BEASTS (III) - CENTAURS, HIPPOGRIFFS & THESTRALS

Today, The Weasleys and The Grandma have met some magical creatures that live in Hogwarts or near there, in the Forbidden Forest. They are centaurs, hippogriffs and thestrals and they have helped to protect Hogwarts many times.

A Centaur is a magical creature whose head, torso, and arms appear to be human and are joined to a horse's body.

They are, however, their own individual species, and thus are not half-breeds. They also have a rich history and are known for being naturally talented in Healing magic, Divination and Astronomy. Despite possessing human intelligence, centaurs are classified as Beasts by the British Ministry of Magic, at their own request, as they were unhappy at having to share Being status with Hags and Vampires, known dark creatures.

Like horses, centaurs can come in a variety of colours, ranging from deep black to white. A centaur by the name of Firenze had white-blonde hair, a body light in colour, and possessed astonishingly blue eyes. Magorian on the other hand possessed black hair and was chestnut in colour. Centaurs have the body of a horse, and the torso, arms, and head of a human. Also Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil found the centaur Firenze physically attractive.

More information: Wizarding World

Centaurs are not in fact half-breeds, but an entirely different species on their own. They are not very pleased to be insulted, particularly where their lineage is concerned, as Dolores Umbridge found out to her cost.

Centaurs are also natural born Seers, in particular the Centaur Firenze who taught alongside Sybill Trelawney in Divination class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Centaurs are known to be gifted in Divination. Indeed, the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest regularly made vague allusions to seeing the future, as when the centaur Firenze told Harry Potter that they were fated to meet again, and when he and Bane spoke of the intermission of sorts, between the First and Second Wizarding Wars. He also mentioned to his class at Hogwarts, that centaurs spend years trying to master their particular art of divining the fates.

Centaurs on the whole seem also to be rather proud of their species, which was evident in their testiness whenever anyone even accidentally alluded to them being used or in any way employed by humankind, as when Firenze was chastised for allowing Harry Potter to ride to safety on his back, after the young wizard encountered Lord Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest -his fellow centaurs considered allowing such a thing tantamount to becoming a 'common' mule.

They attempted to murder Firenze for his decision to enter into human servitude, which was seen as a great and base betrayal. Centaurs also decided to be placed in the Beast Division instead of the Being Division in the British Ministry of Magic archives, because they wished to not be associated with hags and vampires, whom the Ministry designates Beings.

Centaurs also seem to favour nature over technology, the extent of their tools visibly in use being their bows and arrows. Instead, they cast their attention upon reading signs in nature, and living in forests appropriated by the Ministry of Magic.

They are territorial creatures by nature, as Rubeus Hagrid mentioned, upon seeing a herd of centaurs in the Forbidden Forest, whose land was being consistently reduced, and that they might revolt against the Ministry as a result. 

Later the same year, they proclaimed that even Rubeus Hagrid was no longer welcome within their forest, as he had forfeited the friendship of the centaurs, and that their tolerance was waning, in reference to Rubeus Hagrid's half-brother, Grawp, whom Hagrid was hiding in the forest at the time.

More information: Greeks Legends & Myths

Centaurs do have a sense of honour, being unwilling to harm the young, as the herd within the Forbidden Forest refused to harm Rubeus Hagrid due to the young Harry Potter and Hermione Granger accompanying him at the time. However, this patience and generosity can wane, as later they saw Harry and Hermione deliberately lead Dolores Umbridge into the forest to use the centaurs to eliminate her; this, along the fact that both teenagers are nearing their adulthood, led the herd to attempt to attack the two.

Centaurs do not use wands for magic, but are known to be well-versed in magical healing, Divination, archery, and Astronomy.

Centaurs burn herbs such as mallowsweet and sage to refine their stargazing findings. In fact, the centaur Firenze taught Divination at Hogwarts. They also can perform non-verbal magic while duelling, as shown when Torvus duelled against Jacob's sibling without a wand or an arrow.

Centaurs are forest-dwelling, and, in each country where colonies exist, the wizarding authority has set aside land exclusively for their use. One such colony exists in the Forbidden Forest, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, centaurs have their own methods of concealment and avoid contact with both wizards and witches and Muggles, as they are not fans of humans. They generally live in herds of ten to fifty individuals.

Starting in 1811, centaurs were offered Being status, when Grogan Stump decreed that a being was any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws. However, they declined because of the associations with other creatures, such as vampires and hags, that being status would give them. The merpeople made the same decision a year later. Subject teaching material thus notes on why they are classed as Beasts and that they should be treated with great respect.

Despite being highly intelligent creatures, centaurs were still officially classified as of near-human intelligence by the Ministry of Magic, per the text of Law Fifteen B, as laid down by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Centaurs take this phrase to be a great insult, as Dolores Umbridge found out the hard way, as they find that their intelligence, thankfully, far outstrips humans.

A Centaur Liaison Office still exists in the Ministry of Magic's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, though no centaur has ever used it. In fact, the phrase Being sent to the Centaur Office has become an in-joke at the Ministry, meaning that the person in question is about to be sacked. A centaur was also represented in the Fountain of Magical Brethren at the Ministry of Magic, at least before the fountain's destruction during the battle between Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort.

