fantastic beasts and where to find them main cast

When the final installment of the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was released in theaters, many were sad to see the Boy Who Lived and all his friends go. Still more of us, however, knew that both Rowling and Warner Bros. were unlikely to let this franchise simply slip away. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before both announced that a new film would premier in 2016, with the release of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, based on the book of the same name within the Wizarding World by magizoologist Newt Scamander.

With the release of the film just over the horizon, we wanted to explore some of the many characters from the franchise who are old enough to appear in the 1926-set film, and would have the inclination to either show in New York and run into Newt, or appear in a flashback or credits tag. Here are 15 Harry Potter Characters Who Could Appear In Fantastic Beasts.

15. Kennilworthy Whisp

The green front cover of Quidditch Through The Ages

Though never appearing in the films, Kennilworthy Whisp still holds a special place in the hearts of Harry Potter fans as the author of Quidditch Through The Ages, a book that exists both in-universe and in real life detailing the history of magic’s favorite sport. Published in "1952", the tome shares with Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them the distinction of not only being referenced in the Harry Potter series, but being published along with those books by J.K. Rowling (using Whisp as her pseudonym), making it one of just eleven physically released books which detail her Wizarding World.

While it’s unknown when Whisp was born, the publication date of Quidditch makes it more than possible that he was a young man during the 1926 setting of the film. Though, like Newt Scamander, Whisp presumably hails from the UK, it’s hard to ignore how fun it would be for the two authors to meet while visiting New York.

14. Tom Riddle Sr.

Tom Riddle Sr in Harry Potter

The man who would become He Who Must Not Be Named wasn’t born until the very last day of 1926, meaning a cameo by Tom Riddle is out of the question, much as we’d love to see it; his father, Tom Riddle, Sr., is another story. Born to wealthy parents in 1905 and said to look much like his son, Riddle was 21 when Merope Gaunt gave birth to baby Voldemort.

Given his financial standing, it’s more than possible that Riddle was able to travel the world in his youth and very well could have visited bustling New York during the mid 20s, especially since we know that he was unaware of Merope’s pregnancy. The only complication arises when you consider that Dumbledore himself speculated that Merope used magic, such as the Imperius Curse or, more likely, a love potion, to ensnare Riddle. If that’s the case, he may have been magically incapable of leaving Little Hangleton while Merope was with child.

13. Aunt Muriel

Aunt Muriel in Harry Potter

While Matyelok Gibbs's role in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as a cantankerous gossip never gets a name, book readers know she's playing the part of Aunt Muriel, the brash great-aunt of Ron Weasley and his siblings. Though her film appearance is much-abridged, the books let us know that she grew up in Godric’s Hallow alongside Dumbledore and his family. This unique position, and her disposition for gossip, leads her to spill all sorts of details about Albus’ youth to Harry (who is then disguised as a distant Weasley relative in the books).

Born before the dawn of the 20th century, Muriel is well-placed to find herself abroad during the events of Fantastic Beasts. Given her wealth of knowledge about the goings-on across the pond and key pieces of wizarding history, and coupled with her abrasive nature and no-nonsense attitude, Muriel could provide a fun and fascinating foil to Scamander. This what would surely go down as a fan-favorite cameo.

12. Elphias Doge

Elphias Doge in Harry Potter

Like Muriel, Elphias Doge was born in the late-nineteenth century and knew Dumbledore from a young age. Introduced in the same wedding scene as Muriel, Doge is a loyal, though somewhat doddering, defender of Dumbledore’s. Doge has a much more intriguing history than his understated nature would suggest. More than just knowing Dumbledore, Doge was childhood friends with him, attending Hogwarts with the man who would become legend. On top of that, he was also an inaugural member of the Order of the Phoenix and did battle against Voldemort’s forces during the First Wizarding War.

Though the Order, Voldemort, and the war will be far beyond the horizon during Fantastic Beasts, given Doge's unique place in the some of the most interesting aspects of magical history in Britain, he would make for a very enjoyable cameo. Seeing a young Doge could be a lot of fun, especially if he comes equipped with an interesting story or two about his talented friend Albus.

11. Professor Binns

Professor Binns from Harry Potter

If you've only ever seen the films, you’ll be quite unaware of the name Professor Binns. For reader of the books, however, he holds a very unique position. Teaching the potentially fascinating (though, in his hands, rather dull) subject of History of Magic, Cuthbert Binns shares the onerous distinction of being the only deceased member of the faculty at Hogwarts School For Witchcraft and Wizardry. The tale is well-known among the students: Binns died in his sleep in the staffroom at Hogwarts, and, upon “waking,” got up and continued teaching classes as a ghost. It’s assumed that he expired sometime in the 1970s, but given his ghostly appearance as a fairly old man, it’s safe to assume he would have been in his prime during the 1920s.

