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|skin=*White
 
|skin=*White
 
|eyes=Various colours (mostly blue)
 
|eyes=Various colours (mostly blue)
|hair=*Blonde
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|hair=White-gold
*Brunette
 
*Dark
 
 
|feathers=
 
|feathers=
 
|related=[[Human]]
 
|related=[[Human]]
|native=
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|native=[[Bulgaria]]
 
|alias=
 
|alias=
 
|height=
 
|height=
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{{Quote|And that, boys, is why you should never go for looks alone.|[[Arthur Weasley]] about Veela|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire}}
 
{{Quote|And that, boys, is why you should never go for looks alone.|[[Arthur Weasley]] about Veela|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire}}
   
The '''Veela''' are a race of semi-human, semi-magical hominids reminiscent of the [[Wikipedia:Siren|Sirens]] of Greek mythology. Little is known about their biology; they appear to be young, beautiful humans. Their looks and especially their dance are magically seductive to almost all male beings, which causes them to perform strange actions in order to get nearer to them. Veela are thought to have their own type of magic which does not require a wand. When Veela are angry, however, they transform into something more like [[Wikipedia:Harpy|Harpies]] — their faces turn into cruel-beaked bird heads while long scaly wings burst from their shoulders, and they can launch balls of [[fire]] from their hands.
+
The '''Veela''' are a race of semi-human, semi-magical humanoids reminiscent of the [[Siren]]s of Greek mythology. Little is known about their biology; they appear to be young, beautiful humans. Their looks and especially their dance is magically seductive to almost all male beings, which causes them to perform strange actions in order to get nearer to them.
  +
Veela seem to be quite an irascible race. For example, in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, they were easily wound up by the Leprechauns, resulting in a fight between both teams' mascots on the pitch. The Veela then got sent away.
 
 
Veela were the mascots for the [[Bulgarian National Quidditch team]] during the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]], which indicates an Eastern European origin, although the Delacours, who are from France, are proof that they can be found all over Europe.
 
Veela were the mascots for the [[Bulgarian National Quidditch team]] during the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]], which indicates an Eastern European origin, although the Delacours, who are from France, are proof that they can be found all over Europe.
   
  +
== Nature ==
Veela hair is a magical substance, suitable as a core for wand manufacture. Renowned [[wandmaker]] [[Garrick Ollivander]] noted that he personally never uses it, as the product tends to be temperamental.<ref name=GOF>{{GOF}}</ref> [[Fleur Delacour]]'s wand contains a single hair from her Veela grandmother. Which is rather ironic as accient stories have said that if a single hair is plucked from a veela's head they will die or disfigure.<ref name="GOF"/>
 
 
Veela are thought to have their own type of magic which does not require a wand. When Veela are angry, however, they transform into something more like [[Wikipedia:Harpy|Harpies]] — their faces turn into cruel-beaked bird heads while long scaly wings burst from their shoulders, and they can launch balls of [[fire]] from their hands. Veela seem to be quite an irascible race. For example, in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, they were easily wound up by the Leprechauns, resulting in a fight between both teams' mascots on the pitch. The Veela then got sent away.
  +
  +
== Veela hair ==
 
Veela hair is a magical substance, suitable as a core for wand manufacture. Renowned [[wandmaker]] [[Garrick Ollivander]] noted that he personally never uses it, as the product tends to be temperamental.<ref name=GOF>{{GOF}}</ref> [[Fleur Delacour]]'s wand contains a single hair from her Veela grandmother. This seems rather ironic as ancient stories state that if a single hair is plucked from a Veela's head they will die or disfigure, although it is possible that the hair was not obtained by plucking but may have fallen out.<ref name="GOF"/>
   
 
==Cross-breeding with humans==
 
==Cross-breeding with humans==
 
[[File:112927s.jpg|left|thumb|226x226px|Fleur Delacour was quarter-Veela]]
Veela have been known to marry wizards, although it is unknown whether any have married Muggles. Children of these unions are [[half-Veela]], and they will inherit magical ability from their fathers and beauty and charm from their mothers. Veela traits seem to persist for at least a few generations.
+
Veela have been known to marry wizards, although it is unknown whether any have married Muggles. Children of these unions are [[half-Veela]], and they will inherit magical ability from their fathers and beauty and charm from their mothers. Veela traits seem to persist for at least a few generations. These traits only show up in females, the daughters of their offspring.
   
