Pets are just as esteemed and important in the wizarding world as they are for muggles. Whether they are regular animals or magical creatures, pets have become a staple of theHarry Potterfranchise. From Hedwig’s unwavering loyalty to the strong bond between Dumbledore and Fawkes, these creatures play an integral role in the characters’ lives, and some even change the entire course of the story. However, as the series unfolds, many of these beloved pets seem to fade into the background, often making fans wonder about the fates of these beloved animal companions.
When young wizards start attending Hogwarts, they can choose to bring a pet with them.Harry Potterfans may have thought about what animal they would choose to accompany them if they were to attend the wizarding school. When Harry gets his Hogwarts letter inThe Philosopher’s Stone, it states that students can bring an owl, a cat, or a toad. But since some students bring other creatures, such as rats, tarantulas, and even Pygmy Puffs along with them, it likely means that the letter is more of a guideline than an official rule. However, not all the pets featured in the series belong to Hogwarts students. Characters like Hagrid, Dumbledore, and even Voldemort also keep an animal companion by their side. Many of these pets go through journeys of their own throughout the course of the story, and some of their fates even mirrored those of their owners.
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Hedwig’s Sacrifice
It is likely that the firstHarry Potterpet that comes to fans’ minds is Hedwig, Harry’s pet snowy owl.Hedwig was a birthday gift from Hagridbefore he started his first year at Hogwarts, and instantly became a fan-favorite character. Besides Hagrid, Hedwig was Harry’s first and most loyal friend, and acted as his companion throughout his journey at Hogwarts and while he stayed at the Dursleys. Throughout her life, she fulfilled her duties as an owl by delivering mail for Harry, while also serving as a source of comfort for him whenever he felt alone. She was an extremely intelligent and intuitive owl, and the bond she had with Harry only grew stronger as they both grew older.
Hedwig’s fate took a tragic turn inThe Deathly Hallowsduring the Battle of the Seven Potters. As Harry, Hedwig, and Hagrid, escaped from Death Eaters on Hagrid’s flying motorcycle, the owl was struck by a killing curse and died instantly, leaving Harry, and fans, devastated. Since it’s highly likely that the curse was aimed at Harry or Hagrid, it is safe to assume that her death saved their lives. Hedwig’s tragic death isone of the saddest ones in the series, and it marked a turning point in the story. Losing Hedwig marked the end of Harry’s childhood, showcased the harsh realities of the wizarding world, and served as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by all, even wizards’ beloved animal friends.
The Fates of Other Beloved Pets
Besides Hedwig, perhaps the most famous pet in Harry Potter is Scabbers, Ron’s pet rat. InThe Prisoner of Azkaban, it was revealed thatScabbers was actually Peter Pettigrew, who went into hiding as his animagus form, after Death Eaters suspected him of being a traitor. As a rat, Pettigrew came into the hands of Percy Weasley, and later Ron. He stayed a rat and lived with the Weasleys, who took good care of him and named him Scabbers, for twelve years. After his true identity was revealed by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, Harry convinced them to spare his life. InTheDeathly Hallowsbook, Pettigrew is strangled to death by the silver hand Voldemort gives him, after hesitating to kill Harry for a brief moment. In the film adaptation, However, in the movie adaptation this doesn’t happen. Instead, he is struck in the back by a spell and falls face-first to the ground, and his death is never confirmed in the movie, leaving his fate more ambiguous.
Crookshanks, Hermione’s pet cat, was first introduced inThe Prisoner of Azkaban.Hermione purchased him from Magical Menagerie before starting her third year at Hogwarts, and took him to the school with her. Crookshanks played an important role that year, as he was ableto detect animal frauds, most often animagi, which made him really interested in Scabbers. This caused the rat to run away, making Ron believe that Crookshanks had eaten his beloved pet. The cat also helped Sirius Black lure the Golden Trio into the Shrieking Shack, where the groundbreaking revelation of Scabbers’ true identity and Sirius’ innocence occurs. During the Second Wizarding War, Hermione and Crookshanks hid in the Burrow, and he stayed there when his ownerleft to find the Horcruxes with Harry and Ron. Not much is known about Crookshanks life after this, but it can be assumed that he and Hermione reunited after the Battle of Hogwarts. In 2021, J.K. Rowling confirmed that Crookshanks lived to a very old age, but died sometime before 2021.
One of the first pets introduced in the series is Trevor, Neville Longbottom’s toad. He was gifted to Neville by his great uncle Algie after being accepted into Hogwarts. During his first year,Neville often lost Trevor, but eventually found him again every time, and during his third year, Trevor was part of Professor Flitwick’s Frog Choir. Trevor is featured less and less as the series progresses, but he does accompany Neville to Hogwarts at least until 1996. Sometime after that, Trevor escaped into the Lake. While both Neville and the toad felt a sense of relief, Trevor’s fate after this remains unknown.
Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix companion, shared a deep bond with his owner. Dumbledore and the phoenix met sometime before 1938, and Fawkes stayed by the wizard’s side for at least 59 years, always remaining loyal and helpful. Fawkes played a crucial role inThe Chamber of Secrets, as he delivered the Sorting Hat, which thenrevealed Godric Gryffindor’s Sword, to Harry when he was fighting the Basilisk, and then saved his life when his arm was hurt by the Basilisk’s fang. After Dumbledore’s death, Fawkes sang his Lament and flew away from Hogwarts, never bonding with another human and returning to the wild, never to be seen again.
Rubeus Hagrid is known for his kindness and love for animals, and he has several pets throughout the series. He takes good care of them, but since a majority of them are dangerous creatures, he eventually parts ways with most of them. Harry set Fluffy, the three-headed dog, free in the Forbidden Forest after the Philosopher’s Stone was destroyed. Shortly after, Dumbledore sent Fluffy back to his native Greece. Hagrid shared a close bond with his pet Acromantula, Aragog, who died of old age in 1997. After the events ofThe Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid’s hippogriff, Buckbeak,escaped from Hogwarts alongside Sirius Black, who took care of him after. After Sirius’ death, Harry inherited Buckbeak, who returned him to Hagrid’s care. He fought alongside Thestrals during the Battle of Hogwarts, which he survived. It is known that he was still alive and well by 2008, but his fate after this is unknown. Norbert, Hagrid’s Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon, was sent toCharlie Weasley, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie later reveals that the dragon was actually a female, and was renamed Norberta.
Another one of Hagrid’s pets, and perhaps his most consistent companion, is Fang, the big boarhound dog.Fang has been with Hagrid since he was a puppy, and they live together in his hut. The beloved dog is often described as a coward, but he has always been very protective of his owner, and a very friendly and sociable dog, always happy to see Hagrid’s friends whenever they visit. InThe Philosopher’s Stone, Fang joined Harry and Draco in the Forbidden Forest after they got detention, and inThe Chamber of Secrets, he joined Harry and Ron when they returned to the forest to visit Aragog. Little is known about his fate after the series ended, but it is known that he was alive and well at that time.
