The Burrow: Dragons: The Misunderstood Beast

by TJ Hues

“His body was monstrous, horrible and vast, Swollen with wrath and poison and with bloody gore; And over all with brazen scales was armed, Like plated coat of steel, that nothing might pierce it, Nor could his body be harmed with dint of sword, Nor push of pointed spear. His wings were like two sails in which the hollow wind is gathered full, And work speedy way. His huge long tail, wound up in hundred folds, Spread across his long back. Spotted with scales of red and black It sweeps all the land behind him far, And at the end two stingers: Both deadly sharp – sharper than steel, by far. His deep devouring jaws Gaped wide, like the grisly mouth of hell, And in either jaw were three rows of iron teeth In which, still trickling blood and raw guts, Recently devoured bodies did appear.”By Edmund Spencer
Who feels that dragons are dangerous foul creatures? Many feel this way; Edmund Spencer was one of those people. I do not however share his opinion. I love dragons and I feel it’s very unfair how they are treated. So to everyone who feels otherwise, I hope by the end of this article I can convince you that you need not fear these magnificent creatures. Of all the creatures in the Harry Potter world the Dragon is one of my favorites (of course). I love the mystical nature that they have. Their beauty is something that should never be taken for granted, but it has.

They have many ways to defend themselves. They shoot fire through their nostrils, they have skin that is stronger than any other species, and they have teeth and horns that can be deadly to anything in their path. Most dragons do not prefer to prey on humans; they instead live on other animals such as sheep and other smaller animals. They usually will only attack a human if provoked. They have low trust to others and because of this most of them live alone instead of living with others of their own type.

They have been hunted and killed by wizards for their organs and their skin. And then they have been given the title of monsters; I feel this is a great injustice to their species. These beautiful creatures are greatly misunderstood. They deserve more respect than they receive. Those who get to know dragons and their nature grow to understand them. They understand that under the rough exterior lies a creature that is extremely faithful to whoever can prove them self. This may not be an easy task but it is worthwhile. There are people who spend their lives studying dragons; these are people that understand the greatness of the dragon and want to learn more about them.

Dragons are not always the enemies of humans. In Asia, dragons are beloved creatures. They are a symbol of strength and leadership. They are highly respected for these qualities. Other nations of wizards have yet to understand and respect the dragon. Hopefully with time, this may change.