The unicorn is an iconic creature which first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Their existence is one of the worst-kept wizarding secrets from the Muggle world. They have many potent uses including their blood, which is capable of keeping someone on the brink of death alive, and their tail hair which is used to for wand cores.
About[]
Unicorns are a beautiful creature with pure white fur and a long horn. They are gold at birth but turn silver before reaching adulthood. They have silver blood that shines. The blood, horn and hair of unicorns have very magical properties.[1] If their blood is drunk, it will keep someone on the brink of death alive. However, if the unicorn is killed, the killer is cursed with a half-life.[2]
The unicorn is the type of creature to avoid human contact and are so quick that they are very difficult to capture.[1] They do not cause infractions of the International Statute of Secrecy because of their avoidance.[3] Muggle-repelling charms have been put in sections of the forests that they live in. They happily stay within their boundary.[4] They have a high Classification because they should be treated with respected and are not aggressive by nature.[1]
History[]
Unicorns were known to Muggles before the International Statute of Secrecy. They often appear in art and literature. They are now understood to be imaginary after the Statute was instituted[5], but still receive great press which Newton Scamander considers justified unlike the inaccuracy of their perceptions of the fairy.[1]
In or prior to the spring of 1992, Professor Quirrell began drinking the blood of unicorns in the Forbidden Forest. He was dying because Voldemort had possessed him and it was destroying their shared body. Drinking the blood of unicorns kept him strong. He killed at least two unicorns that were found by Rubeus Hagrid. The search for the second one was a joint effort of Hagrid, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom during their detention. Harry had saw Quirrell drinking the blood personally, but he was hooded at the time.[2]
Notes and sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: An A-Z of Fantastic Beasts (Unicorn)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Introduction (Magical Beasts in Hiding)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Introduction (Magical Beasts in Hiding, Safe Habitats)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Introduction (A Brief History of Muggle Awareness of Fantastic Beasts)