Why Newt Scamander's Wizarding World Job Makes No Sense
The whimsical world of Harry Potter and, by extension, Fantastic Beasts, is full of wizardry and wonderment. Thanks to the latest prequel series of films, some of the most interesting magical elements — the magical creatures — have had the chance to take center stage. There is one aspect of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, however, that has some members of the Harry Potter fandom calling fowl (get it?).
The issue implicates Eddie Redmayne's wand-wielding alter ego, Newt Scamander, the main protagonist of the Fantastic Beasts films. In the universe in which the films take place, he's a renowned name in magizoology — the field of study dedicated to understanding magical creatures. As Harry Potter readers know, Scamander eventually goes on to author the in-world book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a popular text at Hogwarts. Throughout the two movies he's appeared in so far, Newt is evidently the expert he's said to be, and for many viewers that's enough. They can just go along with the story. For some, however, Mr. Scamander's qualifications don't quite check out.
Let's see some professional certification, Mr. Scamander
From Nifflers to Billywigs, creatures of all shapes and sizes occupy the Fantastic Beasts canon, leaving magizoologists like Scamander with plenty to study. Of course, not all of these beasts are friendly, and many may even be dangerous if mishandled — something our hero, Newt, knows all too well. You'd think such a potentially deadly career path might require extensive training and higher education — perhaps a licensing process of some kind. Doesn't the Ministry regulate magizoology somehow? In the real world, we certainly don't let people manage zoos or work as veterinarians without training and certification.
With that in mind, consider that across all of the current Wizarding World books and movies there's been no word on how exactly one becomes a certified magizoologist. In Newt's case, we know his mother raised Hippogriffs when he was a child, but does this really qualify as formal training? He did attend Hogwarts for a time, but we have been given no indication how he performed on his OWLs or his NEWTs, and whether or not he was even an advanced pupil in Care of Magical Creatures. What gives? It's obvious that Scamander has a way with fantastic beasts, but if he's going to run around New York City like the preeminent authority on magical pest management, he really ought to be able to produce some receipts.
Could there be another school where he gained formal magizoologist training? Some magical vet school for Hogwarts post-grads? Or does this profession simply require some passing knowledge with the subject, without any formal degree or certification? The people want to know! Maybe we'll find out when the third Fantastic Beasts film hits theaters in 2021.