With such a deep connection to the books and readers but no appearance in the films yet, it would be somewhat cathartic to finally meet Professor Binns in Fantastic Beasts; only this time, in the flesh. Even more exciting, it would add an interesting wrinkle to one of the unexplored faculty members at Hogwarts if we knew a bit about his youthful travels-- what he was like as a young fan of history. It seems likely that he and Scamander would have much to talk about.

10. Aberforth Dumbledore

Aberforth Dumbledore with Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter

Like his older brother Albus, Aberforth was born in the 1880s in Mould-on-the-Wold before moving to Godric’s Hollow with his family. Unlike his brother, however, little is known about Aberforth and what he spent most of his life doing. We know, of course, all about the scuffle between him, his brother, and Grindelwald that led to the death of the young Ariana Dumbledore, but between then and the beginning of his duties as barman of the Hog’s Head and his prosecution in the 1980s for “using inappropriate charms on a goat,” much of his adult life is a mystery.

Knowing how furious he was with his brother after the death of Ariana (he broke Albus’ nose at her funeral, after all), it would make sense that Aberforth would want to get far, far away. With a surly attitude and a begrudging connection to one of of history’s greatest wizards, it could be a nice treat for fans to see Aberforth show up in Fantastic Beasts and flesh out a bit of his backstory.

9. Nicholas Flamel

Harry Potter reaching for the Sorcerer's Stone

Nicholas Flamel is a name well-known by both book and film audiences, despite the fact that neither group has ever met the elderly alchemist. In fact, Dumbledore seems to be the only character in the entire series who has. Serving as a pivotal plot point as the owner of the titular stone in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Flamel is revealed to be over 600 hundred years old, thanks to the power of of the Sorcerer’s (or Philosopher’s) Stone that he invented. Not only can the little red rock turn any metal into gold, but it can create an elixir that can indefinitely prolong the life of the drinker (so long as they keep drinking it). Though he and his wife eventually cede this gift so that Dumbledore can destroy the stone, thus keeping it out of Voldemort’s hands, Flamel is able to live quite a long and prosperous life up until then.

Having never appeared in the books or films, it’d be a blast for Scamander or another character in Fantastic Beasts to bump into Flamel and his wife while they were on holiday in the States. It’s unlikely that any other character in the series could offer up as many interesting stories about the wizarding world, as Flamel has likely seen many fascinating events occur since his birth in the 1300s.

8. Bathilda Bagshot

Bathilda Bagshot

As the great-aunt of Gellert Grindelwald, a resident of Godric’s Hollow and friend of Albus’ mother, a professor at Hogwarts, and the renowned author of A History Of Magic, Bathilda Bagshot is one of the most potentially interesting people in Rowling’s magical world. It’s sad, then, that we really know so little about her. Her one appearance in the books is merely an impostor wearing her skin, but given how she’s talked about by everyone from Hermione to Muriel, she’s sure to be rivaled by only Flamel for the stories she could tell and the knowledge she must possess.

As a noted historian, it’s not hard to believe that Bagshot did a bit of travelling in her younger days in an effort to cull the information she would eventually fasten into her famous tome, published in 1947. Knowing that, a chance encounter with Newt Scamander while studying the wizarding world of the United States would surely prove to be enlightening for both him and the audience.

7. Griphook

Warwick Davis in Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone

The goblins of Harry Potter are oft misunderstood and rarely highlighted, save for Griphook. Griphook, the goblin who shows Harry to his vault during his first trip to the wizarding bank Gringott’s, later shows up on the run from Voldemort and his Death Eaters during the Second Wizarding War. From there, he’s eventually rescued by Harry and the gang before joining them in their heist of his old place of employment. He and his species are deeply nuanced-- though they project a somewhat sinister and conniving front to the world-- so spending a little bit of time exploring our favorite goblin could be a lot of fun.

We don’t know his age, but it’s assumed that goblins live quite a long time, and given Gringott’s dealings all over the world, it’s entirely possible that a young Griphook was sent to the States, possibly to check on a branch of the bank in New York. Even better, it could be revealed that he has a history with or relationship to the universe's newest goblin character Gnarlack, played by Ron Perlman in Fantastic Beasts.

6. Gregorovitch

Gregorovitch backed up against a shelf in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

As another pivotal book and film character that we spend precious little time with, wandmaker Mykew Gregorovitch has some intriguing connections to some of the post powerful wizards and artifacts in the wizarding world. Outfitting a number of dark wizards and Durmstrang students with their wands, and once owning the famous Death Stick, Gregorovitch potentially has a number of layers that are just waiting to be peeled back.

