Hogwarts Herald

Have you ever wondered which of the creatures that roam Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest came straight out of JK Rowling’s head? And which of them have a place in myths and legends long before her time? I am beginning a new series to look closely at the critters that roam throughout Rowling’s English countryside. The one animal in the series that struck a chord in my mind and heart was the Thestrals. Maybe it’s just the Luna Lovegood in me, but I think that these are the most amazing and beautiful animals in any of the books.

Thestrals, it seems, did indeed come fully out of Jo’s head, although they may have basis in several different myths. First lets explore what we do know about the Thestrals. The first time we really encounter them is on the horseless carriages. Of course we don’t know it at the time. For years the students at Hogwarts believe that the carriages draw themselves. It’s not until after Harry sees Cedric die that he is able to see the Thestrals for what they are. And then we can see them too. Stately skeletal black horses. Winged, and slightly scary. Especially when Harry realizes that nobody else can see them. That is until “Loony” Luna Lovegood pipes up and tells Harry that she can see them too. When Hagrid introduces his Care of Magical Creatures class to the Thestrals, most of the students can’t see them. The reason for that? Only those who have seen death can see the Thestrals. While Harry was there when his parents were killed, he didn’t actually see the death. That’s why he wasn’t able to see them in the first four books. Luna can see them too, because she watched her mother die. It was an accidental death, and experimental spell gone horribly wrong. Who did Hagrid see die? As far as I know that is never made actually clear. If you know better than I on that subject, please let me know.

The Thestrals are carnivores. This is made quite clear when we see Luna walking with them in the Forbidden Forest and feeding them chunks of raw meat. The DA 6, namely Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna & Ginny flew on the Thestrals to London in order to try to save Sirius Black. In Book 7 the Order of the Phoenix members brought Thestrals to help with the Seven Potters Plan. They are indeed, as Hagrid said, dead useful. Perhaps one of the most interesting things though, is that the core of the Elder Wand is made with Hair of Thestral. Of course the core of one of the Deathly Hallows would be from a Thestral Hair.

So, what Myths may the Thestral be based upon? Well the first one that pops into my head is a Celtic Myth of the Pooka. The Pooka is a shapeshifting Hobgoblin that usually takes the shape of an ugly black horse. The Pooka is one of the fairy creatures, but is generally considered to be evil. Rather than evil though, the Pooka is largely misunderstood. He often appears before death because that is a point when the veil between the worlds is thin, and therefore a good time to see any of the fairy folk. People therefore see him as an omen of death when really he was there all the time, you just didn’t see him. He is also quite mischevious, as all hobgoblin and fairy creatures are.

Leah at Mugglenet has found a different myth, though, that seems much more similar. She has found a Celtic story that describe a skeletal black horse called the Mare of Doom who can transport it’s rider magically from one place to the next with the untying of a halter knot. Stop on by and read the story she has placed there. It’s a really good story and reflects the Thestrals remarkably.

Can you think of any other myth that you think might have sparked the imagination of the talented writer we love so much? Something else that may have been the first seeds of the Thestrals? What magical creature would you like me to explore next?