisation of beast.[1]
However, this is not without criticism. Centuars and merpeople objected to being classified a being because they did not want to be put in the same group as Dark creatures like hags and vampire. Creatures like Acromantulas and Manitcores who are capable of a human level of intelligence but behave in savage and dangerous ways still received the beast classification. Werewolves were shunted between beast and being divisions for years. They were eventually considered to be a being when they are human and a beast when they are a werewolf.[1]
Ghosts would have fallen under the being definition but they consider themselves "has-beens" and did not feel these two categorisations to be an adequate description of what they are. Stump then decided to create a new classification, spirit, and set up a Spirit Division.[1]