Wampus Cat Hair

• Type: Wand Core, Magical Beast Component
• Owners: Not a singular object with owners. Used as a component by wandmakers, notably Johannes Jonker and Isolt Sayre. (Pottermore)
• Maker: Sourced from the Wampus Cat, a magical feline native to North America. (Pottermore)

While the specific appearance of the hair is not described in detail, it is sourced from the Wampus Cat, a creature resembling a powerful, panther-like feline with glowing yellow eyes. The hair is considered a potent and temperamental substance, and it is notably difficult and dangerous to procure. (Pottermore)

Wampus cat hair is used as a powerful and highly sought-after core for wands. Wands containing this core are known to be strong and tricky to master. (Pottermore) Due to its power, it was favored by the renowned American wandmaker Johannes Jonker, whose wands were instantly recognisable by their mother-of-pearl inlay. The method by which Jonker acquired the hair was a closely guarded secret. (Pottermore) The core is strongly associated with the magical traditions of North America and is not one of the three cores used by the British wandmaker Garrick Ollivander.

The use of Wampus cat hair as a wand core has significant ties to the founding of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Co-founder Isolt Sayre had a powerful connection to a specific Wampus Cat. She later used a strand of its hair to create a wand for her adopted son, Webster Boot. This wand was described as being “unbeatably powerful.” (Pottermore) Centuries later, the material was popularized by Johannes Jonker, one of the four pre-eminent American wandmakers of the early 20th century. His use of Wampus cat hair cores produced wands that were highly coveted among North American witches and wizards. (Pottermore)

Wampus cat hair does not appear or receive any mention in the original seven Harry Potter novels. Its existence serves to expand the magical world's wandlore beyond Europe, establishing unique magical practices and materials native to North America. It provides depth to the history of Ilvermorny and the broader American wizarding community.

• The Wampus Cat, and by extension its hair as a wand core, was introduced by J.K. Rowling on the Pottermore website to build the lore of the North American magical world ahead of the release of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film series.
• The creature itself is drawn from American folklore, particularly from the myths and legends of the Appalachian region of the United States.
• In the video game Hogwarts Legacy, the Wampus Cat appears as a powerful magical beast. Its fur can be collected by the player and is used as an ingredient for upgrading magical gear. (video game)