Harry Potter's Enchanted Animals: Unraveling the Mystery!

Pets hold a significant place in both the wizarding and muggle worlds, being valued and cherished. Regardless of whether they are ordinary animals or magical beings, pets play a vital role in the Harry Potter series, becoming an integral part of the characters' lives and influencing the course of the narrative. However, as the story progresses, several beloved pets gradually fade into the background, leaving fans wondering about their ultimate destinies.

When young wizards enroll at Hogwarts, they have the option to bring a pet with them. Potter fans have often contemplated which animal they would choose as their companion if they attended the magical school. In Harry's acceptance letter for Hogwarts in The Philosopher's Stone, it is mentioned that students can bring an owl, a cat, or a toad. However, since some students opt to bring alternative creatures like rats, tarantulas, and even Pygmy Puffs, it implies that the letter serves more as a general guideline than a rigid rule. Additionally, pets featured in the series are not limited to Hogwarts students alone. Characters like Hagrid, Dumbledore, and even Voldemort also have animal companions by their side. These pets embark on their own journeys within the story, mirroring the experiences and fates of their owners.

Hedwig’s Sacrifice

Harry Potter fans typically think of Hedwig, Harry's snowy owl, as his first pet. Hagrid gave Hedwig to Harry as a birthday present before his first year at Hogwarts, and she quickly became a beloved character. Besides Hagrid, Hedwig was Harry's first and most loyal friend, accompanying him throughout his time at Hogwarts and his stays with the Dursleys. In addition to delivering mail for Harry, she provided him comfort when he felt lonely. Hedwig was an intelligent and intuitive owl, and as both she and Harry grew older, their bond only grew stronger.

Tragically, Hedwig's fate took a turn for the worse in The Deathly Hallows during the Battle of the Seven Potters. As Harry, Hedwig, and Hagrid attempted to escape Death Eaters on Hagrid's flying motorcycle, Hedwig was struck by a killing curse and died instantly. This left Harry and fans devastated. It is likely that the curse was intended for either Harry or Hagrid, so it can be assumed that Hedwig's death saved their lives. This event is one of the saddest in the series and signifies a turning point in the story. Losing Hedwig symbolized the end of Harry's childhood, highlighted the harsh realities of the wizarding world, and reminded everyone of the sacrifices made, even by beloved animal friends of wizards.

The Fates of Other Beloved Pets

Hedwig and Scabbers are two of the most famous pets in the Harry Potter series. While Hedwig is Harry's loyal owl, Scabbers is Ron's pet rat. However, it is revealed in The Prisoner of Azkaban that Scabbers is actually Peter Pettigrew, who had transformed into a rat to hide from the Death Eaters. He was passed on to Percy Weasley and eventually ended up with Ron. The Weasley family took care of Scabbers for twelve years, unaware of his true identity. It is only when Sirius Black and Remus Lupin expose him that Harry manages to convince them to spare his life.

In The Deathly Hallows book, Pettigrew meets his demise when Voldemort's silver hand strangles him for hesitating to kill Harry. However, in the film adaptation, his death is left more ambiguous as he is struck by a spell and falls to the ground. The fate of Pettigrew is never confirmed in the movie.

Another important pet in the series is Crookshanks, Hermione's cat. She purchases him from Magical Menagerie before her third year at Hogwarts and takes him with her to school. Crookshanks has the ability to detect animagi and becomes particularly interested in Scabbers, causing the rat to run away. Ron mistakenly believes that Crookshanks has eaten his pet.

Crookshanks plays a vital role in leading Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the Shrieking Shack, where they discover Scabbers' true identity and Sirius Black's innocence. During the Second Wizarding War, Crookshanks stays with Hermione at the Burrow while she joins Harry and Ron in their search for Horcruxes. After the Battle of Hogwarts, it is assumed that Crookshanks and Hermione are reunited. J.K. Rowling confirmed in 2021 that Crookshanks lived a long life but passed away sometime before that year.

One of the initial pets introduced in the series is Trevor, the toad belonging to Neville Longbottom. Neville received Trevor as a gift from his great uncle Algie upon his acceptance into Hogwarts. Throughout his first year, Trevor would often go missing, but Neville always managed to find him again. In his third year, Trevor joined Professor Flitwick's Frog Choir. As the series progresses, Trevor becomes less prominent, though he does continue accompanying Neville to Hogwarts until at least 1996. However, at some point after that, Trevor managed to escape into the Lake. Although both Neville and the toad experienced a sense of relief, what happened to Trevor afterwards remains a mystery.

Fawkes, Dumbledore's companion phoenix, formed a deep bond with his master. They first met before 1938 and Fawkes remained faithful and helpful for a remarkable 59 years. Fawkes played a crucial role in The Chamber of Secrets, delivering the Sorting Hat to Harry, who in turn discovered Godric Gryffindor's Sword, and later saved Harry's life when he was injured by the Basilisk. Following Dumbledore's demise, Fawkes sang a mournful song and departed from Hogwarts, never forming a bond with another human and vanishing into the wild.

Rubeus Hagrid, renowned for his kindness towards creatures, had several pets throughout the series. While he cared diligently for them, the majority being dangerous creatures led to their eventual departure. After the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed, Harry released Fluffy, the three-headed dog, into the Forbidden Forest, where Fluffy was then returned to his native Greece by Dumbledore. Hagrid formed a close bond with his Acromantula pet, Aragog, who passed away from old age in 1997. Following the events of The Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid's hippogriff, Buckbeak, fled Hogwarts alongside Sirius Black, who cared for him. After Sirius' death, Buckbeak came under Harry's ownership and was ultimately returned to Hagrid. He fought alongside Thestrals during the Battle of Hogwarts and survived. It is known that he was alive and well as of 2008, but his fate beyond that remains unknown. Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon, Norbert, was entrusted to Charlie Weasley, an expert in dragons in Romania. Charlie later revealed that Norbert was a female and renamed her Norberta.

Hagrid's most loyal and constant companion is Fang, a large boarhound dog. Fang has been by Hagrid's side since he was a young pup, residing with him in his humble abode. Although often labeled as a coward, Fang has always fiercely protected his owner and displayed a friendly and sociable nature, eagerly welcoming Hagrid's friends during their visits. In The Philosopher's Stone, Fang accompanied Harry and Draco to the Forbidden Forest as a consequence of their detention, and in The Chamber of Secrets, he joined Harry and Ron on their return to the forest to meet Aragog. Little is revealed about Fang's fate after the series' conclusion, but it is confirmed that he remained alive and well during that time.