Thestral

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Thestrals are large winged horses in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. They are introduced in Order of the Phoenix.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Thestrals are the most elusive and least horse-like breed of magical horse. They have earned an undeserved reputation as omens of evil.^[1] They are visible only to those who have witnessed and accepted a death,^[2] and their appearance is skeletal, fleshless. They are described in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as having "blank, white, shining eyes," a "dragonish face", "long, black manes", "great leathery wings", and the "skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse". They are also described, by Hagrid, as "dead clever an' useful".^[1]. Dolores Umbridge revealed that Thestrals are considered as "dangerous creatures" by the Ministry of Magic.

An artist's impression of a Thestral.

Thestrals have fangs and possess a well-developed sense of smell, which will lead them to carrion and fresh blood. Carnivorous in nature, the Thestral is an opportunistic scavenger, but will occasionally go after birds. According to Hagrid, they will not attack a human-sized target without provocation. ^[3] Their wings are capable of very fast flight for at least several hours at a time, though they usually spend their time on the ground, and they have an excellent sense of direction. When they fly, they are said to resemble large bats, dragons, or pterodactyls for their large membranous wings.

The breed is at least semi-domesticable, given a willing trainer. Thestrals can be used to pull loads, and make a serviceable if very uncomfortable mode of transportation for someone with enough nerve.

Hogwarts has a herd in the nearby Forbidden Forest and primarily uses them to pull the carriages that transport students to and from the Hogsmeade train station. These have been trained not to attack the post owls. They're introduced to Care of Magical Creatures students in the fifth under Hagrid. They are first introduced in the same year as Harry becomes able to see them, after having previously thought that the carriages moved on their own.

In Order of the Phoenix several characters were shown to be able to see Thestrals including Harry Potter, Rubeus Hagrid, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and Theodore Nott.

[edit] Notes

^ ^a ^b Thestrals. Harry Potter Lexicon.
^ J K Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival.
^ 'Thestrals aren' dangerous! All righ', they might take a bite outta yeh if yeh really annoy them—'...'I mean, a dog'll bite if yeh bait it, won' it—' Rowling, J.K. (2003). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (US Hardback), 844.