Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Accio - Age Line - Aguamenti - Alohomora - Anapneo - Animagus Transfiguration - AntiApparition - Anti-Cheating spell - Anti-Disapparition Jinx - anti-gravity mist - anti-jinx antler jinx - Aparecium - Apparition - Apparition, Side-Along - armour-bewitching charm arrows, wand - Atmospheric Charm - Avada Kedavra - Avis
Accio (AK-ee-oh or A-see-oh)
"Summoning Charm"
"accio" L. send for, summon
Causes an object to fly to the caster, even over quite some distance; the target object is said to
have been Summoned. It would seem that the caster must know at least the general location
of the object Summoned.
The fake Moody used a Summoning Charm to grab the Marauder's Map off the stairs
on the night Harry solved the golden egg clue (GF25).
Harry used this charm to call the Triwizard Cup to him while escaping Voldemort and
the Death Eaters (GF34).
Used several times during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries by both sides.
The most notable instances were by Death Eaters attempting to pull the prophecy
sphere from Harry's hands, by Hermione to pick up wands after a Disarming Spell hit,
and most memorably by Ron in the Brain Room
after he'd been knocked silly (OP35).
Harry used this to Summon Rosmerta's brooms so that he and Albus Dumbledore
could return quickly to the castle on the night of the Battle of the Tower (HBP27).
Hermione used this to steal the Horcrux books - library books that he had taken out of
circulation - from Dumbledore's study (DH6).
Fred Summoned hairs from a Muggle boy in Ottery St. Catchpole in order to help
Harry disguise himself using Polyjuice Potion (DH8).
Hermione used this to try to Summon the locket Horcrux in Regulus' room (DH10).
Harry similarly attempted to Summon it in Umbridge's office at the Ministry (DH13).
NOTE: The pronunciation of this spell has been debated by fans. The "official"
pronunciation from Scholastic is "A-see-oh." This is the pronunciation used in the
audio version of the books. The word is Latin, however, and in Latin the letter C is
always pronounced 'hard,' the same as the letter K. Some languages which are
descended from Latin, such as Italian, pronounce 'cc' as 'ch,' but this is almost
certainly not correct.
Age Line
incantation unknown
A thin golden line drawn on a floor, which affects anyone who crosses it if they are too
young. (Presumably, an Age Line could also be set up to prevent someone to cross who was
older than a given age.)
Albus Dumbledore drew an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire to keep away anyone
who was not yet seventeen years old. When the Weasley twins, who had taken an
Ageing Potion to try to fool it, crossed over the Age Line, they were thrown back and
sprouted long white beards (GF12).
Aguamenti (AH-gwa-MEN-tee)
"agua" Sp./Portuguese water (from Latin "aqua") + "mentis" L. mind
Charm that conjures a fountain or jet of clear water from the caster's wand.
Taught in sixth-year Charms in early September (HBP11). Oddly, the sixth years were
working on this charm or something similar after the New Year as well (HBP17).
Used by Harry on the crystal goblet in the cave of the locket Horcrux, but apparently
some effect of the potion that had previously been put in the goblet caused the water
to vanish before it could be drunk (HBP26).
Harry and Hagrid together used this to cast jets of water on Hagrid's burning house
(HBP28).
Alohomora (AL-o-ho-MOR-ah)
Source: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1
Charm that causes a locked door to open.
Hermione used this spell to let herself, Ron, and Harry into the forbidden third floor
corridor during their first year (PS9).
This spell wouldn't work on the door requiring the winged key in the chamber
guarding the Philosopher's Stone (PS16).
Hermione used this spell on Flitwick's window when she, Harry, and Buckbeak
rescued Sirius (PA21).
This spell is needed to open the door of the Janus Thickey ward in St. Mungo's,
presumably so that Healers and visitors can get in and out easily, but mentally
confused patients lacking wands cannot (OP23).
Harry assumed that Umbridge's office door had been bewitched so that this spell
wouldn't work (OP29).
One of the doors in the Department of Mysteries not only was proof against this spell,
but melted Harry's knife-blade (OP34).
The Death Eaters used this spell to open doors shut by the D.A. during the Battle of
the Department of Mysteries (OP35).
The term Alohomora comes from sikidy, a form of divination from the Malagasy people of Madagascar. It is
the name of a magical symbol which means favourable to thieves (trans.). (massive thanks to Rattlesnakeroot
and her LJ friendsfor discovering this!)
Anapneo (ah-NAHP-nay-oh)
"anapneo" Gr. "breathe" (many thanks to those who wrote in and suggested we look at Greek for the source of
this)
Slughorn cast this on Marcus Belby when the latter began to choke after swallowing
too fast while attempting to respond to a question (HBP7).