[[Apolline Delacour]] is a half-Veela, thus her children [[Fleur Delacour|Fleur]] and [[Gabrielle Delacour|Gabrielle]] are a quarter Veela,<ref name="GOF" /> and Fleur's children [[Victoire Weasley|Victoire]], [[Dominique Weasley|Dominique]] and [[Louis Weasley|Louis]] are an eighth Veela; it is unknown if they have inherited any specific Veela characteristics from their great-grandmother.<ref name=DH>{{DH}}</ref>
+
[[Apolline Delacour]] is a half-Veela, thus her children [[Fleur Delacour|Fleur]] and [[Gabrielle Delacour|Gabrielle]] are quarter-Veela,<ref name="GOF" /> and Fleur's children [[Victoire Weasley|Victoire]], [[Dominique Weasley|Dominique]], and [[Louis Weasley|Louis]] are eighth-Veela; it is unknown if they have inherited any specific Veela characteristics from their great-grandmother.<ref name="DH">{{DH}}</ref>
   
 
It is unknown whether half-blooded Veela can throw fire or transform into harpy-like creatures as their full-blooded relatives can.
 
It is unknown whether half-blooded Veela can throw fire or transform into harpy-like creatures as their full-blooded relatives can.
 
[[File:Goblet-of-Fire-fleur-delacour-18893330-2560-1702.jpg|thumb|Fleur Delacour was quarter-veela]]
 
   
 
==Known Veela==
 
==Known Veela==
Line 46: Line 47:
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
*[[Wikipedia:Slavic fairies#Vila|Veela]] are nymph-like creatures in {{wplink|Slavic mythology}}, who live in bodies of water and have power and ability over storms. They may be the ghosts of women who drowned, especially those who were betrayed by their lovers. They often appear as beautiful women, but are known to morph into swans, snakes, horses, or wolves. Their mystical, seductive speaking and singing voices hypnotise those who hear them, and they are fierce warriors. Interestingly, given that [[Fleur Delacour]]'s [[wand]] has a hair from her [[Apolline Delacour's mother|Veela grandmother]], it is said in some legends that if even one of their hairs is plucked, a Veela will either die or be forced to change into a non-human shape. Veela are main features of Bulgarian and Serbian folklore such as the story of [http://www.uzice.net/deseterac/markoivila.htm Marko Kraljevic and the Veela].
+
*[[Wikipedia:Slavic fairies#Vila|Veela]] are nymph-like creatures in {{wplink|Slavic mythology}}, who live in bodies of water and have power and ability over storms. They may be the ghosts of women who drowned, especially those who were betrayed by their lovers. They often appear as beautiful women, but are known to morph into swans, snakes, horses, or wolves. Their mystical, seductive speaking and singing voices hypnotise those who hear them, and they are fierce warriors. Interestingly, given that [[Fleur Delacour]]'s [[wand]] has a hair from her [[Apolline Delacour's mother|Veela grandmother]], it is said in some legends that if even one of their hairs is plucked, a Veela will either die or be forced to change into a non-human shape. Veela are main features of Bulgarian and Serbian folklore such as the story of [http://www.uzice.net/deseterac/markoivila.htm Marko Kraljevic and the Veela] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20010410072600/http://www.uzice.net/deseterac/markoivila.htm archive link]). Also see [https://archive.org/details/balladsofmarkokr00lowduoft The Ballads of Maraco Kraljevic (English translation)].
 
*One of the questions on the 2nd Level [[Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test|W.O.M.B.A.T.]] asks the examinee to identify which of five given statements is false; one of these claims that full-blooded male Veela do not exist.
 
