Talk:Newton Scamander

Headmaster?

Can we really say that Newt Scamander's status as a former headmaster is canon? It may be implied in the movie, but it never is in the books, and the timing does not make sense. If Scamander was born in 1897, that makes him younger than Albus Dumbledore and (presumably) Armando Dippet, the two previous headmasters. According to this wiki, Dippet became headmaster in 1925, and was succeeded by Dumbledore in 1956; these dates correspond to the timeline implied in the books. When would Scamander's tenure possibly have occurred? Akwdb 00:51, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Immediately before Dippett's. When Dippett became Head of Hogwarts, Scamander was 28 and, as far as we know it, his tenure might have only last one or two years. -- Seth Cooper ^{(Owl Post)} 01:03, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Under our canon policy, information from the movies is considered canon, as long as it does not directly contradict the books. I don't recall exactly where in the books it's stated that Dumbledore was appointed immediately after Dippet, but if this is the case, then Newt still could have been Headmaster before either of them, if he was appointed young and served a short tenure like Snape. ★ Starstuff ^{(Owl me!)} 01:13, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Yap. It is not likely he served as Headmaster before 1918 (he was working at the Ministry and was unhappy at his payment, which would not happen if he received two paychecks). His book was published after Dippet was appointed, BUT he might have stopped his expeditions some years before it was published and settled in Britain to compile the information he retrieved and write the other sections of the book (apart from the A-Z of Magical Creatures). He might have been Head during this pre-publishing time. This, of course, if he didn't serve as an Head between Dippett and Dumbledore. -- Seth Cooper ^{(Owl Post)} 01:24, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

It is implied throughout the books that Dumbledore served directly after Dippet, and Dippet is referred to as Dumbledore's "predecessor" at least twice (in Order of the Phoenix and The Tales of Beedle the Bard). If Dippet started in 1925, the timeline that makes the most sense to me is that he directly succeeded Phineas Nigellus Black, whom we know died in 1926. I guess there's no direct contradiction, but I'm still highly skeptical of this. Perhaps someone will ask JKR to clarify the Headmaster succession at some point... Akwdb 17:22, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

Of course, I think Rowling doesn't consider him a Head. If he was, I don't think Rowling would left that out of his Biogrpahy on Fantastic Beasts, but she hasn't denied it. So, for the time being he can be considered a Head. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 17:33, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

But how could Scamander be a headmaster? In Deathly Hallows, Snape does not recieve a picture in the Headmaster's office because he left the position before he died. Scamander has not died yet, and so it would be impossible for him to be honored in that form. --Parodist 11:25, 27 August 2009 (UTC)

Snape did not imediately recieve a portrait because he abandoned his position, wheras Scamander presumably retired legitimately. Jayden Matthews 15:02, 27 August 2009 (UTC)

That is confirmed in OotP, where Dumbledore's portrait doesn't appear in the Head's Tower after he ran away from the Ministry. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 00:20, September 18, 2009 (UTC)

Yes, but Dumbledore's portrait would not need to appear, because he already has one in the office, as seen in the Chamber of Secrets film. --Parodist 01:05, September 18, 2009 (UTC)

He has two, in fact. One on the small chamber behind the desk and one with all the other Heads. But they are non-canonical, as HBP says:

" [...] a new portrait had joined the ranks of the dead headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts: Dumbledore was slumbering in a golden frame above his desk, his half-moon spectacles perched upon his crooked nose, looking peaceful and untroubled."

— p. 626, H/B USA Edition

A new portrait; this seems to exclude that there was already a portrait of AD. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 01:33, September 18, 2009 (UTC)

But wait a minute... the ranks of the dead headmasters and headmistresses. Hmmmm. Should this mean Scamander wasn't a Head? --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 01:46, September 18, 2009 (UTC)

Perhaps. However, it would be possible that the portrait appearing after his death was his official portrait as headmaster, and that the portrait of him that was already there was simply a personal item. It was in the chamber behind his desk that seems to be used as sleeping quarters. --Parodist 11:21, September 18, 2009 (UTC)

Bumping. We really have to reconsider on the canonicity of the claim that Newt was a Headmaster from the quote above. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 15:50, November 15, 2009 (UTC)

Does the portrait actually identify him specifically as Newt? From what I can tell, it just says "N. Scamander." I think, the film-makers definitely intended for him to be the Professor, but there's always the slightest chance that N. is a relative of Newt's. ----Parodist ^{(Send me an Owl)} 21:43, December 8, 2009 (UTC)

Harry's copy of FB, which was reprinted for a muggle version, was bought in 1991, and the Portrait is shown in 1992. Conclusion: He died between September 1991 and December 1992, and returned as a ghost (or in another form) to visit the castle. Just like fellow headmaster Amberose Swott did.--Rodolphus 13:07, July 27, 2010 (UTC)

But how would that explain Newt's dates in COS/g? --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 13:29, July 27, 2010 (UTC)

In this case, the game contradicts the film and is not cannon. Or the card could have been released before the death or has not yet been updated. I tend to say the first is right.--Rodolphus 13:33, July 27, 2010 (UTC)

Bumping--Rodolphus 09:06, July 28, 2010 (UTC)

Makes sense. If no one has any objections, I'll add it to the article. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 14:12, July 28, 2010 (UTC)

Should we add it now?--Rodolphus 08:55, July 29, 2010 (UTC)

Harry's copy of Fantastic Beasts may have been bought in 1991, but it contains obvious annotations (such as those in the Horntail, mermaid, and Leprechaun entries) that wouldn't have been made until the trio's fourth year, so in 1994-1995. Since the foreward was written by Dumbledore around the time he borrowed Harry's book for publication, it can be assumed that Scamander was still alive at that point; otherwise, the "About the Author" section would have been changed. 64.180.44.128 01:16, September 8, 2011 (UTC) Nick

Still, it might have been an outdated edition that Harry, Ron and Hermione doodled all over. Their doodles were clearly added sometime after the book's publication. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 01:28, September 8, 2011 (UTC)

Hogwarts visit

It is possible that Newt visit Hogwarts to ask Dumbledore writing the introduction of his book?Pol 871 18:14, July 5, 2010 (UTC)

Hogwarts School Years

Hi, this is my first post on here, so if I do something wrong, please point it out. I was wondering about the Hogwarts school years on this page. It says "From 1908 to 1916, he attended Hogwarts." If he started Hogwarts in 1908, and Hogwarts is a 7 year school, his last year would have been 1915, not 1916. That is, of course, unless he failed a year. Is there an explanation, or is it just a mistake/typo?

Deathislife2011 09:36, January 17, 2012 (UTC)

That's correct. To put it another way, he attended Hogwarts from the 1908-1909 school year to the 1915-1916 school year. Get it? -- 1337star (Owl Post) 17:49, January 17, 2012 (UTC)

I understand that. His school years would be as follows:

1908-1909: First Year

1909-1910: Second Year

1910-1911: Third Year

1911-1912: Fourth Year

1912-1913: Fifth Year

1913-1914: Sixth Year

1914-1915: Seventh Year

Following this logic, he never went to school during the 1915-1916 school year.

Deathislife2011 11:51, January 18, 2012 (UTC)