About
Newton 'Newt' Scamander owned a magical briefcase, bewitched with an Undetectable Extension Charm, in which he housed a vast number of magical beasts while he travelled. He could hide the contents from Muggles by flipping a switch on the case.
This case accompanied him to New York City in 1926. During this time, several of his beasts escaped by accident and wreaked havoc across the city.
History
In 1926, Newt Scamander took the case with him to New York City, where he was supposed to briefly stop before a trip to Arizona to release his Thunderbird, Frank, into the wild. Upon arrival, the case was inspected by muggle border control workers. Seeing one of the latches was flicked open (presumably by the Niffler), Scamander ensured the case was set to its 'Muggle-Worthy' setting, which displayed his clothes and goods to the boarding patrol guard rather than the beasts he cared for.
When Scamander stopped in front of the Steen National Bank to listen to one of Mary Lou Barebone's speeches, the Niffler managed to escape the case and run into the bank, where it attempted to steal valuables from the vaults. The Niffler was swiftly returned to the case by Newt.
When Newt Scamander, aided by ex-Auror Porpentina 'Tina' Goldstein, arrived to retrieve the case, he discovered an injured and confused Kowalski. Helping Kowalski to his feet, Goldstein took the duo to her apartment. After a meal, when Kowalski and Scamander lay in beds provided by Porpentina and her sister, Queenie, Scamander opened the case and invited Kowalski inside, so that he could assess which of his creatures managed to escape.
Inside, the two of them took care of the jobs that needed doing, including feeding the Mooncalves and a Marmite.
Scamander, guided by Kowalski, took the case with him to secure the escaped creatures. At a jewelry store, Scamander captured the Niffler, who was safely returned to the case. Soon afterward the Erumpent was discovered in the Central Park Zoo. This immense beast proved difficult to return to the case, mostly due to its large size and increasing desire to mate with Kowalski (who had accidentally covered himself in Erumpent musk), although it too was safely returned.
Tina, annoyed that Scamander and Kowalski deserted her, tracked them down and captured them inside the case by locking it while they were inside. She swiftly presented the case to Seraphina Picquery, who after hearing that the case contained a detached Obscurial, ordered the arrest of the trio and seizing of the case by Percival Graves (mass-murderer Gellert Grindelwald in disguise). However, Queenie was able to help Kowalski escape imprisonment and steal the case back, which she used to hide Kowalski, her sister, and Scamander during their escape from the ministry.
The case was taken to a department store in order to capture Dougal, the escaped Demiguise, and the baby Occamy that Dougal was babysitting. Dougal let himself be captured easily knowing Newt's harmless intentions and liking life inside the case, but the young Occamy (possibly the one that was hatched at the bank) provided a challenge. After shrinking it inside of a teapot by temptation of a cockroach, Scamander, Kowalski, and the Goldstein sisters headed inside of the case where they take care of the creatures (it is presumed that the escaped Billywigs were either captured off-screen, or Newt either forgot about them (at some point he was aware that one had escaped) or simply let them escape, due to them being too fast, small, and safe to cause harm or destruction.
Scamander, attempting to subdue a raging Obscurial named Credence Barebone, hands the case to Tina, who gave it to her sister after chasing after Newt. After Credence was seemingly killed and Graves was captured and revealed to be the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald in disguise, Newt was tasked with Obliviating the non-magical citizens of New York, who were now aware that wizardkind and magic exist. Scamander, who had previously wanted to release Frank - his Thunderbird - in Arizona, set him free here, where he flew into a brewing storm which he contaminated with diluted Swooping Evil venom. The rain (which was given powerful Obliviatory properties due to the venom) washed away their negative memories of magic, successfully managing to keep the American wizarding world secret from the No-Maj world.
After saying goodbye to Jacob, Tina, and Queenie, Scamander boarded a boat back to England and took his case with him.
Description
Newt's briefcase was an old, brown, leather briefcase with Muggle-Worthy switches to hide the contents from Muggles. It was made sometime before 1926.
Inside was a magically vastly expanded world where Newt housed his many creatures. The beasts were often then released back into their natural habitats once Newt deemed them fit enough to survive on their own.
However, the case held a switch labeled 'Muggle-Worthy'. When flicked, it transformed back into a regular briefcase. As a regular case, it contained clothes, a tour brochure, a compass, a Hufflepuff scarf, gloves, a magnifying glass, a map, and binoculars amongst other things.
Magical Interior
The briefcase contained its own magically expanded world with many different Atmospheric Charms placed to sustain a number of different habitats for each creature. It also contained a shed for Newt. Newt's shed had a picture of Leta Lestrange, his notebooks, Beast codes, a copy of Bestiarium Magicum, plants, Beak Balm, Shell Shiner, and other Magizoology books.