Animagus Transfiguration
"animal" L. animal + "magus" Pers. magic user
The Transfiguration by which an Animagus takes his or her animal form, or reverts to human
form from animal form. The animal form is sometimes referred to as the witch or wizard's
Animagus form. See Animagi entry for further details about wizarding folk who can perform
this highly complex and dangerous magic.
Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew became Animagi while students at
Hogwarts (PA17, PA18, PA19).
Animagi are supposed to be registered with the Ministry of Magic (PA18) but there
are unregistered ones around, for example Rita Skeeter (GF37).
Anti-Apparition
no names or words given
Anti-Cheating spell
no names or words given
Anti-Disapparition Jinx
no names or words given
Albus Dumbledore captured the Death Eaters who had been fighting in the
Department of Mysteries and held them with an Anti-Disapparition Jinx (OP36).
It seems a reasonable deduction that the Prime Minister's office is protected against
Apparition as an elementary security measure, since Fudge's visits to the Prime
Minister there have always involved the Floo Network rather than Apparition, and
since protection against Apparition isn't mentioned as part of the Prime Minister's new
security arrangements (HBP1).
anti-gravity mist
incantation unknown
Charm which creates an innocent-looking mist which hovers above the ground. A person
stepping into this mist immediately finds that up and down have reversed and they are
hanging from the ground over the endless sky.
Harry encountered this mist in the maze of the third task (GF31).
anti-jinx
various
See JINXES.
antler jinx
incantation unknown
Pansy Parkinson was hit with this spell and had to miss some classes (OP30).
Aparecium (a-par-EE-see-um)
"appareo" L. to appear
Hermione tried this on Riddle's diary, but it had no apparent effect (CS13).
Apparition (A-pa-RIshun)
Apparate, Disapparate
nonverbal spell
from "appareo" L. to appear
Very difficult spell. Performed incorrectly, Apparition can result in the caster being
"splinched", which refers to part of the caster's body being left behind (GF5).
According to Harry's Apparition instructor, this happens when the caster is
insufficiently determined (HBP18).
Wizards must pass a test in order to be obtain a license to be allowed to perform it. To
take the test, the applicant must be of age in the wizarding world (at least seventeen)
(HBP4).
Apparition becomes more difficult as distance increases. Only highly trained wizards
would try intercontinental Apparition (QA9).
Fudge appeared out of thin air in the cabinet room to inform the Prime Minister of the
goings-on at the Quidditch World Cup (HBP1).
Apparating directly into a wizarding house is just as rude as kicking down the front
door, even if most wizarding dwellings were not magically protected from unwanted
Apparators (HBP4).
See also APPARITION, SIDE-ALONG and OP - Edits and Changes to the Text.
Pius Thicknesse made it an imprisonable offence to connect number four, Privet Drive
to the Floo Network, place a Portkey there, or Apparate in or out, supposedly to
protect Harry (DH4).
According to Remus Lupin, it's impossible to track anyone who Apparates, unless you
grab hold of them as they disappear (DH11).
Harry, Ron, and Hermione Apparated together throughout what would have been their
seventh year many, many times, beginning with their escape from the wedding (DH9).
Harry and Hermione practiced Apparating and Disapparating together under the
Invisibility Cloak (DH16).
Apparition, Side-Along
see Apparition
A form of Apparition in which the Apparator touches someone else, such as a child too young
to Apparate, and Apparates with that person as a "passenger".
Albus Dumbledore used Side-Along Apparition to take Harry from Privet Drive to
Budleigh Babberton (HBP4), and later to take him from Hogsmeade to the cave
(HBP25).
Harry used Side-Along Apparition to take Albus Dumbledore from the cave back to
Hogsmeade (HBP27).
Harry had thought Mad-Eye would come to number four, Privet Drive and take him
away using Side-Along Apparition (DH3).
armour-bewitching charm
incantation unknown
This charm was used as part of the Christmas decorations in 1994 [Y14].
Unfortunately, a suit of armour so enchanted is still not a particularly clever thing, so
many of them didn't know all the words to the songs. Peeves took to hiding inside the
armour and filling in the gaps with lyrics of his own invention, usually very rude ones
(GF22).
See ARMOUR.
arrows, wand
incantation unknown
The supporters of the Appleby Arrows were fond of firing arrows out of their wands
to celebrate goals. The practice was outlawed in 1894 (QA7).
Atmospheric Charm
no names or words given
Something to do with weather effects such as are seen at Ministry of Magic headquarters in
London.
Hermione says that if something has gone wrong with one, it will be more difficult to
fix than simply by casting Finite Incantatem (DH12).
Causes instant death in a flash of green light, usually leaving no sign of physical damage or
of the cause of death that would be detectable to a Muggle autopsy.
