Mellowfluff

**Mellowfluff** was a female hippogriff that lived and grew up at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was first introduced after the gamekeeper purchased her as merely an egg, with her use intended to be as part of the Care of Magical Creatures course. The students watched her grow up and regarded her fondly, and over time she became known as something of a school mascot, defending the school's inhabitants whenever she had the chance.

## Biography

At one point during Ember and Maisie's fourth year, the gamekeeper encountered a hooded stranger in Hogsmeade, who claimed to be a hippogriff breeder with more eggs than they could care for. After finding out the gamekeeper's occupation, the stranger enticed them to play a game of cards by wagering one of their very own hippogriff eggs. Even despite being under the influence of a fair amount of mead, the gamekeeper managed to win the egg, and brought it back to his hut. The gamekeeper asked Professor Sentiatla for her permission to raise the hippogriff on school grounds, to which she agreed, affirming that Professor Thorn could use it as part of his Care of Magical Creatures syllabus.

News quickly spread of the hippogriff egg that had been brought to Hogwarts, and many students came to witness its hatching, which occurred in just over twenty-four hours. The name Mellowfluff was chosen: *"mellow"* for her calm temperament, and *"fluff"* for her fluffy feathers. She was capable of flight within a week, but it took many months before she was strong enough to manage long journeys around the school grounds, and she had to be tamed before she could be approached by anyone that wasn't a professional.

The school were all able to watch Mellowfluff as she grew up, and once she was considerably less dangerous, students were able to pet her and feed her a diet of insects, birds, and small mammals. Her involvement in Care of Magical Creatures lessons was frequent, as having a real-life hippogriff on school grounds was very advantageous when it came to studying the species. Provided they were supervised, students were able to successfully approach Mellowfluff and even ride her for a short flight around the paddock during lessons. She was considered so loved by her peers that, in a sense, Mellowfluff became something of a school mascot for her generation.

Mellowfluff was one of the many individuals that became involved in the Grim debacle during Ember and Maisie's seventh year. After unknowingly spotting Lucky in Animagi form on school grounds, Courtney Pirfin hysterically ran into the castle and announced that she was being *"stalked by the Grim"*. The majority of students found Courtney's claims to be ridiculous, as they either did not take Divination seriously or simply preferred to take her dramatisations with a pinch of salt. However, after Professor Polmear and several other students claimed to have also encountered the so-called Grim, the school went into high alert, with several of the staff considering that perhaps either a dangerous creature or criminal had been living in the castle. People's fears were later enforced when Amy Jordan was put in the Hospital Wing with several scratches and an injured arm. When asked how she had acquired her injuries, she stated that she had been attacked by the Grim.

When it was revealed that Lucky had actually been the Grim all along, he insisted that he had no memory of attacking Amy, nor was he likely to in Animagi form. Amy begrudgingly admitted that she had lied out of embarrassment: it was not the Grim that had attacked her, but Mellowfluff. After having a particularly vicious argument with her friends, she had stormed out of her dormitory and went for a walk after curfew to calm herself down. Being a secret animal enthusiast, she felt inclined to go visit Mellowfluff, but approached her more brusquely than intended. As hippogriffs are immensely proud creatures that must only be approached with delicacy, Mellowfluff was offended when Amy came off as curt and snappish, resulting in her injuring the girl's arm. Xanthas Jordan insisted that the hippogriff be put to death, but Amy surprised everyone by pleading against him. As Mellowfluff had only acted within her nature, no action was taken against her. While the two were later getting to know one other, Ivory taught Amy how to approach a hippogriff appropriately, and Amy was able to take Mellowfluff for a short ride after Elliot threw her on her back.

## Physical appearance

Mellowfluff was a hippogriff, meaning she had the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse, with a steel-coloured beak and large, brilliantly yellow eyes. The talons on her front legs were half a foot long, deadly-looking and very sharp, as they were used to shred Amy Jordan's robes.

Many people were able to appreciate Mellowfluff for her gleaming coat, which changed smoothly feathers to hair. Hippogriffs are known to come in several different colours, and she was described to be a stormy grey.

## Personality and traits

Mellowfluff was a proud creature and at first she seemed to be fairly aggressive, though this is considered natural for baby hippogriffs who have yet to be tamed. She only seemed to attack when feeling insulted or threatened, such as when she injured Amy Jordan for approaching her too curtly. Despite her earlier signs of aggression, Mellowfluff was known to be an immensely loyal creature, very protective of those who had earned her trust and intelligent in her remembrance of those that treated her with kindness and respect. She also seemed to have a relatively calm demeanor, and could often be found sleeping or lounging when students came to visit her.

A certain etiquette was required in order to approach Mellowfluff. Students were required to show proper respect by bowing to her, and waiting for her bow in return before continuing. Eye contact had to be maintained at all times, without a single blink.

It seems that Mellowfluff had many affable traits, considering how so many students were fond of her.

## Etymology

The name **Mellowfluff** comes from two components: the word mellow, meaning something that is tempered by maturity or experience, and the word fluff, which means soft fibres from fabrics such as wool or cotton which accumulate in small light clumps, pertaining to the hippogriff's calm temperament and soft feathers.