Buckbeak
From UnknowableWiki
| Creature profile | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Buckbeak | |
| Also known as | Witherwings, Beaky |
| Species | Hippogriff |
| Ministry of Magic Classification | XXX |
| Owner | Hagrid, Sirius Black, Harry Potter |
| Appearance | stormy grey coat |
| First appearance in canon | Talons and Tea Leaves (PA) |
Buckbeak is a Hippogriff that lives at Hogwarts with Rubeus Hagrid. He was sentenced to death after an attack on Draco Malfoy. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger helped him escape with Sirius Black, with whom Buckbeak lived for the next two years. After Sirius' death, Harry inherited Buckbeak and let him stay with Hagrid again under the new name of Witherwings.
Contents |
Characteristics
Buckbeak is a great creature with the head, front legs and wings of an eagle and the body and hindlegs of a horse. He has brilliant orange eyes. His coat and plumage are stormy grey. He is proud and fierce and does not like to be insulted. Buckbeak is armed with a razor-sharp beak and talons (PA6).
Life
Buckbeak was among the Hippogriffs Hagrid showed to his third-years during his first Care of Magical Creatures lesson on September 2, 1993. When Harry volunteered to approach one of the creatures, Hagrid let him work with Buckbeak. Harry made eye contact with the Hippogriff and bowed to him. After some reluctance, Buckbeak returned the greeting and bent his front knees to Harry. Under the applause of his classmates (excluding Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle), Harry patted Buckbeak's beak and flew around the paddock.
Buckbeak was then assigned to Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy started to pat his back disdainfully after he had bowed down to him. He carelessly insulted Buckbeak, calling him a "great, ugly brute". The Hippogriff immediately attacked Malfoy and was able to cut his arm before Hagrid could restrain him again. Draco was panicked and screamed that Buckbeak had killed him. Hagrid carried him up to the hospital wing (PA6).
Lucius Malfoy employed his contacts with the Ministry of Magic to submit Buckbeak to a hearing before the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures on April 20, 1994. Hagrid was ordered to keep Buckbeak tethered and isolated until then. Buckbeak lost, and was sentenced to death (PA14).
Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger spent long hours in the library researching ways to appeal, but their effors were futile; the Committee already brought the executioner Walden Macnair to the appeal at the end of the schoolyear. Buckbeak was to be killed at sundown (PA16).
Using Hermione's Time-Turner, and acting according to Albus Dumbledore's instructions, Harry and Hermione freed Buckbeak just in time. Flying on the Hippogriff, the two also rescued Sirius Black from certain death (PA21).
Over the next year, Sirius and Buckbeak hid in several places around the world, including the cave in Hogsmeade where the Trio visited them (GF27). They later moved to number twelve, Grimmauld Place, where Buckbeak was kept upstairs in Walburga Black's room and fed with dead rats (OP6). He was miserable due to the small space to which he was confined (OP9). Sirius often sought his company when he felt depressed (OP9, OP24). Harry also hid in his attic when he was worried that Voldemort might have possessed him (OP23).
Following the Malfoys' orders, Kreacher injured Buckbeak shortly before the end of the schoolyear in 1996. Sirius had to tend to him upstairs and was kept from the Floo when Harry called to check on him (OP37).
After Sirius' death, Harry inherited Buckbeak, who agreed to Albus Dumbledore's suggestion to place him under Hagrid's care again. To hide him from Ministry persecution, Buckbeak was rechristened Witherwings (HBP3), but Hagrid and his friends usually forgot to use the new name or caught themselves in the last moment ("Buck—I mean Witherwings", HBP8, HBP17). Hagrid was delighted to have him back and Buckbeak happy to be out in the open air again (HBP6). Hagrid kept him tethered in front of his cabin. Harry, Ron and Hermione visited him and Hagrid occasionally (HBP11), HBP17).
Durng the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, Buckbeak flew at Severus Snape after the latter attacked Harry. Followed by the screeching and slashing Hippogriff, Snape took flight and Disapparated just outside the school grounds (HBP28).
Buckbeak also fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. Together with several Thestrals, he attacked Voldemort's giants from the air and tried to scratch out their eyes (DH36).
Ships
Fanon
