Fawkes

Fawkes is Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, and lives in the headmaster's study.

Fawkes is Professor Dumbledore’s phoenix. When Harry first meets him, he resembles a decrepit, half-plucked turkey. He makes an awful gagging sound and finally explodes into flames. A few seconds later he emerges from his own ashes as a tiny, wrinkled baby bird. Dumbledore informs Harry that today is Fawkes' Burning Day and that normally he is quite beautiful.

After Harry shows loyalty to Dumbledore inside the Chamber, Fawkes appears to assist him. He is now a crimson bird the size of a swan, with a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons. He sings music that seems to lift the hair on Harry’s scalp and make his heart swell to twice its size.

He brings Harry the Sorting Hat, out of which Harry pulls a ruby-encrusted sword. He also gouges out the Basilisk’s eyes, removing the danger of the snake’s lethal stare. When Harry is fatally injured by a Basilisk fang, Fawkes heals the wound with his tears.

After Harry destroys Tom Riddle's diary, Fawkes leads the way to the Chamber tunnel; he carries Harry, Ron, Ginny and Lockhart back up the pipe.

Fawkes returns to Dumbledore in McGonagall's office. Dumbledore reveals that only real loyalty could have called Fawkes to him in the Chamber.