Unicorn

"Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure and defenceless to save yourself, you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

- The properties of unicorn blood

The Unicorn is a white, equine creature with a single horn on its forehead. Revered by Muggles and wizards alike, it is one of nature's purest and most beautiful magical creatures. As such, the slaying of one is considered a terrible crime and doing so carries terrible consequences.

History
At least two unicorns were slain by Quirinus Quirrell so Lord Voldemort could drink their blood and return to power. Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and Fang found the corpse of one of them in the Forbidden Forest.

In 1995, fourth year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry studied unicorns in their Care of Magical Creatures class, while Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank was standing in for Hagrid.

Later, in the 1995-1996 school year, as part of the Ordinary Wizarding Level Care of Magical Creatures practical examination, students were required to choose from a wide selection of food the diet they would give a sick Unicorn.

The Unicorn was so brightly white that it made the snow all around look grey, It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves, and throwing back its horned head.

Description
Unicorn foals are born pure gold in colour. They remain so until they are about two years old, at which time they turn silver in colour. At around four years old their horn grows in. They are fully grown at about seven years old, at which at this age they turn a shade of pure white that is so bright that it makes freshly fallen snow look grey in comparison. Their hooves are golden (remaining so from their gold stage, the first two years of their life), and their blood is silver-blue in colour and shines under the moonlight. It is not mentioned how long a Unicorn can live for.

Unicorns inhabit the forests of Europe, including the Forbidden Forest by Hogwarts.

Unicorns prefer a woman's touch, but the young ones are more trusting and do not mind men as much. Unicorns are also so fleet of hoof that they can rarely be caught by humans. They are also fast enough to outrun werewolves with absurd ease. Wandmakers such as the Ollivander family also pluck hairs from the tails of the creatures to use in wands. Not aggressive without cause, but should be treated with great respect.

Uses


Various parts of the Unicorn — the horn and tail hair in particular — are used in potions. Unicorn hair in general is used for the cores of wands. Unicorn hair can be used in wandmaking; they produce the most consistent magic, least subject to fluctuations and blockages, most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts and the most faithful of wands. However, they do not make the most powerful of wands and are prone to melancholy if mishandled. Garrick Ollivander made wands with unicorn hairs.

The tail hair can also be used as binding in bandages due to its incredible strength. The blood of a unicorn can be used to keep a person who is near death alive, but "you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

The unicorn's single straight horn is used, in runic, to symbolise the number one.

An unicorn is one rare possible corporeal form of the Patronus Charm.

Behind the scenes

 * In, Voldemort tries to sneak up on the unicorn with a knife and fork, but is scared off by Firenze who shows him his fist. Hagrid then proceeds to care for the sick unicorn like a child.
 * Unicorns are capable of moving faster than werewolves. During the detention in the Forbidden Forest in 1992, Harry asked if a werewolf could be killing the unicorns and Hagrid replied that they're not fast enough.

Appearances

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Notes and references
Einhorn Unicornio Licorne Yksisarvinen Unicorno Jednorożec Единорог Yksisarvinen