One of the Unforgivable Curses (GF14), said to be unblockable and with no countercurse, although Albus Dumbledore managed to protect Harry by putting some statues
in its way during his duel with Voldemort in the Atrium (OP36).
This spell produces a jet (OP36) or flash (GF14) of green light, and a sound as though
some huge invisible thing is rushing at the target (GF1, GF14)
Harry is the only known person to survive the Killing Curse (esp. PS1, GF14, also
GF34).
This was the curse used by Tom Marvolo Riddle to kill his father and paternal
grandparents, who were found unmarked except for an expression of absolute terror
on their faces. A Muggle autopsy could not determine a cause of death (GF1). As far
as Albus Dumbledore was aware during Harry's sixth year, the Muggle authorities
never learned how the Riddles died because the Killing Curse usually leaves no sign
of damage, Harry's scar being the only known exception. The Ministry of Magic,
however, knew at once that the Riddles had been murdered by a wizard. Riddle had
taken care to use someone else's wand - that of his maternal uncle, Morfin Gaunt - to
commit the murder, so that the magical equivalent of forensics would point to a
suspect other than himself, and had further covered himself by tampering with
Morfin's memory so that Morfin himself believed he had committed the crimes
(HBP17). It's a disgrace to the name of wizarding law enforcement that no effort
appears to have been made to clear Frank Bryce of the crime, the only suspect the
Muggle authorities were aware of, when Morfin was sent to Azkaban for the crime
(HBP17).
Voldemort has also personally used the Killing Curse to murder Harry's parents
(GF34, DH17), Bertha Jorkins (GF33), Frank Bryce (GF1), and Charity Burbage
(DH1).
A Death Eater tried to cast this on Hermione in the Battle of the Department of
Mysteries, but was tackled by Harry halfway through the incantation (OP35).
Voldemort tried to cast the Killing Curse on Harry (doesn't he ever learn?) and on
Albus Dumbledore after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Fawkes
swallowed a bolt of it at one point (OP36).
Judging from the effect, Bellatrix Lestrange killed a fox with a nonverbal Killing
Curse just before she and her sister Narcissa paid a call on Snape to discuss Draco
(HBP2).
"That phrase...was used by ancient wizards to make illnesses disappear. However, there's no proof it
was ever used to kill anyone." (pp.17-19)
Avis (AH-vis)
"avis" L. bird
Mr. Ollivander used this spell to test Viktor Krum's wand during the Weighing of the
Wands, sending the birds out the window (GF18).
Encyclopedia of Spells
<<Previous Letter | Back to Spells Index | Next Letter >>
Babbling Curse - Backfiring Jinx - Banishing Charm - Bat-Bogey Hex - Bedazzling Hex binding/fastening magic - Blasting Curse - bluebell flames - Body-Bind Curse - Boggart
banishing spell - Bogies, Curse of the - bond of blood - Braking Charm - broomstick magic bubbles - Bubble-Head Charm
Babbling Curse
incantation unknown
Exact effect not mentioned, but one can assume it causes the victim to babble.
Backfiring Jinx
incantation unknown
The Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and
Protective Objects got wind of one of these in Elephant and Castle in July 1996
[Y16], but it was sorted out by the Magical Law Enforcement Squad before they
arrived on the scene (HBP5).
Banishing Charm
reverse of Summoning Charm
Depulso (PA/g)
Sends an object away from the caster; the target object is said to have been Banished.
Harry and his classmates practiced this spell in their fourth-year Charms class.
Flitwick found himself being Banished around the room by Neville, whose aim wasn't
very good (GF26).
Bedazzling Hex
incantation unknown
Xenophilius Lovegood said that a travelling cloak may be imbued with a Bedazzling
Hex in order to make it function as an Invisibility Cloak (DH21).
Bat-Bogey Hex
incantation unknown
Engorges an opponent's 'bogies' to bat-size, gives them wings, and sets them to attacking his
or her face.
Slughorn asked Ginny Weasley to join the Slug Club after seeing her cast a this spell
on Zacharias Smith aboard the Hogwarts Express (HBP7).
binding/fastening magic
incantations vary, including Incarcerous
Dragon keepers used this magic to drive stakes into the ground to fasten the dragons
to (GF19).
The chair in the Court of Magical Law magically restrained the accused using ropes
(GF30, OP8).
Snape fired "thin, snakelike cords" from his wand to bind Remus Lupin in the
Shrieking Shack (PA19).
Pettigrew bound Harry to the tombstone of Tom Riddle with a binding spell (GF32).
Charity Burbage was confined with invisible bindings at Malfoy Manor (DH1).
A Death Eater bound Ron with magical ropes in the caf (DH9).
