The very name of a Thestral means being related to the ‘dark’ or ‘gloom’ in archaic English. Combined with the creature’s gaunt and menacing appearance, the winged beast is widely considered as an ill omen in the world ofHarry Potter. For centuries, the very sight of Thestrals was considered as bad luck, because of which they were hunted down and poorly treated by many. The truth, however, is that these seemingly aggressive and sinister creatures are only perceived so only because they are “different”. Not only do they have a kind and even tender temperament, but they also possess a number of magical abilities. The tail hair of a Thestral, for instance, can only be mastered by a wizard or witch who can face death. J. K. Rowling has also revealed that the core of the Elder Wand —the most powerful wand known to wizardkind— is, in fact, a Thestral tail hair.
Despite common belief, these rare and kindly creatures are meant to serve as positive symbols, especially when the themes of death and calamity become more prominent in the story.
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What Are Thestrals in Harry Potter?
As Thestrals are a breed of winged horses, they resemble them to some degree, with their glossy, black manes and long tails. However, they also have some “reptilian” features and large wings sprouting from the backs of their skeletal, fleshless bodies. Their “dragonish” faces especially — with their white, blank eyes and sharp fangs — make them look even more “eerie” and “sinister”. They are native to the British Isles and Ireland, but they have also been spotted in some areas of France and the Iberian Peninsula. Other wizarding communities around the world are believed to have their own equivalent to Thestrals. Forests are their natural habitat, where they live in herds and communicate with each other through shrill shrieks. They are carnivorous and lured by the smell of blood, even from far-off distances. Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank also mentions how they tend to attack birds — suggesting that they hunt their prey both on and off the ground.
TheHogwarts High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridgeonce informed that the Ministry of Magic has classified them as “dangerous”; it discourages owning these beasts and states that only experienced wizards and witches should attempt to handle them. However, they are actually quite gentle and “dead clever”. Trained Thestrals can be used as an alternative to magical modes of transportation as they have a good sense of direction — in fact, they only need to be told the destination by the rider. They are fast fliers and can travel long distances with ease. They can carry at least two humans, and even lift anything that weighs as much as them. This is demonstrated inHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when the Golden Trio (along with Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom) fly from Hogwarts to the Ministry of Magic on Thestrals when they believe Sirius Black is in trouble. During theBattle of the Seven Potters, four members of the Order of the Phoenix also fly on Thestrals.The gamekeeper Rubeus Hagridonce told his Care of Magical Creatures class that Dumbledore would often ride on them as well, when he did not feel like Apparating to a place. However, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy has declared it illegal to travel on Thestrals.
It is believed that theHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardryhas the only herd of domesticated Thestrals in the whole of Britain. According to Pottermore, the original members of the herd came to school as a way to bring students to the school before the Hogwarts Express was introduced. They live in the Forbidden Forest, and are tended to by Hagrid. They are primarily used to draw the carriages from Hogsmeade Station to the gates of the school. They are also trained not to attack students or the owls that are flying about.
Thestrals are also loyal creatures, and only attack those whom they see as a threat. During the Battle of Hogwarts, they attack Voldemort’s giants, led by the Hippogriff Buckbeak. In the epilogue nineteen years later, when James Potter teases his brother Albus about them, Harry comforts his son by telling him that they would never attack without reason.
Why Can Some People See Thestrals?
There is a wizarding superstition that Thestrals are “really unlucky” and bring about “horrible misfortune” on those who can see them. Since they are invisible to all except those who have witnessed death at least once, it is quite understandable why the association with loss can make them seem threatening. Neville mentions that he can see them as he saw his grandfather die right in front of him when he was a young child. Similarly, it is likely that Dumbledore could see them (given that he would frequently ride them) sincehe saw his sister Ariana get killed.
Harry discovers that he can see them in his fifth year at Hogwarts, after watching Cedric get murdered at the end of his fourth year. According to Rowling, he cannot see them when he rides the school’s carriages at the end ofHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firebecause he had stillnot come to terms with Cedric’s deathyet. She also intentionally did not introduce the creatures then as the book already ends at a grim note. Harry could not see Thestrals even before that, despite being in the same room whenhis mother sacrificed her life for him, as he was still an infant at that point and could have also been shielded from the scene by his crib. In contrast, Luna, who saw her mother die during a magical experiment when she was just nine, could see Thestrals because she was still old enough then to comprehend death.
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