A Qilin was part-horse and part-dragon and resembled a deer in many ways. They were very gifted creatures as they were blessed with the ability to predict events in the future. It first appeared in the Harry Potter extended series in the movie Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and was a significant part of the plot in that movie. The Walk of the Qilin was a tradition in the wizarding world through which the wizards and witches elected the next Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards.
They were scarce creatures endemic to China’s Kweilin hills. Like Unicorns and Griffins, they were also beings of ancient legend known to be a part of Mythology in the Muggle world.
Qilin Description
Qilins were known to be half-horse and half-dragon. They possessed rare qualities, including golden bronze scales at the back of their body. Babies resembled small deer and were known to be endemic to only a small region in China called Kweilin Hills.
They were skinny and had short fur on them like deer. They were known to possess two long strands of hair protruding from their nostrils, resembling a mustache. These strands were quite long and almost touched their torso. Adults were known to be larger than regular deer and had brown skin and white fur. They also slightly resembled giraffes due to their longer necks and skin and coat color.
In the movie, it resembled a deer more than the one featured in Chinese Mythology. The one from Chinese Mythology had the tail of an ox, unlike the one in the movie, which had a rather bushy tail.
Abilities
One of the most sought-after abilities possessed by a Qilin was that of predicting the events in the future. Its precognitive abilities made it a vital magical creature. It could also glimpse into a person’s soul and tell if the person was pure of heart. They were used to decide who would become the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards in a traditional ceremony called the Walk of the Qilin.
Its precognition allowed it to see events from the future and predict what would happen. This enabled Gellert Grindelwald to misuse its powers and predict the future himself. However, he failed in his attempts.
Appearances in the Harry Potter Universe
A Qilin was first seen in the Harry Potter universe in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Newt Scamander helped a female Qilin give birth to its child, but she was killed soon after by Credence Barebone and his companions who were on Grindelwald’s side and were helping him to procure the baby Qilin.
However, when Newt returned to the mother after dueling them off, he realized that she had given birth to twins, and although Credence Barebone took away the first baby, the second was safe. Newt kept the second newborn in his suitcase and eventually reported it to Albus Dumbledore, who had sent Newt to ensure the safety of the Qilins.
However, when Credence gave the first Qilin to Grindelwald, the latter murdered the newborn and tried to attain its precognition abilities using dark magic. Also, he later managed to reanimate it using Necromancy. He intended to use it for the “Walk of the Qilin” ceremony that was supposed to be held to pick the Supreme Mugwump for the International Confederation of Wizards.
At the “Walk of the Qilin” ceremony, the Qilin bows to Grindelwald first. However, Grindelwald is exposed for the fraud he was by Queenie Goldstein, who had separated from Jacob Kowalski and supported Grindelwald for a while. Even Credence Barebone admits that it is, in fact, dead and that it was brought back to life through Necromancy by Grindelwald.
Also, it is revealed that Credence is Aurelius Dumbledore, the estranged son of Aberforth Dumbledore, and is dying as the Phoenix Fawkes comes to him. The second Qilin is then safely brought to the ceremony by Bunty, Newt’s assistant, and the ceremony is repeated. The second bowed to Albus Dumbledore, who refused the post, after which it bowed to Vicência Santos, making her the Supreme Mugwump.
Some other Chinese magical beasts featured in the Fantastic Beasts series include the Zouwu, which appeared in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and the Chinese Dragon, which seemed to appear in the Harry Potter universe many times, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Qilins in the Muggle World
Qilins have existed in the Muggle world for a very long time. They are considered ancient magical creatures in Chinese Mythology. They were said to arrive at the time of the arrival or departure of a sage or a great leader of the people. This story is similar to that of the Qilins in the Harry Potter universe, as they were used to pick the Supreme Mugwump for the wizarding world.
In Chinese mythology, they were said to belong to the Lin family of one-horned beasts. It was considered a very righteous animal and represented good nature. It was said to have a single horn and was known to be part of a dragon. It had round hooves and the feet of a horse. It was also known to have the body of a roe-deer.
FAQs
Why did the Qilin bow to Dumbledore?
The Qilin bowed to Albus Dumbledore at the event where it was supposed to decide who the next Supreme Mugwump would be for the International Confederation of Wizards. It believed that Albus Dumbledore was worthy of that title and would make a great leader of the wizarding community. However, he declined this honor, and it eventually bowed to Vicência Santos, and she was honored to become the Supreme Mugwump.
What is a Qilin in Harry Potter?
A Qilin was a rare magical beast in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. It was endemic to the Chinese region and was known to look similar to a deer. It had similarities with the dragon and was known for its precognition abilities. Therefore, it could predict the future and was used to select the Supreme Mugwump for the International Confederation of Wizards in a ceremony known as the “Walk of the Qilin.”
Why does Grindelwald want a Qilin?
Grindelwald wants the Qilin because he plans to manipulate the ceremony of the “Walk of the Qilin” and use it to select him as the next Supreme Mugwump somehow. He asks Credence to kidnap a newborn, and then after Credence brings it to him, he kills it and transfers its abilities of precognition into himself. Furthermore, he brings back the dead animal to life through Necromancy and manipulates it to choose him during the ceremony.