Centaurs have also been known to save wizards from harm, one instance being Firenze saving Harry Potter, when Lord Voldemort was in the forest, though this was highly looked down upon as centaurs were not supposed to interfere with what is to come.

When Harry Potter and Hermione Granger ended up leading Dolores Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, a group of centaurs appeared with some of them carrying off Dolores while the rest were scared away by Grawp in an event known as the Skirmish in the Forbidden Forest. It was mentioned that Albus Dumbledore negotiated for Dolores' release when he was rehired by the Ministry of Magic.

The centaur herd in the Forbidden Forest also fought against the Death Eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts.

More information: Greek Mythology

 

 

 Forest-dwellers who have the torso

of a human but the body of a horse,

and who are gifted in Divination.

J.K. Rowling

A Hippogriff was a magical beast that had the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. It was very similar to another magical creature, the Griffin, with the horse rear replacing the lion rear.

The breeding of fancy Hippogriffs was an established wizarding career, with known breeders including Newton Scamander's mother. Images of fancy Hippogriffs were sometimes put onto calendars.

A hippogriff was one rare possible corporeal form of the Patronus Charm.

Hippogriffs had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking.

Hippogriffs were carnivorous and were extremely dangerous until tamed, which should only be attempted by a trained witch or wizard.

The diet of the Hippogriff consisted mainly of insects, birds, and small mammals such as ferrets. They would sometimes paw at the ground for worms if no other food was readily available.

When breeding, Hippogriffs built nests on the ground, and laid only a single, fragile egg. The egg usually hatched in twenty-four hours. Infant Hippogriffs were capable of flight within a week, but it took many months before they were strong enough to accompany their parents on long journeys.

It was stated that, once you get over the initial shock of seeing something that's half horse, half bird, you start to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, which changed smoothly from feathers to hair. Hippogriffs came in several different colours, including: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

When Humans approach Hippogriffs, a proper etiquette must be maintained to avoid danger. Hippogriffs were intensely proud creatures, and an individual must show proper respect by bowing to them, and waiting for them to bow in return before approaching. Eye contact should be maintained at all times, without a single blink.

More information: All You Need to Know about The Hippogriff

The Hippogriff should be allowed to make the first move, as that was polite. If offended, it might attack. Hippogriffs were tamable, but only by experts in their care, such as Rubeus Hagrid, Care of Magical Creatures Professor and Gamekeeper at Hogwarts.

Although proud, Hippogriffs could also be fiercely loyal and protective of those who had earned their trust, as demonstrated by Buckbeak on at least two occasions: when he attacked Severus Snape in defence of Harry Potter during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and again when he led Hogwarts' Thestrals in attacking Lord Voldemort's giants during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Owners of Hippogriffs were required by law to cast a Disillusionment Charm on the creature every day to prevent it from being seen by Muggles.

Using Hippogriffs for personal transportation was also illegal under the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. A herd of Hippogriffs were kept at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Rubeus Hagrid used them in his first Care of Magical Creatures class.

During the Yule Ball at Hogwarts, Hippogriffs were mentioned in the Weird Sisters song, Do The Hippogriff. The song encouraged listeners to do a dance that drew its inspiration from this creature, flyin' off from a cliff and swooping down to the ground...

In the winter, Sirius Black sang a Christmas Carol, God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs.

A Hippogriff was discovered by Mathilda Grimblehawk and her partner to have attacked Gordon Horton, Quidditch keeper for the Chudley Cannons, while defending its nest and young in the Old Bell Tower. It was subsequently relocated.

Derived from the Greek word hippos meaning horse, and the magical creature known as the griffin. In this case, it has the body of a horse as opposed to a lion, but keeps the head of an eagle.

More information: Meet Buckbeak

 Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. 

Easily offended, hippogriffs are.

Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do.

Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move.

It's polite, see? Yeh walk towards him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait.

If he bows back, yeh're allowed to touch him.

If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish,

'cause those talons hurt.

Rubeus Hagrid

The Thestral is a breed of winged horse with a skeletal body, face with reptilian features, and wide, leathery wings that resemble a bat's.

They are native to the British Isles and Ireland, though they have been spotted in parts of France and the Iberian Peninsula.

They are very rare, and are considered dangerous by the British Ministry of Magic. Thestrals are, undeservedly, known as omens of misfortune and aggression by many wizards because they are visible only to those who have witnessed death at least once or due to their somewhat grim, gaunt and ghostly appearance.

Due to Thestrals' classification as XXXX, only experienced wizards should try to handle Thestrals. Breeding as well as owning these beasts may be discouraged or even illegal without Ministry consent; in fact, wizards that live in areas not protected against Muggles are forced by law to perform Disillusionment Charms on their Thestrals regularly.

A Thestral is also one possible corporeal form of the Patronus Charm.

Thestrals have quite a disturbing appearance and the wizards who are capable of seeing them often only describe these creatures as being sinister and spooky. This is because they are seen as having big, bony figures and their dragon-like faces which bear white, glittering eyes that lack both expression and pupils. 

Additionally, they are lured by the scent of blood. Being a type of winged horse, most of their anatomy is identical to a horse, excluding their large wings that sprout from their back. Unlike the Abraxan, another breed of winged horses, Thestral's wings do not possess any feathers at all; they have vast, black and leathery wings that are more similar to those of bats.

