Griffin

A Griffin is a powerful magical creature with the head and forelegs of a giant eagle and the body and hind legs of a lion. Native to Greece, they are known for their fierce nature and are often employed by wizards to guard treasure. The Griffin holds a significant symbolic connection to Gryffindor house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

According to Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Griffin has the following characteristics:

• Ministry of Magic Classification: XXXX (Dangerous / Requires specialist knowledge / May be handled only by a trained wizard).
• Appearance: They possess the front half of a giant eagle, including a sharp beak and powerful talons, and the rear half of a lion, complete with a tail and muscular hind legs.
• Temperament: Griffins are notoriously fierce and difficult to tame. However, a few skilled wizards have been known to befriend them.
• Diet: Their diet consists of raw meat.

Due to their strength and ferocity, the primary use for Griffins in the wizarding world is to guard treasure and valuable locations. It is for this reason that a griffin-shaped knocker was used to guard the entrance to the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. The Griffin is famously associated with Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. His surname, Gryffindor, is strongly believed to be derived from the creature. Griffins are also a subject of study in Care of Magical Creatures class. Rubeus Hagrid expressed a desire to teach his third-year students about them, though he was advised by Albus Dumbledore to start with less dangerous creatures.

• Headmaster's Office Guard: A brass, griffin-shaped knocker served as the guardian to the Headmaster's office during the tenure of Albus Dumbledore. It would demand a password from anyone seeking entry and would only come to life and open the door when the correct one was spoken. This Griffin was seen by Harry Potter on numerous occasions throughout his time at Hogwarts.
• Care of Magical Creatures Curriculum: Rubeus Hagrid mentions Griffins as a creature he would have liked to cover in his first lesson with Harry Potter's class, along with Kappas.
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Textbook): The Griffin is detailed in Newt Scamander's famous textbook, providing most of the known information about the species.

The word “griffin” (also spelled “gryphon”) originates from the Greek “γρύψ” (grýps) and Latin “gryphus.” The creature is a prominent figure in ancient mythologies, often symbolizing a combination of divine power (the eagle) and earthly royalty (the lion). The name of Gryffindor house is believed to be a play on “griffon d'or,” which is French for “golden griffin.” This is supported by the fact that the Gryffindor animal is a lion and its colours are scarlet and gold. (Pottermore)

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Griffin knocker is shown as a large, ornate brass sculpture that unfurls its wings to reveal the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office. (film)
• A Griffin appears as an enemy creature in the PC version of the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video game. (video game)