A snake is an elongated and legless carnivorous reptile. In the Harry Potter book series, snakes have a connection to the Dark Arts.
About[]
Snakes are cold-blooded creatures. They shed scaly skin[1], and they have fangs. Snakes are carnivorous. Known prey includes frogs, lizards, roosters and even humans. Their size depends on their specific species and they can be poisonous. Poison is passed through a bite.[2] They are hatched in eggs, and speal Parseltongue.[3][4]
There are various known species of snakes in the wizarding world. They are useful for those who study the Dark Arts and at least one known species, a Basilisk was created for that purpose.[5] Parseltongue speakers inherit their ability to speak it through their bloodline, and they tend to be Dark witches and wizards, e.g. Salazar Slytherin and Tom Riddle.[2]
Snakes are used in creating potions. Horned Serpents are hunted for potion ingredients[6], and Runespoors and their eggs are of great value.[7] Boomslang skin is used for Polyjuice Potions[8] and Snake fangs in the Cure for Boils.[9] Serpensortia is an incantation to an unknown spell which conjures a snake.[4]
History[]
A Basilisk
Salazar Slytherin was an ancient wizard who was able to speak Parseltongue. He founded Slytherin house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and chose a snake to be the symbol of the House. He later hatched a Basilisk, a Serpent of Slytherin for the sole purpose of purging the school of Muggle-born students. It was hidden in the Chamber of Secrets for an Heir of Slytherin to unleash. A Basilisk could be controlled by those who spoke Parseltongue.[10]
An Heir of Slytherin, Tom Riddle was first to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the Serpent of Slytherin. He was forced to close it when a girl died and the school was going to be closed.[1] Harry Potter gained the ability to speak Parseltongue when he was a Horcrux.[11]
In June 1991, Harry Potter spoke to a Boa constrictor at the zoo and found out he could speak to snakes.[3] He soon let it loose by accidentally vanishing the glass pane it was kept behind. In October 1992, a possessed Ginevra Weasley unleashed the Serpent of Slytherin in the school for a second time[1], which Harry slayed.[12]
In December 1992, Draco Malfoy used a spell known by the incantation "Serpensortia" in a Duelling Club against Harry. The spell conjured a snake, which targeted Justin Finch-Fletchley. Harry unknowingly spoke Parseltongue in front of the club, shocking everyone. The snake was vanished, and he learned he had a rare ability. Because of the connection of Parseltongue speakers to the Dark Arts, he was thought to be a Dark wizard by the school and suspected of being the Heir of Slytherin.[4]
Known snakes[]
Species in the wizarding world[]
- Ashwinder
- Adder[13]
- Basilisk[10]
- Boa constrictor[3]
- Boomslang[8]
- Cobra[3]
- Gorgon[14]
- Horned Serpent
- Rattlesnake[15]
- Runespoor
- Python[3]
Notes and sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: An A-Z of Fantastic Beasts (Basilisk)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2017 edition): An A-Z of Fantastic Beasts (Horned Serpent)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: An A-Z of Fantastic Beasts (Runespoor)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 8
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 10
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 4
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 7