Their fleshless, lustrous bodies are covered with a translucent and glossy coat. This smooth and dark skin is a bit slippery and so thin that Thestral's bones are clearly defined through the entire extension of their sleek bodies. These eerie horses have long black manes, as well as a large tail, either with flowing black hair, like horses or ending in a tuft, like zebras. Another distinction is their sharp fangs used to seize and slash their prey.

Thestrals are social creatures who live in herds. Professor Rubeus Hagrid states that they are dead clever. In fact trained Thestrals are smart enough to understand their rider's words when they ask to travel to a specific location.

More information: Wizarding World

These magical creatures can be found in dark environments and the forest is their natural habitat. They communicate with each other through a shrill and strange shriek that resembles some sort of monstrous bird. They appear to be loyal creatures, able to discern a friend from an enemy and offering help to humans in need of transportation.

Thestrals would forcefully attack anyone or anything they see as a threat and in the unusual case of domesticated Thestrals, any enemy of its owners.  

Thestrals are not marks of ill omen, nor their spooky appearance notwithstanding are they in any way threatening to humans, always allowing for the fright that the first sight of them tends to give the observer.

In the Battle of Hogwarts, Hogwarts' trained flock of Thestrals cooperated with Buckbeak, the Hippogriff, to attack the Giants fighting for Lord Voldemort. It's unclear whether or not wild herds can similarly cooperate with other species.

Thestrals are carnivorous animals and are attracted to the smell of blood. Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank mentions that they often attack birds. This indicates that, naturally, they hunt not only for food in the ground, but also to pursue flying prey.

The Thestrals that live within the Hogwarts grounds, in the Forbidden Forest, are properly fed and well trained. They don't attack other creatures or students unless seriously disturbed.

The Thestral tail hair is a powerful and tricky substance that can be mastered only by a witch or wizard capable of facing death. It should be noted that this substance can be used as a core in a wand's conception and it was used to create the most powerful wand known by wizards, the Elder Wand.

The most well-known ability of these beasts is their invisibility to those who have not seen death. In other words, they are only visible to people who have seen someone dying and fully accepted, understood and internalised the concept.

Thestrals have an extraordinary sense of smell and will easily recognise the smell of blood and fresh flesh, even if the source of the scent is rather distanced.

More information: Screen Rant

They also have quite a useful sense of direction. The Thestral can understand exactly where their riders need to go. If their riders have a certain destination in mind, they only need to say the destination and the creature will diligently carry them to the intended location -much like owls do with letters.

These gentle, winged beasts are very capable and fast fliers and can travel long distances hardly beating their large wings. For example, six members of the Hogwarts herd ridden by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood were capable of flying from Hogwarts (Scotland) to the Ministry of Magic (London) in a brief amount of time.

It is possible that they were faster than even the fastest broomstick, as when Harry Potter rode his, he did not think he had ever moved so fast, and he was the owner of a top-of-the-line broomstick, the Firebolt. Their powerful wings are capable of lifting, at least, the burden of two humans plus their own weight.

Thestrals can be domesticated and mounted, so they are used as an alternative to brooms, Apparition, and other methods of transportation. Once trained, they are very diligent and will quickly carry their owners wherever they wish to go.

 

However, travel by Thestral is technically illegal, as it is a breach of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Even with all their useful abilities, Thestrals are rarely used as methods of transportation due to their reputation as omens of evil and their somewhat dreadful and even distasteful appearance.

When riding a Thestral, the traveller usually holds the creature's mane to ensure balance. To aid the mounting, the wizards also place their legs behind the wing joints to provide safety.

Flying on the back of a Thestral during a long journey is frequently an unpleasant experience, particularly to those who dare riding them without seeing the creature. The high speed flight on an invisible steed can be terrifying. The wind will, eventually, cause a temporary deafness and will force the riders to close their eyes. It is often difficult to keep balance on their slick backs.

The Hogwarts herd is gentle towards humans, they react satisfactorily to caresses and avoid attacking owls. However, taking into consideration the Ministry of Magic classification as dangerous, this behaviour may be exclusive to well-trained Thestrals, or just mere prejudice from the Ministry.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has a very loyal flock of Thestrals used mainly to pull the carriages that lead elder students from Hogsmeade station to the gates of the Castle.

To people who cannot see Thestrals, it appears that the carriages are autonomous.

The herd at Hogwarts started with a male and five females. A number of them have been born since, beginning with one named Tenebrus, which is a special favourite of Rubeus Hagrid's, the Hogwarts gamekeeper.

Harry Potter and a group of students flew Thestrals from Hogwarts to the Ministry of Magic in an attempt to rescue Sirius Black. They were also used by Albus Dumbledore, when he needed to travel but didn't care to Apparate.

Rubeus Hagrid, the trainer and breeder of this specific herd, strongly suspects that this is the only trained large group of Thestrals in the whole of Great Britain.

The name thestral comes from the archaic English word thester, meaning dark or gloomy, and the suffix -al, meaning of or pertaining to. Together, the name ultimately means of/pertaining to the dark or to gloom.

More information: Thestrals

But they're really, really unlucky!

They're supposed to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune

on people who see them.