There were many habitats within the case specially constructed for each of the various creatures that Scamander kept inside:
- Bamboo Forest Habitat - An area with tall trees that held nests for birds. A nest made of curled bamboo lay on the floor that several young Occamies resided in. At least one tree was designated to a group of Bowtruckles. A hollowed ball made of stone hung from a tree, home to a single Demiguise. Just outside of the bamboo forest lay a series of stone constructions created by Giant Dung Beetles. It was possible that they lived here.
- Earthen Habitat - A large floating earthen area with a thick tree on top. Roots hung down from underneath which touched the floor. This area overlooked the floating tree habitat, the bamboo forest, and Newt's shed. The Niffler resided in a small hollow which it had decorated with gold.
- Floating Tree Habitat - A smaller floating piece of earth covered in golden leaves. A cluster of small trees sprouted upwards. This habitat was positioned just below the bamboo forest. It was unknown what creature lived here.
- Chinese Pagoda - At first glance a small Chinese Pagoda, upon entering it transformed into a magically-expanded cave, using a charm much like the briefcase's own. Inside were several smaller cave tunnels, as well as dozens of stalactites and stalagmites. Two Runespoors - an infant and one much larger lived in this area.
- Erumpent Habitat - A grassland area reminiscent of the African Savannah. It was a dry area with pale grass and wide-brimmed trees which offered shade from the sun. One of the enclosure's walls was broken. This was where the Erumpent lived.
- Graphorn Habitat - A flat, grey area that led into a tall rock formation. The Graphorns live here. This habitat was positioned behind the bamboo forest and Newt's shed. Just outside of this habitat was a perch for a Fwooper, although as it was a single perch and that more than one Fwooper lived inside of the case, it can be assumed that the Fwooper habitat was not the same as the Graphorns'.
- Nundu Habitat - A rainforest area where the Nundu resided. As well as many trees, this place also held a large rocky outcrop that the Nundu walked on. This area led into the Mooncalf habitat.
- Thunderbird Habitat - A large rock formation that was surrounded by desert reminiscent of the Arizona desert designated to the Thunderbird.
- Mooncalf Habitat - A small rocky mountain with grass and trees that grew upon it, where the Moocalves resided.
- Grindylow Habitat - A large square of water that the Grindylows inhabit. The creatures were able to float around outside of the water in large bubbles of water. This habitat was between the Nundu Habitat and the Mooncalf Habitat. It is possible that the Marmite lived here as well.
- Lightbulb Habitat - Floating above the other environments, Newt kept several empty lightbulbs that younger Glow Worms inhabited. Occasionally, Newt used these for lighting. As a huge cluster of butterfly-like creatures were shown flying up to these, it can be assumed that upon reaching adulthood, the Worms enter a stage of metamorphosis and transform into these creatures.
- Zouwu Habitat - After Newt rescues the rampaging Zouwu from the streets of Paris, he placed it in its own habitat inside of the case that appeared to be similar to the bamboo forest. However, it was possible that the said forest was expanded to fit the much-larger Zouwu alongside its previous residents.
- Snowy Habitat - A blank, snowy habitat where a floating Obscurus was, separated from its owner who was killed during the process. This habitat was supposed to be hard to discover as it was contained by large curtains. However, these curtains could blown to the side which would reveal the habitat. However, it was possible that this habitat could also be used for other magical creatures - it can be assumed that this habitat was empty when Scamander discovered the Obscurial, or that he cleared this area out for it. This area was located to the side of the Mooncalf habitat.
- Possible Water Habitat - Somewhere in Newt's case, there was a wooden rowing boat. Although it is uncertain if this habitat existed, it is possible that a river, lake, or oceanic habitat existed. However, there was a chance that Newt could add and remove habitats when he wanted to, so it was possible that he only occasionally needed the boat. Furthermore, there may have been more water behind the Grindylow habitat.
- Possible Ashwinder Habitat - As Newt had a frozen Ashwinder egg, it is presumed that he either had a habitat for it to belong to once hatched, or he would simply store it in an already-constructed environment. Although Newt sometimes kept the Swooping Evil in his shed, it was unlikely that he would do the same for the Ashwinder as it has the ability to burn structures, especially wooden ones.
Creatures Contained In the Briefcase
This is a list of creatures known to have been contained within the suitcase at one point or another:
- Augureys
- Billywigs
- Bowtruckles
- Demiguise
- Doxies
- Diricawls
- Erumpent
- Fwooper
- Giant Dung Beetles
- Glow Bugs
- Graphorns
- Grindylows
- Leucrotta
- Marmite
- Mooncalves
- Murtlaps
- Niffler
- Nundu
- Occamies
- Runespoors
- Swooping Evil
- Frank the Thunderbird (released into the wild in Arizona)
- Zouwu