Unicorn hair

Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. As such, spoilers will be present within the article.

Unicorn hair was a powerful magical substance with a variety of uses, originating on the body of a unicorn. It can be used as the core of wands. It was frequently shed from the creature.

Wandlore

Unicorn hair could be used in wand-making, as wand cores. Wands with these cores produced the most consistent magic, were least subject to fluctuations and blockages, were most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts, and were the most faithful of wands.^[1] However, they do not make the most powerful of wands (unless the wand wood compensates) and are prone to melancholy if mishandled.^[1] The Wandmaker Garrick Ollivander made wands with unicorn hairs.

Known uses

• Unicorn tail hairs were also used in potions, though their exact uses and properties are unknown,^[2] although the Beautification Potion was known to contain them.^[3] This was commented on by Harry Potter during conversation with Firenze.^[2]
• Rubeus Hagrid found that unicorn hairs could be used to bind bandages.^[4]

Wands with unicorn hair cores

Ron Weasley's first wand

Ronald Weasley's second wand

Neville Longbottom's second wand

Draco Malfoy's wand

Remus Lupin's wand

Cedric Diggory's wand

Quirinus Quirrell's wand

Mary Cattermole's wand

Sybill Trelawney's wand

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• Penny Haywood's wand

Behind the scenes

• Unicorn hair is worth ten Galleons for each hair, according to Horace Slughorn. However, this may be inaccurate as he was drunk at the time, and a wand (which may contain such a hair) only costs seven. Although, as this seven Galleon price for a wand was established in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and unicorn hairs being ten Galleons was mentioned during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is possible that there was an inflation in the price of unicorn hair during the intervening years. It is also possible the price difference between selling unicorn hair as raw material in comparison to an altered material as wand cores, and/or that a single hair may be long enough to be cut in two for use as two wand cores (most wands are 9 to 14 inches long, and obviously a core is always shorter than the whole wand).

See also

• Unicorn blood
• Unicorn horn
• Wand
• Wand core
• Wandlore

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (First appearance)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: The Wand Collection (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

Notes and references