Unicorn hair

Unicorn tail hair
Potion ingredient information
Taken from	Unicorns
Properties	Can bind bandages
Physical characteristics	Silver in colour
Used in	Beautification Potion Wand cores

Firenze: "Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

Harry Potter: "No. We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

— A very serious question

Unicorn hair was a powerful magical substance with a variety of uses, originating on the body of a unicorn. 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. However, they do not make the most powerful of wands (unless the wand wood compensates) and are prone to melancholy if mishandled. 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, although the Beautification Potion was known to contain them. This was commented on by Harry Potter during conversation with Firenze.
• Rubeus Hagrid found that unicorn hairs could be used to bind bandages.

Wands with unicorn hair cores

Ron Weasley's first wand

Ronald Weasley's second wand

Neville Longbottom's second wand

DracoMalfoyWandNN8409.jpg

Draco Malfoy's wand

Remus Lupin's wand

Cedric Diggory's wand

Quirinus Quirrell's wand

Mary Cattermole's wand

Sybill Trelawney's wand

• 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.

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)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: The Wand Collection (Mentioned only)