Blasting Curse
See CONFRINGO.
bluebell flames
"bluebell" flower with blue blossoms
incantation unknown
Hermione cast a bluebell flame that could be carried around in a jam jar, sent out a
short distance, then retrieved into the jar; she used it to set Snape's robes on fire
during the first Quidditch match of her first year (PS11).
Hermione used this spell against Devil's Snare when working through the challenges
surrounding the Philosopher's Stone (PS16).
Body-Bind Curse
See PETRIFICUS TOTALUS.
bond of blood
incantation unknown
The bond of blood is an extremely powerful ancient magic which is formed when a person
sacrifices himself or herself for a family member, out of love. The sacrifice creates a
lingering protection in the blood of the person who was saved. It is not activated, however,
until the charm is actually cast, and it is not sealed and functioning until another member of
the family accepts the saved person as his or her own. As with most ancient magic, the bond
of blood is mysterious and very strong and is not completely understood by most wizards.
Dumbledore decided to use the bond of blood to protect Harry against Voldemort. He
cast the charm on Harry, and Petunia sealed it when she agreed to take Harry into her
home. As a result, Harry is protected as long as he can call the Dursleys' house his
home.
Some have wondered why it was Lily's sacrifice which created the charm and not
James's, or for that matter, why the ancient magic is not in effect every time someone
dies for another person. The true nature of the charm is that it requires intentional
spellcasting on someone's part to activate the magic and it also requires the decision
of a family member to seal it. Without these two things, the magic does not happen.
These two required components are clear in OP37 (emphasis SVA's):
But I knew, too, where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You
would be protected by an ancient magic...I am speaking, of course, of the fact
that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection...a
protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your
mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative...
She took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your
mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give
you...
While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells,
there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but
it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need
return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, whilst
you are there he cannot hurt you.
Braking Charm
incantation unknown
broomstick magic
When Harry fell off his Nimbus 2000, it didn't fall to the ground but instead drifted
away toward the Whomping Willow, suggesting that it may have had some form of
enchantment on it to keep it flying without a rider (PA9).
Harry's Firebolt, when held and then released, floated at exactly the right height for
him to mount it (PA11).
Early broomsticks had only simple spells placed on them. A model on display in the
Museum of Quidditch only moves forward at one speed and will move up, down, and
stop (QA1).
bubbles
incantation unknown
Flitwick used this spell to create decorations for a Christmas tree in the Great Hall
(PS12).
Ron's broken wand was emitting large purple bubbles at one point, but from his
dismayed reaction it would seem that this was a malfunction rather than a spell he was
casting (CS13).
Bubble-Head Charm
incantation unknown
Cedric used this spell to travel underwater and rescue Cho in the second task (GF26).
Fleur used this spell to travel underwater when attempting to rescue Gabrielle in the
second task (GF26).
This became fashionable during the last month or so of Harry's fifth year, because
Dungbombs and Stink Pellets were being used frequently in the corridors (OP30).
Encyclopedia of Spells
<<Previous Letter | Back to Spells Index | Next Letter >>
canary transfiguration hex - candle magic - Caterwauling Charm - Cave Inimicum - chains,
magical - Cheering Charm - Colloportus - Colour Change - Confringo - Confundo Confundus Charm - Conjunctivitis Curse - conjured items - Conjuring Spells - contract,
binding magical - crop-related charms - Cross-Species Switches - Cruciatus Curse - Crucio Curse of the Bogies - curses - Cushioning Charm
canary transfiguration hex
incantation unknown
A temporary hex to change someone into a giant canary. After a few moments, the
Transfigured person molts back into themselves.
Fred and George placed this hex on seemingly innocent custard creams so that
whomever ate one was changed temporarily into a huge canary. Neville ate one of
these Canary Creams, much to the amusement of everyone in the Gryffindor common
room (GF21).
candle magic
no incantation used
This minor spell ignites candles and can make them float in midair.
Rita Skeeter uses this magic when she's trying to conduct an interview in a broom
cupboard (GF18).
Lockhart may have used a charm of this kind when he "lit the candles on his desk" so
that Dumbledore could examine the Petrified Mrs. Norris (CS9).
Caterwauling Charm
incantation unknown
"caterwaul" Eng. to make a screaming noise like that of a cat during mating season
When an unauthorized person enters the target area while the effect is running, a caterwauling
noise will be set off.
Hogsmeade was under a Caterwauling Charm that would go off if anyone moved
around outside while curfew was in effect (DH28).
Protective spell cast by Hermione around the tent and campsite when the trio was on
the run (DH14, 22).
chains, magical
magical effect, spell name unknown
incantation for rope version: Incarcerous (OP33)
This spell causes magical chains to snake out of a chair and bind a person to it.
The chair in the Court of Magical Law has these magical chains on it (GF30, OP8).
