Character Analysis
Who else but Hogwarts' most beloved headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, could write the foreword to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? And Dumbledore's actually got a pretty tough job here because he's got to introduce the book to both magical and non-magical audiences.
Wait—what?
That's right. Dumbledore's foreword ends up working like a bridge between the fictional world of the book and its real life charitable mission. He starts by telling us how important Fantastic Beasts has been to the wizarding world and then announces that this will be the first time it's ever been offered in Muggle bookstores. And it's all in that light-hearted-yet-professorial tone you've come to expect from Dumbledore.
But really, let's stop and think about this for a second. Doesn't releasing this book to Muggles violate the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy? The same one Mr. Scamander tells us was essential to provide for the safety of witches and wizards around the world (not to mention the fantastic beasts in this book)?
We'd be shocked that Dumbledore's being so reckless…but we are talking about the same guy who thought it was a good idea to have four teenagers fight beasts classified as "known wizard killers" during the Triwizard Tournament.
Sure, Harry loves him to pieces, but ol' Albus' judgment isn't always the best.
In any case, Dumbledore offers the ultimate reassurance his Muggle readers in case they find the fantastic beasts in this book a little too believable:
I would like to take this opportunity to reassure Muggle purchasers that the amusing creatures described hereafter are fictional and cannot hurt you. To wizards, I say merely: Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus. (2.6)
Good job, Professor. You totally saved it.
(Psst. For more on Albus Dumbledore, try starting with our character guide on him in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.)