Herpo the Foul

Herpo the Foul was an ancient and infamous Dark Wizard from Greece, considered one of the earliest and most influential practitioners of the Dark Arts. He is historically significant for two profoundly dark magical achievements: being the first known wizard to successfully create a Horcrux and the first to breed a Basilisk. His legacy is one of pure malevolence, and his work in the darkest fields of magic was later studied and emulated by Lord Voldemort.

Details of Herpo the Foul's life are scarce, existing more in historical infamy than in detailed records. He lived in Ancient Greece and was a pioneer in many areas of forbidden magic. His two most notorious accomplishments secured his place in wizarding history. First, he discovered the method for breeding a Basilisk, the King of Serpents. He accomplished this by hatching a chicken egg beneath a toad. As a Parselmouth, Herpo was able to communicate with and control the monstrous serpent he had created. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) Second, and perhaps more damningly, Herpo the Foul was the inventor of the Horcrux. He was the first wizard to delve into the arcane magic required to split one's soul and encase a fragment within an object, thereby granting a form of immortality. The book Secrets of the Darkest Art explicitly names him as the first to achieve this feat, a fact Hermione Granger discovered while researching how to destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. His ultimate fate is unknown, but given that he created at least one Horcrux, it is possible he existed for a very long time.

No canonical description of Herpo the Foul's physical appearance exists. His personality is defined by his epithet, “the Foul,” indicating a character who was universally regarded as wicked, morally corrupt, and repulsive. His willingness to experiment with the creation of lethal magical beasts and to commit the supreme act of violation against nature—splitting his own soul—demonstrates a profound lack of empathy, a lust for power, and a complete disregard for magical and natural law.

Herpo the Foul was an exceptionally powerful and innovative wizard, particularly in his mastery of the Dark Arts.

• Horcrux Creation: He is the inventor of the foul magic required to create a Horcruse. This act requires committing murder and an unspecified, horrifying spell to rip the soul and encase it in an object.
• Basilisk Breeding: He was the first wizard known to successfully breed a Basilisk. This demonstrates a deep understanding of magical creature husbandry and forbidden breeding practices. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
• Parseltongue: Herpo the Foul was a Parselmouth, giving him the rare ability to speak to and control serpents, including the Basilisk he created. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)

While no specific personal artifacts like a wand are known, Herpo's most significant “possessions” were his own dark creations.

• The First Basilisk: The monstrous serpent he bred and controlled.
• A Horcrux: The unknown object in which he hid the first-ever created fragment of a wizard's soul.

No family, friends, or specific enemies of Herpo the Foul are documented. His primary relationship in history is as an ideological predecessor to future Dark Wizards. His work on Horcruxes was a direct and crucial influence on Lord Voldemort, who took Herpo's invention and advanced it further by creating multiple Horcruxes.

• Herpo: The name is likely derived from the Ancient Greek verb herpein (ἕρπειν), which means “to creep” or “to crawl.” This is the root of the word herpeton (“creeping thing” or reptile) and the modern scientific field of herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians). This etymology directly connects him to his status as a Parselmouth and the creator of the Basilisk.
• The Foul: This is a simple English epithet meaning “disgusting,” “wicked,” or “morally offensive,” directly commenting on his evil character and the nature of his magical experiments.

• Information on Herpo the Foul comes primarily from two sources: a single mention in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the entry for the Basilisk in the supplementary book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• In some of the Harry Potter video games, Herpo the Foul is featured on a Chocolate Frog Card, which reiterates the information that he was an Ancient Greek Dark Wizard, a Parselmouth, and the first to breed a Basilisk and create a Horcrux. (video game)
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Hermione Granger reads from the Horcrux book, but the passage does not name Herpo the Foul. (film)