Cheering Charm
incantation unknown
Cheering Charms were part of the Charms curriculum for the third-years. They were
included in the final exam for that term (PA15).
Cheering Charms were part of the written Charms O.W.L. exam. Hermione worried
that she hadn't written enough about them, but since she was considering including
the countercharm for hiccups as part of her answer, it seems likely that she wrote
more than plenty (OP31)
Colloportus (co-lo-POR-tus)
spell name unknown
"colligo" L. to bind together + "portus" L. door
Hermione, Harry, and several other members of the D.A. used this spell to try to
block the attacking Death Eaters during the battle of the Department of Mysteries
(OP35).
A Charm that is required during the practical portion of the Charms O.W.L. Possibly the same
as the flashing paint charm.
Harry mixed up the incantations for this charm and the Growth Charm, accidentally
making a rat grow alarmingly during his practical Charms O.W.L. He was supposed
to turn it orange (OP31).
This was an ironic test question, considering that Ron's attempt to turn Scabbers yellow during his first
train ride with Harry was one of the earliest attempted uses of magic in Harry's experience (PS6).
Confringo (con-FRIN-goh)
Blasting Curse
"confringo" L. to smash, crush; to ruin, undo
Cast by Harry at the sidecar that had fallen off the flying motorbike; it exploded,
knocking one Death Eater off his broom and making another fall back (DH4).
Cast by Hermione in Bathilda Bagshot's house when Nagini was coming for her and
Harry; the spell ricocheted around the room, exploding a mirror. She later referred to
it as the Blasting Curse (DH17).
Confundo (con-FUN-doh)
Confundus Charm
"confundo" L. to mix up, jumble together, confuse, bewilder, perplex
Snape suggested that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were Confunded by Sirius Black into
believing him innocent (PA21).
The fake Moody used this charm to fool the Goblet of Fire into accepting Harry's
name under a fourth school (GF17).
Hermione used a Confundus Charm on McLaggen during Keeper tryouts in her sixth
year (HBP11).
Snape speculated that a Confundus Charm had been placed on Dawlish, who was
known to be susceptible (DH1).
Cast by Harry on each of the two wizards outside the main entrance of Gringotts
(DH26).
Conjunctivitis Curse
incantation unknown
"conjunctiva" L. connecting (as in membrane of the eye) + "-itis" L. inflammation
Sirius was going to suggest this spell to use against the Hungarian Horntail (GF19).
Krum tried this during the first task, but the dragon went into such violent convulsions
that she smashed some of her own eggs (GF20).
Madame Maxime used this to force Golgomath's thugs to drop Hagrid when the giants
became hostile with the ascension of the new Gurg (OP20).
conjured items
no incantation used
McGonagall conjured up a large fan and instructed Ernie Macmillan to waft the
Petrified Nearly Headless Nick to the hospital wing using it (CS11).
Dumbledore conjured up hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags when the students
needed to spend the night in the Great Hall (PA9).
There is legislation about what you can conjure and what you can't (SN).
There are laws of magic (as opposed to human legislation) governing what you can
conjure and what you can't, such as Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, to
which food is one of the five exceptions (you can't create food out of nothing)
(DH29).
Most things conjured out of thin air will disappear after a couple of hours (SN). Some
exceptions to this are the sleeping bags, which survived a lot longer than just a couple
of hours, and the leg of Neville's desk, which had been accidentally vanished (CS16)
(although this may have been an instance of Reparo instead).
Dumbledore arranged the Great Hall for the musical entertainment at the Yule Ball
with "move objects" and this spell:
"Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a
wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor
clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right
wall." (GF23)
Bill and Charlie Weasley conjured up tablecoths for dinner in the garden at the
Burrow (GF5).
Fudge conjured two large glasses of amber liquid (one for himself, one for the Prime
Minister) on the night he informed the latter of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban
(HBP1).
Conjuring Spells
incantation unknown
Conjuring spells are advanced magic; they are N.E.W.T. level at Hogwarts, taught in
sixth and seventh years (OP13).
Placing a name in the Goblet of Fire constituted a binding magical contract. The
people whose names were chosen were obliged to participate in the contest Even
Dumbledore couldn't undo this magic, since Harry was forced to compete in the
Tournament when his name came out of the Goblet (GF16).
crop-related charms
various
The Ministry of Magic report "A Study into Muggle Suspicions about Magic"
recommended that the International Confederation of Wizards impose an immediate
ban on further crop-related charms until the fuss about so-called "crop circles" - really
entries in the Annual International Wizard Gardening Competition - died down (DP).
Cross-Species Switches
various
The fourth years had to write an essay about using these after practicing transfiguring
guinea fowl into guinea pigs (GF22).