Wizarding superstition

BEASTS (II) - FAWKES, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE'S PHOENIX

Today, The Weasleys and The Grandma have visited Albus Dumbledore to meet Fawkes, a male phoenix and his animal companion and defender.

In Ancient Greek folklore, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. Some legends say it dies in a show of flames and combustion, others that it simply dies and decomposes before being born again. Most accounts say that it lived for 500 years before rebirth. The phoenix symbolized renewal in general, as well as entities and concepts such as the Sun and time.

Before listening to the story of Fawkes and knowing him, The Grandma has offered a new Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example to her family.

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Fawkes is a highly intelligent male phoenix and Albus Dumbledore's animal companion and defender. It is unknown how long Fawkes had been in Albus Dumbledore's service. He had been loyal to Albus Dumbledore for many years prior to the Headmaster's death.

Fawkes is instrumental in helping Harry Potter defeat Salazar Slytherin's basilisk. His tears, which possessed healing properties, as with his species, saved Harry's life after his arm was punctured by the basilisk's fang and its venom. Fawkes came to Albus Dumbledore's aid in fighting Lord Voldemort during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

Following Albus Dumbledore's death, Fawkes sang his Lament over the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and then left and flew away, never to be seen again. His tail feathers were the cores of the two twin wands which were held by Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter.

Much of Fawkes' origins are unknown, two of his tail-feathers were procured by the wand maker Garrick Ollivander, and fashioned into the cores of two wands, a rare event, as should the two meet, it would initiate Priori Incantatem, made from yew and holly. The yew wand went to Tom Riddle and the holly wand went to Harry Potter.

Fawkes had not been owned by another wizard prior to Albus Dumbledore, and thus spent his early life as a wild phoenix.

Albus Dumbledore and Fawkes met sometime and Fawkes lived with and faithfully served the famed wizard. As part of his efforts to help Harry in his quest to defeat and kill the Dark Wizard Voldemort and his followers, Albus Dumbledore called Fawkes into battle whenever needed. Throughout the years, there were several instances where Fawkes was extremely helpful.

Whilst in Albus Dumbledore's office for the first time, Harry Potter encountered Fawkes on his Burning Day.

Fawkes appeared very ill, decrepit and baleful, and much to Harry Potter's initial shock and horror, burst into flames in front of his eyes.

When Albus Dumbledore entered, Harry Potter explained to Albus Dumbledore what had just happened to his bird, but Albus Dumbledore calmly explained to Harry Potter that Fawkes was a Phoenix and thus was immortal, and that he had been looking "dreadful for days".

Albus Dumbledore explained to Harry the various potent magical powers of the Phoenix and they both watched him rebirth from his ashes.

More information: Wizarding World

Fawkes saved Harry Potter's life from the Serpent of Slytherin, blinding the Basilisk and dropping the Sorting Hat into Harry Potter's lap, which in turn revealed Godric Gryffindor's Sword. Harry then used the sword to slay Slytherin's basilisk.

Fawkes shed healing tears upon Harry's wounds, inflicted by the Basilisk before its death, and cured him of its venom.

Fawkes then dropped Tom Riddle's Diary into Harry Potter's lap, giving Harry the chance to destroy it with one of the basilisk's fangs. As a phoenix can lift a great weight with its tail in flight; when Harry grasped Fawkes' tail in the Chamber of Secrets, he felt as if he were becoming weightless -which is saying something, as Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Gilderoy Lockhart were in turn hanging on to him.

Later, in his office, Albus Dumbledore revealed where Fawkes had come from -when the memory of Tom Riddle declared that he would go on to become the greatest sorcerer in the world, Harry responded that Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in the world!, and went on to ridicule Lord Voldemort's supposed fear of Albus Dumbledore during the First Wizarding War. This act of supreme loyalty was apparently enough to summon Fawkes to the Chamber.

After Harry Potter witnessed Lord Voldemort's resurrection and Cedric Diggory's death, Fawkes was present when Harry told Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black what had taken place.

During this conversation, Albus Dumbledore revealed that Fawkes was the phoenix who had donated his tail feathers to Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort's wands, while Fawkes used his tears to heal the wound in Harry's leg that was caused by an Acromantula in the third task of the tournament.

More information: Screen Rant

Fawkes served as a means of communication between members of The Order and Albus Dumbledore, after learning Arthur Weasley had been attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake, Nagini, while Arthur was guarding The Prophecy.

Fawkes departed from Hogwarts with Albus Dumbledore when Cornelius Fudge, along with Dolores Umbridge, and John Dawlish tried to arrest the latter for supposedly planning to overthrow the Ministry, through Albus Dumbledore's Army.

During Albus Dumbledore's duel against Lord Voldemort in the ministry atrium, Fawkes swallowed a Killing Curse intended for Albus Dumbledore, thus giving Dumbledore time to defend himself against Lord Voldemort's second oncoming attack. He burst into flame upon swallowing the curse and was later reborn from the ashes. He later returned to Albus Dumbledore's office after Harry Potter was sent there, following his departure from the British Ministry of Magic.

After Albus Dumbledore died during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower at the assumed hands of Severus Snape, Fawkes sang his Lament to the assembled mourners. This Lament affected all with its beauty.

