Grindylow

Grindylow
Species information
Eye color	Yellow White
Skin color	Sickly green
Hair color	None
Native to	Great Britain Ireland
Height of average adult	Less than 6 feet
Distinction	Horned demons
Affiliation	Varies Merpeople
Ministry of Magic Classification	XX

"A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers."

—Description.

A Grindylow is a small, horned water demon.

History

Professor Remus Lupin ordered a Grindylow in 1993 for his third year class to study for Defense Against the Dark Arts. After his resignation, he left behind the tank in which the Grindylow was kept.

Two years later, the Grindylows of the Black Lake at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry attacked the students competing in the 1994-1995 Triwizard Tournament. They caused the early retirement from the task of Fleur Delacour, and nearly killed Harry Potter.

Behavior

Aggressive towards witches and wizards and muggles alike, the Grindylow has only ever been tamed by merpeople; the half-fish beings keep them as pets.

Diet

Grindylows survive, for the most part, on fish, algae, and small sea creatures; however, occasionally they will eat humans (it is for this reason that they are classified as dark creatures).

Habitat

These creatures are found in the weed beds at the bottom of lakes in Great Britain and Ireland.

Physical appearance

The Grindylow is a sickly green color, with green teeth and small pointy horns on its head. It has long, strong (albeit brittle) fingers which it uses to strangle its prey, and is a rather good swimmer.

Defense

The Grindylow has long, brittle fingers which despite their fragility are rather strong. The trick to escaping a Grindylow is to break their grip on a person; it can also be noted that the Revulsion Jinx may help with this task, as underwater it shoots jets of boiling hot water.

Behind the scenes

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the grindylow is a small creature with tentacles and two dangling tentacles on its head. In the book, there is no such description.
• The term "grindylow" was often used interchangeably with the term "hag" in Old English folklore.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (GBA only)
• 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 Deathly Hallows (Mentioned in interrogation by Lupin)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned in interrogation by Lupin)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Notes and references

Magical Creatures by classification