Apparently it's easier to do the spell when the creatures have similar names (e.g.
guinea fowl into guinea pigs), similar appearance (e.g. hedgehogs into pincushions),
or both (e.g. beetles into buttons).
See CRUCIO.
Crucio (KROO-see-oh)
"Cruciatus Curse"
"crucio" L. torment (v.)
One of the "Unforgivable Curses," this spell causes the victim to suffer almost intolerable
pain. Some victims of prolonged use of this curse have been driven insane. A victim of this
curse is said to have been Cruciated.
Demonstrated by the fake Moody to the fourth-year Defence Against the Dark Arts
class (GF14).
Used by Voldemort's followers during his years of power, both on wizards and
Muggles (GF14).
Crouch authorized its use by Aurors against suspects during the first war against
Voldemort (GF27).
The Longbottoms (see) were victims of the Cruciatus Curse and were driven insane
by it (GF30, OP9, OP23)
When Neville heard the golden egg's song, he was afraid that the second task would
involve Harry facing this spell (GF21).
Krum was forced to use this on Cedric during the third task (GF31)
Voldemort used it on Wormtail (GF29), Avery (GF33 and probably OP26), and Harry
(GF34)
During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Bellatrix realized that Neville was
the child of the Longbottoms, whom she had tortured. She took fiendish pleasure in
using the Cruciatus Curse on the Longbottoms' son.
Later, Harry tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange, but it didn't do
much. She taunted him that he had to mean it or it wouldn't work (OP36).
When speculating about what the weapon might be that was the focus of the attention
of the Order of the Phoenix and of the Death Eaters, Harry assured everyone that
Voldemort didn't need any new weapon to cause pain, since the Cruciatus Curse
worked just fine, thank you very much (OP6)
Amycus Carrow attempted to use this on Ginny while duelling with her. Harry later
tried but failed to use it on Snape (HBP28).
When Amycus Carrow taught Defence Against the Dark Arts (which under him
turned into just the Dark Arts) the students were supposed to practice the Cruciatus
Curse on fellow students who had earned detentions (DH29).
Amycus Carrow wanted to Cruciate the Ravenclaws until they told him who had
attacked Alecto; shortly afterwards, Harry cast the Cruciatus Curse on him for spitting
in Professor McGonagall's face (DH30).
Effect unknown.
Ron threatened to learn this curse, then use it on Hermione and Neville if they all got
caught roaming the school at night on their way to a duel with Draco Malfoy (PS9)
curses
various
Babbling Curse
Blasting Curse
Body-Bind Curse
Cruciatus Curse
Entrail-Expelling Curse
Fiendfyre
Flagrante Curse
Gemino Curse
Impediment Curse
Imperius Curse
Jelly-Fingers curse
Killing Curse
Leg-Locker Curse
Reductor Curse
Sponge-Knees Curse
Thief's Curse
Unforgivable Curses
Cushioning Charm
incantation unknown
The Cushioning Charm creates an invisible "pillow" on the handle of a broom to make flying
more comfortable.
Hermione cast a Cushioning Charm when she, Bogrod, Harry, Ron, and Griphook
were thrown from a Gringotts cart (DH26).
Note: In the film, Hermione uses the incantation Arresto Momentum to save them when they
fell. Since that's only in the film, however, we can't consider it to be canon.
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Dark Mark - defensive charge - Defensive Charm - Deletrius - Defodio - Densaugeo Deprimo - Descendo - Diffindo - Disapparate - Disarming Charm - Disillusionment Charm Dissendium - door-opening spell - Drought Charm - Duro
Dark Mark
See MORSMORDRE and PROTEAN CHARM.
defensive charge
no incantation needed; automatic response
A charge like that of electricity runs through the body of a wizard with this automatic
defensive spell.
When Vernon Dursley tried to hold Harry around the neck, he felt a sudden charge
like electricity running through Harry and he had to drop him. This appears to have
been an automatic defensive response on Harry's part, since there is no indication that
he intentionally cast a spell (OP1).
Dumbledore used a similar spell to make Umbridge let go of Marietta, whom she was
shaking violently. This may be a different form of the spell, however, since
Dumbledore used his wand to perform it (OP27).
Defensive Charm
incantation unknown
Aside from the fact that it is a spell to defend the caster, little is known about the actual
effects produced by this spell.
Fulbert the Fearful died in 1097 when the Defensive Charm he cast to protect himself
backfired (fw20).
The Magical Law Enforcement Squad gives newly-hired Hit-Witches and HitWizards training in the latest defensive charms (DP).
Deletrius (deh-LEE-tree-us)
spell name unknown
"deleterius" L. destroy, eradicate
Erases the ghost images of spells revealed by Priori Incantato. Possibly can be used to
remove other spell effects as well.
Amos Diggory used this to erase the ghost image of the Dark Mark he had caused to
be emitted from Harry's wand (GF9).