Fawkes subsequently left Hogwarts, as his ties to the school were now dead. He never returned and became a wild Phoenix once more.

Fawkes had crimson feathers on his body and a golden tail as long as a peacock's. He was roughly the size of a swan. His claws and beak were gleaming gold, the latter was long, and his eyes are black. The scarlet body feathers glowed faintly in darkness, while the golden tail feathers were hot to the touch, though it is unknown if they were actually capable of burning someone as neither Harry Potter, when Fawkes carried him from the Chamber of Secrets -nor Albus Dumbledore- when he escaped the Ministry officials with Fawkes's help, were burned by his tail feathers, however it is possible that Fawkes could control the temperature of his tail feathers and chosen not to burn them.

Fawkes served as Albus Dumbledore's messenger and his constant companion, forming a close bond with the old wizard. Fawkes was also affiliated with Harry Potter and the members of The Order of the Phoenix and was the inspiration for its name.

Fawkes was extremely loyal and courageous, as displayed by his attack on Salazar Slytherin's basilisk and his defence of Albus Dumbledore during his duel with Lord Voldemort. Considering he came back to life every time he died he had no reason to fear death and was therefore willing to sacrifice himself for people who won his loyalty.

He was also shown to be highly intelligent, being capable of understanding Albus Dumbledore and bringing Harry the Sorting Hat and the diary when he needed them.

After Albus Dumbledore's death, he returned to the wild with no ties to another human.

Fawkes is named after Guy Fawkes, since he periodically explodes, in order to be reborn from the ashes, like all phoenixes, a joke on the author's part.

More information: Screen Rant

About time, too. 

He's been looking dreadful for days;

I've been telling him to get a move on.

Albus Dumbledore

BEASTS (I) - THE UNBELIEVABLE PETS OF RUBEUS HAGRID

Today, The Weasleys and The Grandma have visited Rubeus Hagrid to meet all his pets. Professor Rubeus Hagrid is an English half-giant wizard, son of Mr Hagrid and the giantess Fridwulfa, and elder half-brother of the giant Grawp.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Rubeus Hagrid, was commonly known for owning dangerous pets. Whilst Hagrid had the skill and knowledge to handle these animals, he's kind and has a rather gullible temperament that often caused problems.

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Fang is an over-sized Boarhound dog, and one of Rubeus Hagrid's pets. He was a large dog that accompanied Hagrid in many places, including the Forbidden Forest, and lived in his hut.

Fang was present for the majority of the Second Wizarding War, such as the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts.

It's currently unknown what happened to Fang after the Second Wizarding War, but since his name wasn't listed amongst the casualties, it can be assumed he survived.

Fang became Rubeus Hagrid's pet by September of the same year. He was seen as a puppy on the school grounds fetching a stick and bolting down the hill back towards Hagrid's Hut.

Fang was trapped by the same Devil's Snare which Hagrid had rescued Jacob's sibling from the year before.

Hagrid asked them if they could help him with the Devil's Snare the second time, being aware that using the Wand-Lighting Charm would only cause the dangerous plant to retreat further into the room in which it had been placed, placing Fang's life in danger.

Hagrid told Jacob's sibling to help him by brewing a Fire-Breathing Potion. Hagrid decided not to share what the potion was for, because he was embarrassed about his failure to keep a close enough eye on his pup and merely recited the ingredients. Jacob's sibling, Rowan Khanna, Ben Copper, and Penny Haywood eventually made the potion.

Hagrid then told Jacob's sibling why he needed the potion, and they saved Fang from the Devil's Snare by using the potion. Hagrid then revealed he had not named the puppy yet, and they decide on the name Fang.

Fang enjoyed kipping in the Library and hanging out in the Transfiguration Classroom because he saw a cat in there once, which was actually Minerva McGonagall in Animagus form.

Fang went missing when he was scared by a fairy he found in the pumpkin patch by Hagrid's Hut. Hagrid once again asked Jacob's sibling to help him. Hagrid then searched the Forbidden Forest, telling them Fang once run in there and couldn't find the way out.

Fang accompanied first year students Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter into the Forbidden Forest, only to run away in fear after encountering a hooded figure drinking blood from a dead unicorn. After running away he soon found Hagrid, and Hermione Granger, who immediately knew that Draco and Harry were in danger.

Fang accompanied Ron Weasley and Harry to visit Aragog in the Forbidden Forest. He, Harry, and Ron were nearly eaten by Aragog's children, but they were rescued by the wild Ford Anglia that was previously owned by Ron's father, Arthur Weasley.

Fang was present when Buckbeak's was being reviewed by the Ministry of Magic. He was seen sulking in his basket during one of the trio's many visits to Hagrid's hut. Fang also shared the hut with Buckbeak after Hagrid moved the hippogriff inside after Lucius Malfoy made his case to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures after Buckbeak attacked his son during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

When Hagrid was attacked by Ministry of Magic wizards led by Dolores Umbridge, Fang was hit by a Stunning Spell, when he tried to defend Hagrid, resulting in the responsible party being hurled over ten feet away by an incredibly enraged Hagrid.

Hagrid took the stunned Fang with him when he escaped. After Lord Voldemort's return was made public and Umbridge was sacked, Hagrid and Fang returned to their home at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Fang was present during the funeral of Aragog sulking in his basket during the burial and afterwards, padded across the floor to them and laid his head in Harry Potter's lap and proceeded to slobber all over his robes.

