Hungarian Horntail

Hungarian Horntail
Species information
Eye colour	Yellow
Skin colour	Black
Related to	Dragon
Native to	Hungary
Length of average adult	50ft
Mortality	Mortal
Affiliation	Romanian Dragon Sanctuary
Ministry of Magic Classification	Beast XXXXX
Status	Extant

"Supposedly the most dangerous of all dragon breeds, the Hungarian Horntail has black scales and is lizard-like in appearance. "

—Description of a Hungarian Horntail

The Hungarian Horntail is a species of dragon native to Hungary and is considered to be one of the most dangerous dragon breeds, if not the most dangerous. It possesses black scales and is lizard-like in appearance.

History

A Hungarian Horntail was the guardian of one of the Cursed Vaults.

"Keep back there, Hagrid! They can shoot fire at a range of twenty feet, you know! I’ve seen this Horntail do forty!"

—A Dragon Keeper regarding the firepower of these dragons

Harry Potter faces a Hungarian Horntail in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament

During the First Task of the 1994 Triwizard Tournament, a Hungarian Horntail, alongside a Common Welsh Green, Chinese Fireball, and Swedish Short-Snout, was selected as obstacles of Golden egg retrieval for the Champions. Harry Potter ended up drawing the Hungarian Horntail to face.

Description and traits

It has black scales, and is lizard-like in appearance. It also has yellow eyes, with vertical pupils like a cat's, bronze horns and similarly coloured spikes that protrude from its long tail which it will gladly deploy in combat. The dragon's roar is a yowling, screeching scream, and its flame can reach to about fifty feet. While having a very far reaching flame the Horntail's breath can reach extremely high temperatures as it made a stone turn red hot in seconds. Its eggs are cement-coloured and particularly hard-shelled. The Horntail's foods of choice include cattle, sheep, goats, and whenever possible, humans.

Close up of an Hungarian Horntail

Horntails are also known for being one of the most vicious and aggressive breeds of dragon and that is saying something since all dragons are known to be ferocious; even Rubeus Hagrid commented on their ferocity saying that the Horntail was a "right nasty piece of work". This breed is especially aggressive when protecting their young. Along with their viciousness, tail spikes and fiery breath, Horntails are shown being extremely fast in flight while able to keep up with a Firebolt broomstick, a broom capable of going from 0 to 150 miles per hour in 10 seconds. Horntails are also seen able to keep up with Harry Potter's flying skills; a very impressive feat considering Harry's talent as a seeker.

Behind the scenes

Hungarian Horntail from Pottermore

The plush and model of the Hungarian Horntail at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

A Hungarian Horntail in LEGO form

• When faced with the agony of trying to ask someone to the Yule Ball, Harry said that he would have preferred facing the Horntail again.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Horntail's manner of breathing fire by shooting a pair of chemical liquids that cause a fire blast on contact is possibly based on the same fire-breathing manner used by dragons in the film Reign of Fire (2002). This was further followed by other media such as Game of Thrones series and Gods of Egypt (2016).
• The Horntail is featured in the video game version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and lives in The Dark Caves, a wizarding world forestal area with a giant cave.
• In Year 2 of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, there is a moving picture of a wizard being chased by a Horntail in front of Hogwarts. If one gives the wizard a sword he will kill the Horntail and give the player a key.
• The horntail's appearance in the film is based on the dragons in the film "Reign of Fire"(2002). The appearance of the Horntail in film adaptations is more akin to that of a traditional Wyvern; as it has no forelegs, a true classical dragon having forelegs, hindlegs and wings like described in the books.
• The Pottermore illustration of the Hungarian Horntail resembles its description in the novels, having four legs and two wings, with a lizard-like head and being black in colour with bronze spikes and claws. This is markedly different than the depiction of the dragon in the film which resembles a wyvern.
• The Hungarian Horntail was part of the Dragon Challenge Roller Coaster in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter along with the Chinese Fireball.
• The Hungarian Horntail appears in the attraction at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Riders encounter the dragon when Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley fly Muggles to the Quidditch pitch. Riders enter a real set of the Wooden Bridge where they encounter a animatronic Hungarian Horntail, which breathes false fire at them.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• 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 (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Model only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Dragon Challenge
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter for Kinect (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery