Overview

Kelpies are water demons that are known for being able to shapeshift. They are native to Great Britain and Ireland.

About the Creature

Kelpies are creatures that are able to take up any form, but their most common form is that of a horse with a mane made out of Bulrush. They are known for luring unassuming travellers onto their back and dragging them underwater. The victims of this creature would be eaten and the entrails would float to the surface of the water.

While Kelpies are seen as classification XXXX by the ministry, they could become relatively harmless when a bridle is placed over its head with the use of a Placement Charm. A kelpie that is bridle could be tamed, but only if they let the wizard or witch on their back without eating them. Kelpies could potentially remain tame if the bridle is left on long enough.

Kelpie Hair could be used as a wand core, but it is seen as inferior when it is compared to the three supreme wand cores, namely Phoenix Feather, Unicorn Hair and Dragon Heartstring.

History

• The famous magizoologist Newt Scamander had a male Kelpie in his basement in 1927. He tamed the creature with a bridle, but did not use the Placement Charm. Instead, he rode the creature on its back.
• Gilderoy Lockhart gave Rubeus Hagrid advice, during the 1992-1993 school year, about how you should help Kelpies out of a well that was not welcomed by Rubeus Hagrid himself.
• Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore had to cross the Black Lake in the Horcrux cave on the 29th of June in 1997. Harry Potter thought that the lake would hold various aquatic creatures, such as Kelpies as well as monsters, Giant Serpents, demons and sprites.

Known Kelpies

• Loch Ness Monster - largest reported kelpie that resided in the Loch Ness in Scotland. The form that this Kelpie often took was that of a sea serpent, which led to many sightings from muggles.
• Newton Scamander’s Kelpie
• Kelpie in the Hippogriff Clubhouse
• Kelpie at the Magical Creatures Reserve
• Kelpie in the Great Lake

Credits/References

Written by Liane Hawthorne
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.