Hag

"The hag is a child-eating creature of human appearance, though likely to have more warts than the average witch."

- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

A hag is a savage being that looks like an ugly, old witch but has more warts. They possess rudimentary magic, similar to that of a troll. Little is known of them, though it is thought that they are what Muggles think are witches and are therefore popular in Muggle literature.

History

 * In the 14th century, hags were "gliding about in search of children to eat" at Burdock Muldoon's failed meeting of the Wizards' Council welcoming any two-legged Creatures as beings.
 * Quirinus Quirrell supposedly had a "nasty bit o' trouble" with a hag sometime in 1991 during his Grand Tour.
 * Sometime in or before 1992, Gilderoy Lockhart published a book called Holidays with Hags; whether the book was one of Lockhart's fictions, in which case it would be useless, or one of the stories he stole from other, memory-charmed wizards, is unknown.
 * In 1993, Harry Potter thought he saw a hag ordering a plate of raw liver from behind a thick balaclava.
 * A hag sent in "A Word in Support of Hags" to the Daily Prophet, offering babysitting services.

Ministry classification
The Ministry of Magic classifies hags as beings, a fact that causes centaurs and merpeople to desire the classification of beast.

Known hags

 * Annis Black
 * Babayaga
 * Cordelia Misericordia
 * Leticia Somnolens
 * Malodora Grymm
 * Old Mother Hubbard

Habitats
Hags can occasionally be encountered in Diagon and Knockturn Alleys, as well as Hogsmeade ; however, some hags like Annis Black live in caves.

Diet
Hags eat children, and raw liver is part of their diets.

Behind the scenes

 * The hag is a creature from English folklore. Originally used a way to explain the then-unknown condition of sleep paralysis, the "Old Hag" was a spirit that sat on a person's chest while they slept and gave them nightmares. The concept later evolved to be used for any malevolent and ugly old woman.
 * According to W.O.M.B.A.T, hags might only have four toes on each foot.
 * Whether any male Hags exist is unknown.

Appearances

 * PS undefined

Notes and references
Arpía Wiedźma Harpie Ведьма