Shrakes were magically created by a group of wizards and witches who felt insulted by Muggles during their fishing expeditions. A group of wizarding fishermen devised the ingenious idea of creating a fish that could wreak havoc on the Muggles when they went fishing. They created a Shrake fish, covered in spines all over, deliberately sought after Muggle fishing nets, and tore them apart with its spines. Shrakes were created in the early 1800s and left into the Atlantic Ocean, where their numbers significantly increased after mating.
The Shrake does not appear in any of the Harry Potter series books. However, many dangerous creatures are seen in them, especially during the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It appears in the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a recommended textbook at Hogwarts, and features in the Harry Potter series.
Etymology
Shrake is a portmanteau of the words “Shred” and “Hake.” While shredding is tearing apart something as the Shrakes do to the Muggle nets, Hake is a type of fish similar to the cod and the haddock. Hakes are fish found primarily in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and are known to grow up to 1 meter in length. Shrakes are similar to hakes in that they are both found in the Atlantic Ocean and are similar in size. The wizarding fisherfolk probably used hakes to breed Shrakes. The spines of this fish made it look very different from the Hake.
Appearance
Shrakes looked very similar to the hakes, which were most likely the fishes used to create Shrakes. However, the spines of a Shrake made it look significantly different from a hake. Since they were a magically created species of fish by a group of wizard fisherfolk, they were created with a specific purpose. They actively sought after Muggle fishing nets and destroyed them, making it difficult for Muggles to catch fish in any sea area.
Shrakes had similar appearances to a sea serpent, as most sea serpents also had a spiny back, and their fins resembled that of a shrake. They made their first appearance in the early 1800s, and the first Shrakes were known to be very aggressive and spare no creature that swam in their way.
Uses of a Shrake
Shrakes were mostly used for the specific purpose for which they were created: to wreak havoc in the fishing nets of Muggles by shredding them apart. They had very sharp spines all over their body, and since they sought after fishing nets cast by Muggles, they could swim through them and cause the nets to tear apart. This, in turn, would cause the Muggle fish nets to drop every fish it had caught back into the ocean. The emergence of Shrakes in the Atlantic Ocean finally meant the end of trouble for wizardkind from Muggles in the fishing front.
Furthermore, the spines on the body of the Shrake were used as potion ingredients in several concoctions. It was mentioned in the Wonderbook: Book of Potions.
The Ministry of Magic Classification of Shrakes and Other Beasts
The Ministry of Magic classifies Shrakes as quite dangerous as they can hurt people if in contact due to their spiny bodies. Shrakes are classified under the XXX category, which puts them in a moderately dangerous category. According to the Ministry of Magic, there are five categories under which magical beasts fall. The Shrakes are in the middle of the classification hierarchy with two categories, both above and below its own. Here is a breakdown of the common magical beasts in the wizarding world and what category they fall into.
Flobberworm is the only common magical beast to fall into category X, the least harmful category of magical beasts.
The Puffskein, Jobberknoll, Clabbert, Ramora, Fairy, Diricawl, Chizpurfle, Bowtruckle, Mooncalf, Ghoul, Gnome, Imp, Augurey, and the Porlock all belong to the XX category of classification for magical beasts.
Other than the Shrake, the Mackled Malaclaw, Kneazle, Hippogriff, Fwooper, Salamander, Streeler, Crup, Pixie, Billywig, Dugbog, Glumbumble, Hodag, Leprechaun, Murtlap, Pogrebin, Moke, Ashwinder, Jarvey, Doxy, Lobalug, Hippocampus, Bundimun, Red Cap, Fire Crab, Niffler, Knarl, Nogtail and Plimpy, all fall under the XXX classification of magical beasts.
The Thunderbird, Sphinx, Re’em, Merpeople, Hidebehind, Phoenix, Tebo, Yeti, Demiguise, Erumpent, Kelpie, Centaur, Graphorn, Thestral, Unicorn, Runespoor, Kappa, Erkling, Troll, Snallygaster, Griffin and Occamy fall under the XXXX classification, which makes them quite dangerous even for wizards and witches. However, untrained wizards, witches, Squibs, and Muggles are suggested to avoid these beasts altogether.
Finally, the Chimaera, Lethifold, Werewolf, Horned Serpent, Wampus Cat, Basilisk, Acromantula, Dragon, Manticore, Quintaped, and Nundu are the magical creatures that fall into the X classification, which makes them some of the most dangerous beasts in the wizarding world.
Most of the abovementioned creatures are discussed in Newt Scamander’s famous treatise, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Some beasts, like the Grindylow and Blast-Ended Skrewts, were also part of the lessons Hogwarts students took over the years. The Golden Snidget was an inspiration for the Golden Snitch in Quidditch.
The sale and purchase of many of these beasts and creatures were illegal and heavily regulated throughout most countries. However, many wizards and witches illegally traded these creatures and their body parts in the black markets, where they were bought at an additional cost beyond their usual value. The disclosure of these trades would result in the imprisonment of anyone involved.
Shrakes and Pranking Muggles
Wizards and witches have long been known to prank Muggles whenever they feel like it, but especially when Muggles have made life difficult for the magical community. The fishing nets of Muggles must have extensively harmed the ecosystem around the time that Shrakes were invented. Therefore, the magical community had to take action and somehow dampen the effect of Muggle fishing nets.
The tension between Muggles and the magical community has been a long-standing phenomenon. However, Muggles are not always at fault, as in this case. Several instances of tension between the communities have just been a powerful dark wizard trying to wipe out the Muggle community. Instances like that of Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort are key examples of this phenomenon.
FAQs
What is a Shrake in Harry Potter?
A Shrake was a type of fish in the Harry Potter series. It was artificially and magically created by a group of wizards and witches who wanted the Muggles to suffer after they insulted the magical fisherfolk. Shrakes were designed to easily cut through the Muggle fishing nets, as they had large spines on their back, making them an asset in destroying Muggle fishing nets.
What is a Snallygaster?
A Snallygaster was a magical beast that resembled a dragon in some respects and was known even in the Muggle world as a Mythological creature. It had reportedly appeared in several muggle newspapers as well. It was known to be endemic to Maryland in the United States of America and was a relative of the Occamy. It is also said to have competed for the “Most Publicity-hungry Beast” post with the Loch Ness Monster.
Which fish cuts Muggle nets?
Shrakes were a type of artificially created fish that were known to cut through Muggle nets. The magical community created them to retaliate in response to the insults heaved at them by the Muggle fishermen. They were created around 1800 and were very active in the seas after that time.