Fang was also inside Hagrid's hut when it was set ablaze by Death Eater Thorfinn Rowle, during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. He was rescued shortly when Hagrid and Harry doused the fire with the Water-Making Charm. It can be assumed that Fang was present at Albus Dumbledore's funeral.

Fang went with Hagrid and Grawp to Hogwarts to help in the defense of the castle. However, as soon as the fighting began Fang was startled when a vase nearby was hit by a spell and exploded, and he ran away in fright.

Fang is described as a giant boarhound with black fur.

Fang is a large hound who slobbers constantly. On several occasions he completely soaked Harry Potter's robes while laying his head on Harry's lap. When someone entered Hagrid's hut, he would greet them with loud, booming barks and almost always licking their faces or ears. He was very protective of Hagrid, but was a bloody coward.

More information: Wizarding World

There's nothin' that lives in the forest

that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang.

Rubeus Hagrid

Fluffy is a gigantic, monstrous male three-headed dog who was once cared for by Rubeus Hagrid.

Fluffy's greatest weakness was the inability to resist falling asleep to the sound of music.

Rubeus Hagrid originally purchased Fluffy from a Greek chappie at The Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid loaned Fluffy to the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, to aid in guarding the Philosopher's Stone. In addition, as further insurance against intruders, the door leading to the room Fluffy was in was locked magically.

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, along with Neville Longbottom, first encountered Fluffy when Draco Malfoy challenged Harry to a duel, which he accepted. When Hermione tried to stop Harry and Ron from sneaking out later that night, she found herself locked out of the Gryffindor Tower, as the Fat Lady had left sometime earlier, and ended up going along with them.

Neville Longbottom, who had forgotten the password to the common room and was sleeping on the floor outside, joined them as well. When they arrived at the Trophy Room, the intended site of the duel, Malfoy was nowhere to be found. To avoid being caught by Argus Filch, they ran away and ended up in the forbidden area on the third floor, staring at the massive three-headed dog.

Despite being furious about having broken countless school rules, Hermione had noticed that the dog was standing on a trap door, and clearly guarding something.

They later deduced, from hints about Nicolas Flamel dropped unintentionally by Hagrid, that this something was the Philosopher's Stone. Later that year, Hagrid happily told the trio that he had a won a dragon egg in a card game at the Hog's Head. Thinking that it was too much of a coincidence that, as Hagrid had always dreamed of owning a dragon, someone just happened to show up at the local pub with a dragon egg, the trio questioned Hagrid about the supposed dragon dealer.

Upon finding out that Hagrid had never even seen the man's face, as he wore a hood, yet Hagrid had drunkenly told him how to get past Fluffy, they came to the conclusion that the hooded man must have been Severus Snape, when it was really Quirinus Quirrell. Before Hagrid told Quirrell, though he didn't know it was Quirrell, Hagrid and Albus Dumbledore were the only ones who knew how to get past Fluffy.

As that meant the stone was no longer safe, they decided to go after Snape themselves, and Harry brought along the flute that Hagrid had given him for Christmas to use in lulling Fluffy to sleep. Arriving at the room, they noticed an enchanted harp at a sleeping Fluffy's feet, and believed that Professor Snape was already on his way to retrieving the stone.

Fluffy soon awoke, as the enchantment on the harp wore off, and it stopped playing. As Harry played the flute, which almost immediately put Fluffy back to sleep, Ron crept over to the trap door and opened it, but was unable to see anything below. Hermione took over playing the flute, while Harry jumped in first, followed by Ron. After they called up to Hermione that it was safe, she stopped playing and jumped down the trap door just in time, as Fluffy woke up as soon as the music stopped.

After Fluffy's duties were done, and the Stone was destroyed, Hagrid set Fluffy free temporarily in the Forbidden Forest. Shortly thereafter, he was sent back to his native Greece by Albus Dumbledore.

Fluffy was generally vicious, fierce, and extremely strong, though he possibly acted somewhat more docile around certain people, like Rubeus Hagrid, who was able to get Fluffy into the third floor corridor. One known way to calm Fluffy was to play music, which made him fall asleep. Three-headed dogs were very rare creatures, and it is unknown if, like the Runespoor, each head served a different purpose.

More information: Wizarding World

 They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog,

a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor.

It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes;

three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction;

three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes

from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them,

and Harry knew that the only reason

they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance

had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that,

there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

J.K. Rowling

Norberta is a female Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon hatched by Rubeus Hagrid in his hut at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Professor Quirinus Quirrell, trying to figure out how to get past Fluffy and retrieve the Philosopher's Stone, disguised himself and enticed Rubeus Hagrid to play a game of cards by wagering Norberta's egg. They had a few drinks, and Quirrell asked him if he was sure he could handle raising a dragon.

Hagrid told him about how he managed Fluffy, inadvertently giving Quirrell the information he needed. Hagrid later assumed that 'the stranger' was a Dragon dealer.

Rubeus Hagrid kept the egg in his hut, warming it over a fire until it hatched. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were present when Norberta hatched. Also present, though at first unknown, was Draco Malfoy, who peered through a window of Hagrid's hut. The trio feared that Hagrid would get in trouble, and so convinced him to get rid of the dragon.

