The Kappa is a Japanese water demon. It resembles a scale-covered monkey with webbed hands and a water-filled depression on top of its head. The water in this hollow is the source of the creature's strength.

Kappas live in shallow water. They prey on the blood of humans, strangling anyone unlucky enough to wade into their ponds and rivers. However, a person confronted with a Kappa can do something to protect themselves, either by appeasing the creature or outsmarting it. A Kappa will not attack a person if it is thrown a cucumber inscribed with that person's name. It can also be tricked into bowing, so that the water spills out of the hollow on its head, rendering it powerless.

Remus Lupin introduced his third-year Defence Against the Dark Arts class to Kappas in 1993. Severus Snape, who covered for Lupin during the full moon, claimed that Kappas are found in Mongolia while reviewing some of the assignments that Lupin had given to students.

AppearancesEdit

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mentioned only)

Defence Against the Dark Arts (D.A.D.A.)
Professors: Galatea Merrythought · Quirinus Quirrell · Gilderoy Lockhart · Remus Lupin · Barty Crouch Jr. (as Alastor Moody) · Dolores Umbridge · Severus Snape · Amycus Carrow
Textbooks: The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection · Break with a Banshee · Gadding with Ghouls · Holidays with Hags · Travels with Trolls · Voyages with Vampires · Wanderings with Werewolves · Year with the Yeti · Defensive Magical Theory · Confronting the Faceless
D.A.D.A. at Hogwarts: Classroom 3C · Temporary Classroom · Tower · Professor's Office · Storeroom · Staircase · Lesson Cup · Race Cup · Dumbledore's Army
Spells covered under the subject: Curse of the Bogies · Knockback Jinx · Verdimillious (uno, duo & tria) · Wand-Lighting Charm · Glacius · Patronus Charm · Killing Curse · Cruciatus Curse · Imperius Curse · Impediment Jinx · Reductor Curse · Stunning Spell · Shield Charm · Nonverbal spells · Inferius
Creatures covered under the subject: Vampire bats · Iguanas · Cornish Pixies · Werewolves · Vampires · Hinkypunks · Boggarts · Red Caps · Kappas · Grindylows