Buckbeak Character Analysis in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

A hippogriff (a creature that's half-eagle, half-horse) who features prominently in Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Hippogriffs in general are proud creatures who will strike if insulted, and Buckbeak is no exception: when Malfoy insults Buckbeak, Buckbeak hurts Malfoy's arm. This results in a string of trials and appeals with the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. During this time Buckbeak lives primarily in Hagrid's hut, where he makes a mess eating small bloody creatures. He loses his final appeal and is sentenced to death, but Harry and Hermione rescue him by taking a trip back in time. Buckbeak then goes into hiding with Sirius Black.

Buckbeak Quotes in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban quotes below are all either spoken by Buckbeak or refer to Buckbeak. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Scholastic edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban published in 2001.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 121

Explanation and Analysis:

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope....Nothing will have changed."

Related Characters: (speaker), , , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 292

Explanation and Analysis:

Buckbeak Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The timeline below shows where the character Buckbeak appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Hagrid unties a hippogriff named Buckbeak and coaches Harry through bowing. To Harry's surprise, Buckbeak bows back and Hagrid tells Harry... (full context)

...reads it aloud; it's from the school governors, who have decided to refer Hagrid and Buckbeak's case to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Ron insists that Buckbeak will... (full context)

...to tell Hagrid about his heroism, but Hagrid is uninterested. In Hagrid's cabin, they notice Buckbeak on the bed with Hagrid's awful brown suit, all ready for Buckbeak's hearing in front... (full context)

...to talk about Hermione. He says that she's been visiting him often to help with Buckbeak's case, though she often cries because she has so much on her plate and Ron... (full context)

...Suddenly, they hear voices and see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle approaching. Malfoy is talking about Buckbeak's hearing and when he sees Ron, he teases him that the Shrieking Shack would be... (full context)

...meanly asks if she told on them, but she shakily says that Hagrid lost and Buckbeak will be executed. (full context)

Hermione offers Harry the note from Hagrid. It's spotted with tears and reads that Buckbeak's execution date hasn't been decided yet. Hermione says that Lucius Malfoy scared the Committee into... (full context)

The Easter holidays are barely a holiday with everyone's exam preparations. Ron works on Buckbeak's appeal in his spare time, while Harry has Quidditch practice every evening. Oliver reminds Harry... (full context)

Responsibility, Morality, and Time Theme Icon

...up as Hedwig flies through the window with a note from Hagrid. It says that Buckbeak's appeal will be on the last day of exams, at Hogwarts, and an executioner will... (full context)

...he finds Ron and Hermione to tell them but stops when they give him Hagrid's note—Buckbeak lost, and he tells them not to visit. Harry laments that they could go if... (full context)

...his hut and he ushers Harry, Ron, and Hermione out his back door. Harry sees Buckbeak in the garden and Hagrid tells the trio to leave before the execution happens. They... (full context)

...over what happened three hours ago and Harry realizes that Dumbledore wants them to save Buckbeak so that Sirius can escape on him. He and Hermione run into the forest and... (full context)

...his back door. Hagrid lets in the execution party and Harry watches Macnair look at Buckbeak out the window. Fudge explains that he has to read the execution notice and asks... (full context)

Hermione says that now they'll need to hide until they can fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window in a few hours. They creep around the edge of the... (full context)

...When it returns to him, Harry whispers "Prongs." A second after it disappears, Hermione and Buckbeak appear behind him. Hermione is distraught, but Harry explains that it's okay since he didn't... (full context)

...see Macnair leave the castle, presumably to get the dementors, she and Harry get on Buckbeak and fly to the appropriate window. Sirius looks surprised to see them as Hermione unlocks... (full context)

...Fudge says that the Ministry will be in trouble once the news of Black and Buckbeak gets out. Fudge does say that the dementors will be removed from the school, as... (full context)

...sit by the lake and Hagrid finds them to tell them the good news about Buckbeak. Hagrid also shares that Lupin is a werewolf and just resigned. Harry runs to Lupin's... (full context)

Over the next few days, rumors fly about how Sirius and Buckbeak escaped. Malfoy is furious, while Percy spouts off about what he'll do once he gets... (full context)