The baby dragon looked like a crumpled black umbrella with large spiny wings, a skinny body and a long snout with wide nostrils, horn stubs and bulging, orange eyes. Hagrid immediately adored her, although she tried to bite him. He named the newborn dragon Norbert, and fed it with a bucket of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour, as recommended in Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit.

However, as the young dragon grew, it became too violent and dangerous to keep. After Norbert bit Ron Weasley's hand, for which he had to go to the Hospital Wing due to the venom in its fangs, Hagrid had no choice but to release Norbert to Charles Weasley, who worked with dragons in Romania.

When Hagrid met Charlie at Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, he was informed that the dragon, originally thought to be a male named Norbert, was now called Norberta, as Charlie had discovered that she was in fact a female. He said that he was able to tell by the females being much more violent and ferocious.

More information: Wizarding World I & II

Norbert? The Norwegian Ridgeback?

We call her Norberta now.

Charlie Weasley

Aragog is an Acromantula owned by Rubeus Hagrid. Like the rest of his species, Aragog had a taste for human flesh and was able to communicate with humans with speech. In his youth, he was the size of a Pekingese and near the end of his life was about the size of a small elephant with an eighteen-foot leg span.

Aragog had a wife, Mosag, and was the leader of a large Acromantula colony composed of all of his sons and daughters. During his life, Aragog was accused of being Slytherin's Monster, although this was really a basilisk.

Ironically, all spiders fear the basilisk, as it is their mortal enemy. After Aragog died, some of his venom was taken by Horace Slughorn and was most likely sold later on.

Aragog was originally brought as an egg in a distant land and came to Great Britain in the pocket of a traveller. Somehow, the egg came into possession of Rubeus Hagrid, who at the time was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After Aragog hatched from it, Hagrid kept him in a cupboard in one of the school's dungeons, feeding him scraps.

Tom Marvolo Riddle, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin who would later become Lord Voldemort, opened the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed the resident monster, Basilisk, upon the castle to exterminate its Muggle-born population, those who were unworthy to study magic. Aragog was framed as being the monster and Hagrid was accused of being Slytherin's heir.

Several students were petrified in the school after the monster were unleashed. But when one of its victims, Moaning Myrtle, died in a bathroom, it motivated the school's governors to consider closing the school. Tom, who considered Hogwarts his only home, found out about Aragog after discovering the young Hagrid tending to the Acromantula, and used Aragog as a scapegoat for the monster's rampage. Tom came to capture the creature, but Hagrid helped Aragog escape to the Forbidden Forest.

Hagrid was later punished with expulsion from the school. Aragog, meanwhile, had to flee into the Forbidden Forest.

More information: Wizarding World

Hagrid, though expelled, was assigned the position of Gamekeeper at Hogwarts, by the intervention of Albus Dumbledore, thus allowing him to stay in contact with Aragog.

Hagrid would visit Aragog now and then, bringing him food. On one particular visit, Hagrid brought Aragog a wife, Mosag, another Acromantula. The two Acromantulas started a large colony. Sometime later, Aragog became blind.

Salazar Slytherin's basilisk was unleashed on the castle again. This time, however, the rampage did not result in any deaths, only the petrification of several muggle-born students. Once again the governors considered closing the school due to the attacks. Governors of the school once again accused Hagrid of being the Heir of Slytherin.

Hagrid vaguely told Ron Weasley and Harry Potter to follow the spiders, but couched this advice in a statement to Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, as they were both hiding under Harry's invisibility cloak. 

Though reluctantly, the two decided to continue their investigation of the monster, and follow the spiders like Hagrid had indirectly told them. This led them into the Forbidden Forest. Arriving at Aragog's Lair, they encountered Aragog and his colony.

Aragog revealed to them of Hagrid's innocence, the discovery of Myrtle's body in the bathroom and added that he was not the Chamber's resident monster but however gave them a small clue of it; the monster was born in the castle unlike him and that his species never speak nor mention its name or anything about it as they fear it above other creatures. He only revealed that the creature in the Chamber was ancient.

Aragog told the two that while he showed mercy to Hagrid, he would not deny his many children fresh meat -even if they were Hagrid's friends. However, thanks to the Flying Ford Anglia, Aragog's children failed to eat the two boys, as they both escaped the forest by flying away in the enchanted car. After this, Harry and Ron actually found the real monster was in fact a basilisk and the real heir, Tom Riddle, who was of course none other than the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Aragog comes from the words Ara which comes from arachnid, which is the class spiders belong to. Gog and Magog are biblical names.

Possibly derived from the Greek word agog, meaning leader, from which the modern English demagogue is an iteration.

More information: Wizarding World

They believed that I was the monster

that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets.

Aragog

Buckbeak, later renamed Witherwings, is a male hippogriff. He lived with Rubeus Hagrid during Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts, along with a few other hippogriffs. He was later unfairly sentenced to death, when he attacked Draco Malfoy after being taunted and provoked.

Buckbeak's death sentence was delivered from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Many of the members of this committee had been threatened by Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, into voting for that verdict.