Though his age is unknown, we know he’s already an old man by the time Grindelwald steals the Elder Wand from him, making it perfectly reasonable that he'd appear in New York during the 1920s. His connection to the dark wizard who’s tearing across Europe during the time period of Fantastic Beasts could prove enlightening and, given Rowling’s expansion of North American wandlore on Pottermore this year, it would be more than fitting to have Gregorovitch hop across the pond to see what his Stateside competitors are up to.

5. Professor Flitwick

Flitwick with Hagrid in Harry Potter

Though we know that Fillius Flitwick became a professor at Hogwarts sometime in the 1970s, it’s unknown exactly when he was born. Given his noted goblin ancestry, however, it’s not a stretch to imagine that he’s been around quite awhile. As the Charms teacher at Hogwarts, Flitwick is a master of his craft, and surely put some miles on his soul during his youth while travelling around and gaining the knowledge that he’d someday pass on to students.

It would be fitting, then, to have him appear either in New York while Newt is there, or even in a flashback or scene early in the movie before Newt leaves on his journey. Given that Warwick Davis is always a welcome presence in any genre film, it doesn’t seem like a stretch for Rowling and director David Yates to find a way to fit Flitwick into a scene in Fantastic Beasts.

4. Dobby

Dobby helps rescue his friends from Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Like with goblins, we’re never told how long house-elves like Dobby live. Furthermore, it’s unknown whether house-elves are born into servitude, or if they come under the ownership of a wizarding family later in their life. Given all of those vagaries, and the powerful magic we know Dobby to have-- which enables him to easily leave his master’s home whenever he sees fit-- it seems a shame not to find a way to include one of the most beloved characters from the Harry Potter franchise into Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them.

Dobby is always a joy to have around, whether helping people so much that he unintentionally hurts them or showcasing his astonishing abilities. With his tragic end, his appearance could make for a beautiful addition to the film. Who wouldn’t want to see the bumbling Scamander and the kind-hearted Dobby running around, trying to wrangle magical creatures together?

3. Grindelwald

Dumbledore and Grindelwald in Harry Potter

Second only to Voldemort as the most fearsome dark wizard ever, Gellert Grindelwald is more than primed to appear in Fantastic Beasts. His rise to power in Europe has already been teased both by MACUSA president Seraphina Picquery and a newspaper clipping in the Fantastic Beasts trailer, and a shot from behind of a blond wizard has also led many to believe that his frightening reign of terror will spill over into the States. It’s also quite possible that Scamander encounters Grindelwald while traveling the world and collecting his creatures, or before he even leaves Britain for the US.

Since we now know that Fantastic Beasts is being set up as a five-film franchise, it may even be possible that Grindelwald will serve as the series' Big Bad, giving us some new insight into what the dark wizard and former friend of Albus got up to between fleeing Godric’s Hollow and dueling Dumbledore for the fate of the wizarding world.

2. A Distant Relative Of Harry’s

An aged Harry, Ron, and Hermione look on in the Harry Potter epilogue.

Even without any hint that this could occur, many have speculated that a distant relative of the famous Harry Potter may appear in the upcoming spinoff. Thanks to a recent Pottermore piece by Rowling, though, it now seems more likely than ever.

Over on the site, she provides a breakdown for one of the key organizations in Fantastic Beasts: The Magical Congress of the United States of America. Like the Ministry of Magic in the UK, MACUSA serves as the governing body for all things magical in the States. In Rowling's history, she provides the names of the first twelve Aurors (magical detectives, of sorts) to serve MACUSA way back in 1693 when it was founded.

Lo and behold: one of the names given is Abraham Potter, who she notes was later found by genealogists to be a distant relative of Harry’s. While he’d be far too old to appear in the 1920s-set film (barring a friendship with Nicholas Flamel), it’s safe to assume that some people with the Potter lineage still remain in the US, leaving the opportunity open for a fun cameo that may mean nothing to Scamander, but everything to audiences.

1. Dumbledore

Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This one seems like a slam dunk. With connections to almost every character in the franchise and the universal adoration of Potter fans around the world, there’s no way our number one choice for a Fantastic Beasts cameo could be anybody but Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. At 45, seeing Dumbledore during one of his many trips around the world at this pivotal time in his life would be too good to pass up. With Grindelwald’s rise, we could find Albus on the search for the Elder Wand, or any other information that could assist him. Who better to share tips with than Newt Scamander, as he races around New York trying to recapture his creatures.

Over the years, we learned quite a bit about Dumbledore’s youth and his time as a professor and headmaster at Hogwarts, but the years of his life after his sister’s death and before he took down Grindelwald have yet to be filled in with many details. While he could always be recast, it wouldn’t quite be the same if Michael Gambon didn’t return to reprise his role and lay those piercing blue eyes upon us all again.

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What do you all think are the chances of some of these characters appearing in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them? Anyone you’d like to see make a cameo that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them will release on November 18, 2016.