Defodio (deh-FO-dee-oh)
"gouging spell"
"defodio" L. dig down, hollow out
Cast by Hermione (who was then joined by Harry and Ron) to help the dragon enlarge
the passageway (DH26).
Densaugeo (den-sah-OO-gi-oh)
"dens" L. tooth + "augeo" L. grow
Deprimo (de-PREE-moh)
spell name unknown
Etymology uncertain, but perhaps related to "primer", Eng. something used to ignite an explosive charge
Hermione used this spell to blast a hole through the sitting room floor of the
Lovegoods' house (DH21).
Descendo (deh-SEN-doe)
"descendo" L. descend, come down
Ron used this spell to lower the ceiling hatch and ladder leading to the Burrow's attic
(DH6).
Crabbe cast this spell on a fifty-foot high pile of junk in the Room of Requirement, to
make it fall over (DH31).
Diffindo (dih-FIN-doe)
"Severing Charm" (?)
"diffindo" L. cleave, open
Harry used this spell on Cedric's book bag to slow him down so Harry could tell him
about the dragons (GF9).
Harry cast this in an attempt to sever the tentacles of thought that the attacking brain
wrapped around Ron during the battle of the Department of Mysteries (OP35).
Harry used this spell to slice the cover off his own brand-new copy of Advanced
Potion-Making (tapping the cover while saying the spell). He then repeated the spell
for the copy of the book he had borrowed from the Potions dungeon's supply of spare
textbooks (HBP11).
Hermione used this spell to cut Ron free of the magical ropes (DH9).
Harry used this spell to try to cut Mrs. Cattermole free of the chained chair, but it
didn't work (DH13).
Harry used this spell to break the ice on the pool containing the sword of Gryffindor
in the Forest of Dean (DH19).
Disapparate (dis-AP-a-rate)
incantation unknown
"dis-" opposite of, from L. "apart" + "appareo" L. to appear
Daedalus Diggle says that he, Hestia Jones, and the Dursleys will be driving for about
10 minutes before Disapparating to the safe location picked out for the Dursleys
(DH3).
Disarming Charm
See EXPELLIARMUS.
Disillusionment Charm
incantation unknown
"disillusion" Eng. to lose faith
Hippogriffs and winged horses may be kept by wizards as long as they perform a
Disillusionment Charm on them regularly so that Muggles won't notice anything
strange about them (FB).
Mad-Eye Moody cast a Disillusionment Charm on Harry to protect him during the
trip from Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place ("I'm going to Disillusion you..."). To
Harry, it felt as though someone had broken an egg on his head, like a flood of cold
running down over him. When under the Charm, his body took on the appearance of
whatever was behind him. He felt like a human chameleon. When Moody removed
the Charm, it felt like trickling of warmth instead of cold (OP3, OP4).
The thirteen witches and wizards who came to collect Harry from number four, Privet
Drive for the last time used Disillusionment Charms (DH4).
One of the ways to create an Invisibility Cloak is to imbue a travelling cloak with a
Disillusionment Charm (DH21).
Albus Dumbledore did not need an Invisibility Cloak because he could perform a
Disillusionment Charm that was powerful enough to make him effectively invisible
without one (DH22).
Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Draco Malfoy used a Disillusionment Charm to
hide in the corridor outside the Room of Requirement during the Battle of Hogwarts,
which is how they happened to sneak in when Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived to
search for the diadem of Ravenclaw (DH31).
Dissendium (dis-EN-dee-um)
spell name unknown
Harry learnt this word from the Marauder's Map. It is said aloud while the statue is
tapped with the caster's wand (PA10)
door-opening spell
no incantation used
Sends a jet of sparks out of the wand, opening the target door.
Lupin used this spell to open the door of the staff room wardrobe, which contained a
Boggart his class was to confront (PA7).
Harry's bedroom door opened by itself when the Advance Guard came to take him to
number twelve, Grimmauld Place (OP3).
cf. ALOHOMORA
Drought Charm
incantation unknown
Dries up water.
Harry briefly considered this as a method of getting to the bottom of the lake, but
realized he couldn't dry up that much water with it (GF26v)
Duro (DUR-oh)
"duro" L. to harden, solidify
Hermione cast this on a tapestry that two pursuing Death Eaters were about to hit
(DH32)
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Engorgio (en-GOR-gee-oh)
"Engorgement Charm"
"engorger" Fr. swallow greedily
The twins placed an Engorgement Charm on the Ton-Tongue Toffee that they
"accidentally" dropped in front of Dudley (GF4).
Kevin, the little wizard boy in the World Cup campground, was casting an
Engorgement Spell (or something very similar) on a slug (GF7).
Hermione suspected that Hagrid has used an Engorgement Charm on his pumpkins
(CS7).
