The Plot Bunny

Care of Magical Creatures
6th Year

A study of a magical creature:

The Plot Bunny

By Hermione Granger

Plot bunnies are a subspecies of the common wild rabbit Oryctagus cuniculus. They are believed to have evolved from a common ancestor. Plot bunnies are formally known as Oryctagus cuniculus fabulae, which can be roughly translated as "story rabbit". Plot bunnies are the least common members of the lagomorph family and are the only subspecies unknown to Muggles.

Evolution of Plot Bunnies

It is unknown when plot bunnies evolved from non-magical rabbits, but they were certainly well established by the time of Aesop (620-560 BC), since they feature in his fables* and he was one of the first to speculate on their ancestry in the amusing, if wildly implausible, How the Bunny Found his Plot.

In the absence of hard evidence for their origins, we are forced to rely on folklore. Legend says that plot bunnies evolved from Adem and Eva, the mutant offspring of a wild rabbit in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains of North Africa; they do, indeed, appear to have originated in this area.

Because plot bunnies evolved from a non-magical ancestor, they have been omitted from many of the standard works on magical beasts, such as the respected Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This is clearly unfair, as plot bunnies have a magic of their own. For example, they practice a version of Legilimency, which allows them to communicate with humans.

Caring for Plot Bunnies

Like their domesticated relatives, plot bunnies co-exist happily with humans. In fact, they are rarely found living in the wild, as they need to have humans around them in order to survive. There are many differences between plot bunnies and other rabbits.

First, while the domesticated common rabbit relies on its human to feed it, the plot bunny is independent and actively seeks food. Plot bunnies supplement their diet with the thoughts of authors, filling the resulting empty space in the human brain with ideas for stories. The loss of their thoughts has given authors in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds a reputation for eccentricity and forgetfulness (the best-known example being Darilius the Dim). Plot bunnies are widely believed to drink only water, like their non-magical relatives. However, writers have been telling the rest of us for centuries that, in reality, their bunnies like to drink herbal tea, preferably from a bone china saucer.

Second, plot bunnies become bored easily, as authors are all too well aware. They dislike their ideas being rejected and, if too many are ignored, the bunny frequently finds a way to get its revenge. Plot bunnies are well-known for their less-than-convenient habit of gnawing books that have been written by a partnership other than their own. Rabbits are jealous creatures: they should be treated with the utmost respect.

Plot bunnies always choose their human, but, contrary to popular belief, they are as likely to choose Muggles as wizards as companions. Bunnies always select a human with the ability to write; they generally prefer to inspire writers of fiction. The genre that individual authors write depends almost wholly on the nature and personality of their plot bunny, although occasional authors have been able to influence their bunnies' tastes.

Finally, unlike other rabbits, plot bunnies lay eggs. This has resulted in the myth that the Easter bunny (see below) is also oviparous. Unlike the domestic rabbit, where the female will invariably raise the young alone, male plot bunnies make good fathers. The parents sit on the eggs alternately and then share the parenting duties once their offspring hatch. Plot bunnies mate late in life, after their humans decide to retire. If the human chooses to continue their work until their death, the rabbit will never reproduce. Litters of plot bunnies are small, with up to three young.

In general, plot bunnies are healthy animals. Their magic gives them an advantage over their domesticated relatives, since it increases their immunity to disease. However, they have been known to suffer from health problems if their claws and teeth are allowed to overgrow (keeping their teeth short also helps to control their book-chewing habits). Plot bunnies' ears must be kept meticulously clean, or they will become susceptible to ear mites. They may also be infested by Chizpurfles, but these can be destroyed by the usual proprietary potions. Other illnesses and health problems which affect all species of rabbit include heat stroke, shock and broken limbs.

A serious disease unique to plot bunnies is Haye's Syndrome. This has the effect of making the mind cloud over, stemming the plot bunny's creativity and preventing rabbit-human communication. A less severe form is commonly known as "Writers' Block". This disease was once thought to affect the author rather than the plot bunny, but recent research would suggest otherwise. It appears that when a rabbit is affected by Writers' Block, it is temporarily unable to inspire its human. The condition is thought to be caused by hunger, stress, tiredness or boredom and can be usually corrected by distracting the bunny for a while. Generally, plot bunnies can be kept in good health through attention to nutrition and hygiene.

Bunny: Man's Best Friend

Once "the bunny [has chosen] the wizard" (Aurelius Ollivander, 1704), the bond is established for life. Unlike other familiars such as cats, owls and toads, plot bunnies rely on their human companions for survival. For this reason, they are rarely seen apart. However, the link is far stronger than that. Once an author has been working with a plot bunny for several months to a year, the bond between the two strengthens so that they become inseparable. The two become best friends and can only be parted following the human's death (after which the plot bunny will also vanish).

Plot bunnies are not allowed as familiars at most wizarding schools. Beauxbatons is unique in permitting students to bring their bunnies to school, to encourage the pupils' creativity. However, the problems caused by plot bunnies, such as destroyed books, holes in the Quidditch pitch, and schoolchildren concentrating on writing rather than their homework, have resulted in their being banned from all other institutions in recent years. Unfortunately, the forced split between child and bunny may have already resulted in many promising partnerships being lost. For this reason among others, several Magizoologists have campaigned for years for plot bunnies to be allowed at wizarding schools. It is rumoured that Professor Dumbledore is a lover of plot bunnies and would like them to be allowed at Hogwarts, but certain governors are opposed.

