A werewolf is a human being who, upon the complete rising of the full moon, becomes a fearsome and deadly near-wolf. This condition is caused by infection with lycanthropy, also known as werewolfry.[1] Werewolves appear in the form of a wolf but, there are distinctions between them and regular wolves.
A mixture of powdered silver and dittany applied to a fresh bite will seal the wound and allow the victim to live on as a werewolf, although tragic tales are told of witches and wizards begging for death rather than becoming werewolves.[2] The Wolfsbane Potion, invented by Damocles, allows the werewolf to keep their human mind during transformation.[2]
A werewolf cannot choose whether or not to transform and will no longer remember who they are and would kill even their best friend given the opportunity once transformed.[1] Despite this, they are able to recall everything they have experienced throughout their transformation upon reverting to their human form.[1]
Contents[show]
Infection
"To become a werewolf, it is necessary to be bitten by a werewolf in their wolfish form at the time of the full moon. When the werewolf’s saliva mingles with the victim’s blood, contamination will occur."
—How a wizard becomes a werewolf[src]
FenrirGreyback werewolf
Savage werewolf Greyback in wolf form
Lycanthropy is a magical illness known to be spread by contact between saliva and blood; thus, when a transformed werewolf bites a human, the bitten will become a werewolf themselves.[2] Most Muggles, however, will die from the extent of their injuries in the instance of a werewolf attack as noted by Professor Marlowe Forfang.[2] If a werewolf is in human form and bites the victim, they will merely gain lupine tendencies such as a fondness for rare meat.[2] Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf, whether in human or animal form, will leave permanent scars.[2] However, the fresh wound can be sealed with a mixture of powdered silver and dittany.
Werewolves cannot pass on lycanthropy to their children, and so if having a child with a human partner no lupine tendencies will occur,[2] as noted with Teddy Lupin, son of Remus and Nymphadora Tonks.[3]
FenrirGreyback PM
Greyback's appearance when in human form has a wolf like quality
If two werewolves mate at the full moon, in their animal forms, something very strange happens.[2] The result of their mating, which has only ever occurred twice throughout history, has been a pack of wolf cubs — actual wolf cubs — who grow to become very beautiful wolves and can only be distinguished from true wolves by their near-human intelligence.[2]
Thus, rumours of werewolves living in the Forbidden Forest in the grounds at Hogwarts Castle are actually about a pack of lupine werewolf offspring that was released into the woods with the kind permission of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of the School, and has lived there ever since.[2] Teachers have never tried to dispel these rumours because they felt that keeping students out of the forest was highly desirable.[2]
Treatments
"The many Muggle myths and legends surrounding werewolves are, in the main, false, although some contain nuggets of truth. Silver bullets do not kill werewolves, but a mixture of powdered silver and dittany applied to a fresh bite will ‘seal’ the wound and prevent the victim bleeding to death (although tragic tales are told of victims who beg to be allowed to die rather than to live on as werewolves)."
—Treatments that can be done in order to prevent death[src]
Werewolf attack
Remus Lupin (in wolf form) attempting to attack Harry Potter and Hermione Granger
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for lycanthropy. However, some of the worst effects can be mitigated by consuming Wolfsbane Potion, which allows a werewolf to retain his or her human mind while transformed, thus freeing him or her from the worry of harming other humans or themselves.[2] It is a very difficult potion to make, with many complicated ingredients.[2] According to Remus Lupin, it tastes disgusting but sugar makes it useless.[4] Because werewolves only pose a danger to humans, companionship with animals whilst transformed has been known to make the experience more bearable as the werewolf has no-one to harm and will be less willing to harm themselves.[2]
According to Gilderoy Lockhart, the Homorphus Charm can force a werewolf back into human shape. However, due to Lockhart's reputation as a liar, and the many falsehoods he told to inflate his popularity, his information is highly suspect — as is the very existence of a Homorphus Charm in the first place. However, as many of Lockhart's claims are also based on the accounts of more trustworthy wizards (accomplishments he would claim for himself, following the disposal of the originating witch or wizard), there is a chance that the charm does, in fact, exist.[5]
Contrary to what the Muggle world believes, werewolves are not affected by silver, except in that it can b