A Grindylow is a small, horned water demon that lives in the weed beds at the bottom of lakes in Great Britain and Ireland. It has green teeth, pointy horns and long fingers, which are used to strangle their prey. They are violent and aggressive towards wizards and witches and Muggles, although merpeople have been known to domesticate them and keep them as pets.
Grindylows inhabit Black Lake at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and they attacked students competing in the 1995 Triwizard Tournament, forcing the retirement of Fleur Delacour. In Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts, Remus Lupin tells Harry that the trick to combating them is to break their grip; their abnormally long fingers are strong but very brittle.
Grindylows mostly survive on fish, algae, and small sea creatures. They are usually not a threat but have been known to eat humans, for this reason Grindylows are considered 'Dark Creatures'.
Behind the scenes
- The appearance and background of the grindylow is strongly reminiscent of creatures from the "Xenomorph" of the "Alien" franchise (particularly the instances of anthropophagy) and probably draw inspiration from them.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Magical creatures by classification | |
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X | Flobberworm · Horklump |
XX | Augurey · Bowtruckle · Chizpurfle · Clabbert · Diricawl · Fairy · Ghoul · Gnome · Grindylow · Imp · Jobberknoll · Mooncalf · Porlock · Puffskein · Ramora · Winged horse |
XXX | Ashwinder · Billywig · Bundimun · Crup · Doxy · Dugbog · Fire crab · Fwooper · Glumbumble · Hippocampus · Hippogriff · Hodag · Jarvey · Knarl · Kneazle · Leprechaun · Lobalug · Mackled Malaclaw · Moke · Murtlap · Niffler · Nogtail · Pixie · Plimpy · Pogrebin · Red Cap · Salamander · Sea serpent · Shrake · Streeler · Winged horse |
XXXX | Centaur · Demiguise · Erkling · Erumpent · Golden Snidget · Graphorn · Griffin · Hidebehind · Kappa · Kelpie · Merperson · Occamy · Phoenix · Re'em · Runespoor · Snallygaster · Sphinx · Tebo · Thestral · Thunderbird · Troll · Unicorn · Winged horse · Yeti |
XXXXX | Acromantula · Basilisk · Chimaera · Dragon · Horned Serpent · Lethifold · Manticore · Nundu · Quintaped · Wampus cat · Werewolf |