Lion

"Heart of a lion, this one"

- Ron, sarcastically, after Gilderoy Lockhart pretends to faint upon seeing the shed skin of the Serpent of Slytherin.

A lion is a carnivorous mammal. It is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. It is the mascot of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as it represents courage and chivalry, the two most pronounced traits of a Gryffindor. In addition, Luna Lovegood made a hat in the shape of a lion's head, and would wear it at all Quidditch games between Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses, to show her support for Gryffindor, over Slytherin.

At the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, the scarves for those supporting Bulgaria were adorned with lions that really roared.

Later that year, while introducing a dance lesson for the Yule Ball, Professor McGonagall stated that inside every boy was a lordly lion prepared to prance.

A Sphinx is a magical creature that has the body of a lion, but a human head.

Kneazles have a lightly plumed tail, like a lion.

Behind the scenes

 * One of the many forms a Fiendfyre can take is a lion.
 * In the summer of 1996, when observing him for the first time, the Prime Minister thought that Rufus Scrimgeour looked rather like an old lion.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
 * Harry Potter Trading Card Game
 * Harry Potter LEGO Sets