Overview

Thestrals are an interesting breed of winged horses that are found to be scary by a majority of wizardkind. This fear can partially be due to The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures giving thestrals an XXXX classification. This means that they are dangerous and require specialist knowledge to be handled carefully and adequately. Wizards that live close to muggles must perform disillusionment charms on their thestrals regularly to hide them from the prying eyes of muggles. Thestrals are native to Britain, France, Ireland, and the Iberian Peninsula. Hogwarts has its herd of loyal thestrals, which started with just one male and five females and grew in size afterward. Former professor Rubeus Hagrid trained and bred this herd at one point, and suspected that it is the only trained group of thestrals in Britain.

Appearance

Thestrals have a slightly disorienting appearance, which is another reason they have a bad reputation with wizardkind. They are large like horses but bony, their black skin clinging to their bones tightly. They also have a dragon-like head with pupilless eyes and no expression. Thestral's wings do not have feathers, which makes them look like giant bat wings. They also have sharp fangs and a long tail. Overall, they can definitely look spooky, disorienting, or downright frightening, depending on the person looking at them.

Abilities

Thestrals may have a grim appearance, but not everyone gets to see it. The most infamous of thestrals' abilities is their invisibility. Anyone who has not seen someone dying and fully accepted understood and internalized the concept, will not be able to see these creatures. This is the final reason that thestrals have a bad reputation. Thestrals also have a very strong sense of smell, making them able to smell blood and fresh flesh from afar. They also have a powerful sense of direction, able to go anywhere just by telling them, similar to owls. They are also fast flyers and can go long distances. Thestral tail hair is a powerful substance that can only be mastered by a witch or wizard capable of facing death. It can be used as a core in a wand's conception and was used to create the most famous wand in existence, the Elder Wand.

Behavior

Thestrals are social herd creatures that are quite smart. When trained, they can understand a rider's words telling them where to go, much similar to owls. They can be found in darker environments, and the forest is their natural habitat. They communicate through a shrill shriek that resembles one of a monstrous bird. Thestrals would forcefully attack anyone or anything they see as a threat and, in the unusual case of domesticated Thestrals, any enemy of its owners. They are carnivorous, and often hunt for birds. Thestrals can be domesticated and mounted, so they are sometimes used as an alternative to brooms, Apparition, and other transportation methods. However, travel by Thestral is technically illegal, as it is a breach of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Even still, they are rarely used as transportation methods due to their reputation as omens of evil and their grim appearance.

Credits/References

Written by Nathaniel Casron
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.