Evidence of the links between rabbit and human can be seen in Muggle traditions. For example, many children believe in the "Easter bunny", who is supposed to lay them a nest of eggs if they are well-behaved. The origin of rabbits as Easter symbols has its roots in Germany. This is because a German writer and her plot bunny included the Easter bunny in their writings during the 1500s.

The Role of Plot Bunnies in Literature

Plot bunnies have been inspiring literature for as long as they have existed. Bunny-inspired stories have been published around the globe in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds. However, some Muggle fiction has been rejected because the publishers and general public did not fully understand the content of the books. This is because plot bunnies frequently remember their wizarding roots even if they have been brought up in Muggle society. For this reason, many Muggle masterpieces, such as Captain Marryat's Centaurs of the Forbidden Forest and Roald Dahl's The Seeker, the Chaser and Me have been rejected. Successful Muggle authors who have been inspired by plot bunnies include J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, both of whom wrote works of Muggle literature which are still thoroughly enjoyed by both Muggle and wizarding readers, although wizards continue to be amused by the misconceptions in their works.

Many wizards have successfully published their works in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. Perhaps the most successful was William Shakespeare, who wrote well-known plays such as The Taming of the Knarl and As You Cast It along with numerous scripts for Muggle audiences. Shakespeare's popularity in the Muggle world was such that he virtually rejected his magic in order to entertain Muggles. Nevertheless, he and his plot bunny, Fido, are fondly remembered by wizards.

Other notable authors who have been inspired by their plot bunnies include Geoffrey Chaucer (The Wizard of Bath), Persephone 'Jane' Austen (Charms and Chauvinism, Innocence and Invisibility) and Tobias Septimus Snape, who wrote primarily for Muggle audiences under the pseudonym 'Charles Dickens'.

Perhaps the most famous pairing of author and plot bunny was that of Beatrix Potter and her companion, Peter. Beatrix (the respected great-great aunt of Harry Potter) wrote many stories for children and earned a huge fortune for the Potter family. Her most famous story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, a result of Peter's self-publicising tendencies, jeopardised the secrecy of plot bunnies, if not the whole wizarding world.

Plot Bunnies and Muggles

Until Beatrix Potter's work became well-known to Muggles, they remained completely ignorant of the existence of these protected Magical Beasts. However, since the publication of her work in the 1900s, Muggles have been becoming better informed, to the extent that many Muggles now have a partial understanding of bunnies' role in literature.

Fortunately, at the moment the bunnies are safe, as Muggles believe that they are merely fictitious beasts, using the term "plot bunny" metaphorically. For instance, many Muggle writers understand that it is their plot bunnies that help them to write stories; however, Muggles believe the bunnies to be figments of their imagination. In fact, it is not unknown for non-writing Muggles to believe those who have some knowledge of the plot bunny to be clinically insane.

Even if Muggles do not yet link the plot bunny to the wizarding world, they already connect rabbits with magic. For example, many "magicians" at Muggle children's parties perform tricks where they pull rabbits out of hats. The Ministry of Magic is closely monitoring this behaviour.

The Future of the Plot Bunny

Plot bunnies are continuing to inspire authors across the globe. Their kind natures and undemanding lifestyles mean that they are not generally resented by their normally self-centred human friends.

The species is flourishing, so that very few authors are now without bunnies of their own. This can only be a good thing; as is commonly said among wizarding writers, an original, imaginative author and an intelligent plot bunny will always bring out the best in each other. There is no doubt that plot bunnies will continue to help us to write until there are no plots left unwritten.

--

* Aesop included magical creatures in many of his fables. Many of his stories are known to Muggles; frequently non-magical beasts have been substituted for magical ones. Examples include The Flies and the Bunny Plot (changed to The Flies and the Honey Pot) and The Plimpies Desiring a King (changed to The Frogs Desiring a King). Others are unique to the wizarding collection, such as The Unicorn Who Had Lost His Horn and The Phoenix, the Augurey and the Golden Snidget.

A complete copy of Aesop's fables was discovered by the Muggle author Rudyard Kipling in 1899. Although officials from the Ministry of Magic Obliviated him, The Just-So Stories (1902) clearly show the influence of Aesop's wizarding fables.

Bibliography

Aesop's Fables (Retold for Young Witches and Wizards by Gillian Longbottom) (Very Little Red Books)

Caring for Magical Beasts Part Two: the Small and (Seemingly) Harmless - Aresia Pegasus (Obscurus Books)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Newt Scamander (Obscurus Books)

The Plot Bunny: A Figment of the Imagination? - Seleme Michalleus (Dust and Mildewe)

Muggles for Dummies - Wilhelm Wigworthy (Little Red Books)

Muggles Who Notice - Blenheim Stalk (Dust and Mildewe)

Oryctagus cuniculus fabulae: an Illustrated History - Alixe Greengrass (Phoenix)

Rabbiting On - Ethelred "the Unimaginative" Rutli (Abracadabra Publishing)

The Books That Could Have Been - Julius Alexander Lovegood (Phoenix)