What was J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter story published as a charity book in 2001?
Answer
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter story published as a charity book in 2001.
The book is presented as a Hogwarts textbook written by the fictional author Newt Scamander. Rowling wrote the main text under the Newt Scamander name, while the charity edition also included handwritten notes and humorous comments attributed to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
Its proceeds supported Comic Relief, a British charity that uses comedy and fundraising to address poverty and social injustice. The companion volume was published alongside Quidditch Through the Ages, another Hogwarts-related charity book.
The title later became the basis for a film series, but the original 2001 publication is a short illustrated-style reference book rather than a conventional novel. The film version expands Newt Scamander into the central character of a wider story set in the wizarding world.