With the help of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and her Time-Turner, Buckbeak escaped execution and he came under the care of Sirius Black. Sirius kept Buckbeak with him while on the run, and later kept him in his mother's bedroom while in hiding at 12 Grimmauld Place.

After Sirius's death, Buckbeak came to be owned by Harry Potter through Sirius's will, though Harry allowed him to live with Hagrid. He participated in two battles of the Second Wizarding War, most notably the Battle of Hogwarts. He also showed great affection and loyalty toward Harry, defending him whenever he was in danger.

Rubeus Hagrid brought his first Care of Magical Creatures class to see and study Buckbeak, as well as other hippogriffs. Under Hagrid's direction, Harry was able to successfully approach Buckbeak and was even allowed to ride him for a short flight around the paddock.

As hippogriffs are immensely proud creatures, Buckbeak was offended when Draco Malfoy taunted and provoked him. This resulted in him injuring the boy's arm. Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy insisted that the Hippogriff be put to death. Malfoy's influence in the Ministry of Magic led to his views being the majority vote, and the execution was to be carried out. Walden Macnair came to the Hogwarts as the employed executioner, and Buckbeak was tied in Hagrid's pumpkin patch to await his death.

However, using a Time-Turner, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger rescued Buckbeak just prior to the execution. Originally, they had heard the swish of an axe and assumed Buckbeak had been killed. Later, as it became evident that Buckbeak had escaped, Macnair swung his axe into a pumpkin in anger.

When Harry and Hermione were about to be attacked by Remus Lupin in his werewolf form, Buckbeak saved them by attacking him and scaring him off. Buckbeak was used to get to Filius Flitwick's Office, in which Sirius was locked in, enabling Black to escape the Dementors and leave Hogwarts.

More information: Wizarding World

Sirius Black then took possession of Buckbeak while both were on the run from the Ministry of Magic. Buckbeak stayed in Sirius's late mother's room at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Buckbeak appears with Sirius in the cave near Hogsmeade when he came to talk to Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.

Kreacher injured Buckbeak with the encouragement of Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy so that Sirius would be occupied with taking care of him when Harry tried to contact him.

This led Harry to believe a false vision Lord Voldemort showed him, where Sirius was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries.

The scene lured Harry and his friends to the Ministry, and set the stage for a battle. During the battle Sirius died, knocked through the Veil in the Death Chamber. Albus Dumbledore told Harry that according to Sirius' will, he was now the legal owner of Buckbeak, though Harry told Dumbledore that Buckbeak could continue living with Rubeus Hagrid.

In order to protect the hippogriff's identity, Buckbeak was renamed Witherwings at this time. He was greeted by Harry Potter in front of Hagrid's hut when the trio dropped in for a visit. He was also present near the hut during Aragog's funeral.

Buckbeak joined Harry's duel with Severus Snape across the grounds, attacking Snape and driving him off, thus protecting Harry. Buckbeak survived the battle and was still in very good health.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Buckbeak, along with several Thestrals, were seen attacking Lord Voldemort's giant soldiers from the air while Grawp was hitting them. Buckbeak survived the battle.

Buckbeak was a proud creature and at first he seemed to be fairly aggressive, attacking Draco Malfoy when the latter insulted him. Despite his earlier signs of aggression, Buckbeak has been shown to be very loyal and protective of those who treat him with kindness and respect. After being saved from execution, Buckbeak protects Hermione and Harry when they were threatened by Remus Lupin in his werewolf form.

Buckbeak was intelligent in his ability to recognise his past acquaintances, as he defended a cornered Harry from Severus Snape. His loyalty towards Harry was undying, and further proven when he joined the Battle of Hogwarts to fight.

More information: Britannica

Harry saw great winged creatures soaring

the heads of Voldemort's giants,

thestrals and Buckbeak the hippogriff

scratching at their eyes

while Grawp punched and pummelling them

and now the wizards,

defenders of Hogwarts and Death Eaters

alike were being forced back into the castle.

 J.K. Rowling

Hagrid raised and trained a herd of Thestrals to pull the Hogwarts carriages. The herd started out with one male and five females, with Tenebrus as the first to be bred. They are trained not to attack owls. Hagrid introduced his fifth year Care of Magical Creatures class to the herd, although only three students were able to see them.

They lived in the Forbidden Forest, specifically in the Thestral Paddock. The herd started out with one male and five females, with Tenebrus as the first to be bred in the forest. The Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid bred, trained, and cared for the creatures.

They were mainly used to pull the Hogwarts carriages up to the school from Hogsmeade Station to the Entrance Gates for Second through Seventh year students, although they were sometimes used by Albus Dumbledore when he went on a long journey and didn't want to Apparate. These Thestrals were trained to go to anywhere they are told by a rider due to their impeccable sense of direction.

They were also trained not to attack owls so as not to interfere with the owl post. Hagrid reckoned that the herd was the only tamed herd of its size in Great Britain.

Hagrid used this herd of Thestrals to teach his fifth year Care of Magical Creatures class about these creatures. Several students, including Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were frightened by viewing the Thestrals eating a carcass on the floor, as they were invisible to most eyes.

The herd also took part in the Battle of Hogwarts, where they attacked the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort's giant allies.

More information: Wizarding I & II

 

 

 They can only be seen by people who've seen death.

Luna Lovegood