*One of the questions on the 2nd Level [[Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test|W.O.M.B.A.T.]] asks the examinee to identify which of five given statements is false; one of these claims that full-blooded male Veela do not exist.
*Veela are similar to the [[Wikipedia:Siren (mythology)|Sirens]] of {{wplink|Greek mythology}}. They are featured in [[Wikipedia:Homer (poet)|Homer's]] ''{{wplink|The Odyssey}}'', as half-bird, sea-dwelling hybrids whose hypnotic singing causes sailors to run aground. In the modern day, they are depicted in the popular American fantasy series, ''[[w:c:camphalfblood:Percy Jackson & the Olympians|Percy Jackson &amp; the Olympians]]''. In the series, they are shown as one of the several reasons people vanish in the [[Bermuda Triangle]], or the [[w:c:camphalfblood:The Sea of Monsters (place)|Sea of Monsters]].
+
*Veela are similar to the [[Wikipedia:Siren (mythology)|Sirens]] of {{wplink|Greek mythology}}. They are featured in [[Wikipedia:Homer (poet)|Homer's]] ''{{wplink|The Odyssey}}'', as half-bird, sea-dwelling hybrids whose hypnotic singing causes sailors to run aground.
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==

Revision as of 18:56, 10 September 2015

"And that, boys, is why you should never go for looks alone."
Arthur Weasley about Veela[src]

The Veela are a race of semi-human, semi-magical humanoids reminiscent of the Sirens of Greek mythology. Little is known about their biology; they appear to be young, beautiful humans. Their looks and especially their dance is magically seductive to almost all male beings, which causes them to perform strange actions in order to get nearer to them.

Veela were the mascots for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, which indicates an Eastern European origin, although the Delacours, who are from France, are proof that they can be found all over Europe.

Nature

Veela are thought to have their own type of magic which does not require a wand. When Veela are angry, however, they transform into something more like Harpies — their faces turn into cruel-beaked bird heads while long scaly wings burst from their shoulders, and they can launch balls of fire from their hands. Veela seem to be quite an irascible race. For example, in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, they were easily wound up by the Leprechauns, resulting in a fight between both teams' mascots on the pitch. The Veela then got sent away.

Veela hair

Veela hair is a magical substance, suitable as a core for wand manufacture. Renowned wandmaker Garrick Ollivander noted that he personally never uses it, as the product tends to be temperamental.[1] Fleur Delacour's wand contains a single hair from her Veela grandmother. This seems rather ironic as ancient stories state that if a single hair is plucked from a Veela's head they will die or disfigure, although it is possible that the hair was not obtained by plucking but may have fallen out.[1]

Cross-breeding with humans

112927s

Fleur Delacour was quarter-Veela

Veela have been known to marry wizards, although it is unknown whether any have married Muggles. Children of these unions are half-Veela, and they will inherit magical ability from their fathers and beauty and charm from their mothers. Veela traits seem to persist for at least a few generations. These traits only show up in females, the daughters of their offspring.

Apolline Delacour is a half-Veela, thus her children Fleur and Gabrielle are quarter-Veela,[1] and Fleur's children Victoire, Dominique, and Louis are eighth-Veela; it is unknown if they have inherited any specific Veela characteristics from their great-grandmother.[2]

It is unknown whether half-blooded Veela can throw fire or transform into harpy-like creatures as their full-blooded relatives can.

Known Veela

Behind the scenes

  • Veela are nymph-like creatures in Slavic mythology, who live in bodies of water and have power and ability over storms. They may be the ghosts of women who drowned, especially those who were betrayed by their lovers. They often appear as beautiful women, but are known to morph into swans, snakes, horses, or wolves. Their mystical, seductive speaking and singing voices hypnotise those who hear them, and they are fierce warriors. Interestingly, given that Fleur Delacour's wand has a hair from her Veela grandmother, it is said in some legends that if even one of their hairs is plucked, a Veela will either die or be forced to change into a non-human shape. Veela are main features of Bulgarian and Serbian folklore such as the story of Marko Kraljevic and the Veela (archive link). Also see The Ballads of Maraco Kraljevic (English translation).
  • One of the questions on the 2nd Level W.O.M.B.A.T. asks the examinee to identify which of five given statements is false; one of these claims that full-blooded male Veela do not exist.
  • Veela are similar to the Sirens of Greek mythology. They are featured in Homer's The Odyssey, as half-bird, sea-dwelling hybrids whose hypnotic singing causes sailors to run aground.

Appearances

See also

Notes and references