The Hedgehog in the Wizarding World

The hedgehog is a small, spiny, nocturnal mammal native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the wizarding world, it is considered a mundane creature with an Ministry of Magic Classification of X, meaning “boring.” Despite its non-magical status, the hedgehog features in several aspects of magical education and practice, most notably in the fields of Transfiguration and Charms.

• Transfiguration: One of the first lessons for first-year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry involves the transfiguration of a hedgehog into a pincushion. This task serves as a fundamental exercise in transformation magic, requiring students to change a living creature into an inanimate object. The success of this spell is an early indicator of a young witch or wizard's aptitude for Transfiguration.
• Patronus Charm: The hedgehog is one of the many possible forms a corporeal Patronus can take. A Patronus in this form is said to signify a protector who is gentle and kind but possesses a strong method of self-defense when threatened (Pottermore).

• In the first Transfiguration lesson of the 1991-1992 school year, Professor McGonagall tasked her students with turning a hedgehog into a pincushion. Hermione Granger was the first in her class to successfully perform the spell.
• During the summer of 1994, Harry Potter wrote to his godfather, Sirius Black, mentioning that his cousin Dudley Dursley's gang had been spreading a ridiculous rumour that Harry could produce a “silver hedgehog” from his wand. This was a distorted and mocking reference to Harry's ability to cast the Patronus Charm, the true form of which was a stag.

• The hedgehog is available as a possible Patronus form for users to be assigned on the Wizarding World website (formerly Pottermore).
• In the video game Hogwarts Legacy, the hedgehog is classified as a Beast that can be rescued from poachers and cared for in a Vivarium. Its fur is used as an ingredient in potion-making and for upgrading equipment (video game).