Thestral
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A Thestral is an unusual type of winged horse, invisible to those who have not witnessed death. Thestrals are considered highly unlucky by most wizards and, to those who have seen death, appear as carnivorous, skeletal horses with reptilian features.
The carriages that transport Hogwarts students (other than first years) from the Hogwarts Express to the castle are drawn by Thestrals, but the invisibility of the creatures causes most students to assume that the carriages are guided magically, without the aid of draft animals.
Harry Potter first saw the Thestrals at Hogwarts in September of 1995, after having witnessed the murder of Cedric Diggory the same June. J. K. Rowling explained that he hadn't seen them that June because he had not yet dealt with what he had witnessed.
In 1996, Harry, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom flew to London atop the Thestrals in order to find Sirius Black, whom Harry believed to be in danger in the Ministry of Magic.
The Order of the Phoenix made use of Thestrals in the summer of 1997 during the flight from Little Whinging. They had six members take Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves as Harry, and then the "seven Potters" and their protectors fled 4 Privet Drive to Order safehouses. Hermione Granger and Kingsley Shacklebolt flew on a Thestral, as did Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour.
During the Battle of Hogwarts, Thestrals were seen attacking Lord Voldemort's giant soldiers from the air along with Buckbeak the hippogriff.
It can also be noted that the core of the Elder Wand was from the tail of a Thestral.
Info
Thestrals are the most elusive and least horse-like breed of magical horse. They have acquired an undeserved reputation as omens of evil.<ref name="HPL">Thestrals in the Harry Potter Lexicon</ref> They are visible only to those who have witnessed and accepted a death,<ref>J K Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival.</ref> and are described 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".<ref name="HPL"/> Dolores Umbridge asserted that Thestrals are considered as "dangerous creatures" by the Ministry of Magic.
Thestrals have fangs and possess a well-developed sense of smell, which will lead them to carrion and fresh blood. According to Hagrid, they will not attack a human-sized target without provocation. 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. 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. They are introduced to Care of Magical Creatures students in the fifth year by Hagrid — in the same year that Harry becomes able to see them after witnessing the death of Cedric Diggory, having previously thought that the carriages moved on their own. Thestrals are featured in the Battle of Hogwarts at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, seen attacking Death Eaters. In the same book, it is revealed that the Elder Wand has a core of Thestral hair, although no other wands are known to use Thestral hair as a core.
