Tom

Biodata

Background

Tom appeared in Jerry Green’s room before Jerry began attending Hogwarts, carrying an intricately engraved key fastened to his leg. Jerry did not know who had sent either the bird or the key, but named the bird Tom and began caring for him 5. Jerry later learned that the Apostles had sent Tom. Catherine Fawley denied knowing where the key came from, and Jerry came to suspect that Dumbledore or Grindelwald had secretly attached it to Tom’s leg 169.

At Hogwarts, Jerry asked Hagrid to identify Tom. Hagrid could not name his species and wrote to Newt Scamander for help 20 21. Newt later examined Tom and proposed two possibilities: Tom belonged to an undiscovered species, or someone had made him. Neither explanation was confirmed 31.

Tom accompanied Jerry to Stett Manor in France. After flying back from France, he reached Jerry visibly exhausted, with dull eyes and feathers that had lost their sheen 80 87. He remained in Jerry’s care at Hogwarts and was later present when Jerry woke after a prolonged sleep 89 160.

Appearance

Tom is a plump, roughly owl-sized black bird whose body resembles a crow’s or raven’s 5 8 20 31.

• He has smooth feathers, a sharp dark-gray beak, and an unusually large head and eyes 5.
• His feet have an unusually sharp, cold-looking appearance 31.

Abilities & Traits

• Magical resistance — Jerry says ordinary spells cannot hurt Tom and used him for spell practice over the summer. An offensive spell Newt cast at Tom’s feathers left no mark 8 31.
• Comprehension — Tom understands simple things Jerry says, though the extent of his intelligence is unknown. When Jerry threatens to withhold his dinner, Tom promptly catches the rat Jerry points out 8 124.
• Appetite — Tom readily eats fruit and grows plump enough that Jerry puts him on a diet. He also steals nuts from another bird’s bowl and lounges in a fruit bowl while Jerry is asleep 5 20 21 23 80 160.
• Flight and hunting — Despite his plumpness and sometimes clumsy flight, Tom can make a swift dive and pin the fleeing Scabbers to a table with his talons 20 124.

Relationships

• Jerry Green — Tom’s owner, who names and feeds him; Tom regularly returns to Jerry’s shoulder 5 8 21. Jerry relies on Tom to catch Scabbers, though his anger and sudden displays of magic can frighten the bird 124 170.
• Hermione Granger — Tom initially pecks her, but grows friendlier after she feeds and pets him. She agrees to look after him at night because he cannot fly into Jerry’s lakeside dormitory on his own, and later praises him for catching Scabbers 8 13 124.
• Hagrid — Examines Tom but cannot identify his species, then contacts Newt Scamander 20 21.
• Newt Scamander — Examines Tom’s feet and magically resistant feathers, raising the possibility that he was created 31.
• The Apostles — Sent Tom to Jerry before he started at Hogwarts. Kevin Fawley later bows respectfully to Tom, though the reason for this gesture is not explained 87 169.