The fake Moody used an Engorgement Charm on each of the three spiders he had
bought to class to demonstrate the Unforgivable Curses (GF14).
Ennervate (EN-er-vayt)
See RENNERVATE.
Entrail-Expelling Curse
no incantation given
Apparently this curse causes the victim's insides to come out of them. Eww....
This nasty spell was invented by Urquhart Rackharrow in the 1600s. His portrait now
hangs ominously in the Dai Llewellyn Ward of St. Mungo's (OP22).
Entrancing Enchantments
no incantation given
Spells that cause the target person to fall in love with the caster.
Episkey (eh-PIS-key)
"episkeyazo" Gr. to repair
Harry used this to repair Demelza's bleeding mouth after Ron accidentally punched
her during Quidditch practice (HBP14).
Erecto (er-EC-toe)
"erigere", L. to set up straight, straighten out
Hermione used this to set up the tent (including pegging down the ropes) which had
been a tangled mess up till then (DH14).
Evanesco (ev-an-ES-ko)
"Vanishing Spell"
"evanesco" L. to disappear
Makes something vanish (not just become invisible, but go away completely)
When Colin was taking his picture and asking him to sign it, Harry wished he knew a
good Vanishing Spell to escape the embarassment (CS6)
Another form of this spell actually makes things go away. Neville did this by mistake
to one of the legs of his desk when McGonagall announced that, in spite of the attacks
on students and the banishment of Albus Dumbledore and Hagrid, they would still be
given their exams (CS16).
Bill Weasley used this to make a stack of scrolls disappear while cleaning up after a
meeting of the Order of the Phoenix during Harry's first night at number twelve,
Grimmauld Place (OP5).
Snape used the Vanishing Spell to get rid of Harry's less-than-perfect attempt at a
Draught of Peace (OP12).
The fifth years had to practice Vanishing spells for some of their first Transfiguration
homework that year (OP13).
Fifth years work on the Vanishing Spell in Transfiguration, starting with snails and
then working their way up to mice (OP15).
See Vanishing Magic for a more complete discussion of the uses of this spell and
others like it.
Conjures a Patronus, a silvery phantom shape, usually that of an animal, which is the
embodiment of the positive thoughts of the caster. A Patronus will drive away Dementors.
Lupin taught Harry to cast this spell, which he performed with minor success until he
faced a large group of Dementors who were trying to attack Sirius Black. Harry saw a
Patronus come charging across the lake and later realized that he himself cast it
(PA12, GF31).
Harry used his Patronus Charm to drive off two Dementors in an alley near Privet
Drive. He got into trouble for doing it, although he had no honourable alternative
under the circumstances (OP1).
Cast by Harry, then by Hermione at the Ministry of Magic, on which occasion Harry
said that it is the only spell that Hermione has trouble with (DH13).
Expelliarmus (ex-pel-ee-AR-mus)
"Disarming Spell"
"expelo" L. to drive out + "arma" L. weapon
Causes opponent's weapon to fly out of his or her hand. The opponent is then said to have
been Disarmed.
Basic defensive spell, taught at the Duelling Club by Snape (CS10) used frequently
thereafter. If the exact nature of the opponent's weapon is uncertain, the spell can have
unexpected results. If several people cast the spell simultaneously, the target may be
rendered unconscious (PA19, GF31, GF34)
Lupin used this on Harry, Ron, and Hermione simultaneously in the Shrieking Shack
on the night they first met Sirius Black (PA17).
Snape's use of this spell against Lockhart had rather violent results (CS10).
This was the first spell taught at the first D.A. meeting. Zacharias Smith thought this
was silly, but Harry pointed out that he used that spell against Voldemort just a few
months before and that it had saved his life (OP18).
Harry again used this against Voldemort during their final duel (DH36).
Expulso (ex-PUL-soh)
L. to drive out, expel
Used by Thorfinn Rowle during the fight at the caf; he blew up the table behind
Harry with it (DH9).
Extends the internal dimensions of the target object without affecting the external
dimensions.
Hermione cast this on the beaded handbag that she took to the wedding; throughout
the rest of the story, it is used to carry books, a tent when not in use, clothes, and all
the other supplies of the journey (DH9). While the bag makes an unusual noise if
dropped (DH8), it does not appear to weigh more than a normal bag of its size and can
even be stuffed down a sock in an emergency (DH26).
Extinguishing Spell
no incantation given
Used by dragon keepers; they kept them at the ready when handling the dragons for
the first task (GF14).
Cho accidentally mispronounced Expelliarmus and set her friend's sleeve on fire.
Marietta extinguished it with her wand (OP18).
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Incantation: unknown
Effect: Spell that makes the target object weigh practically nothing.
References:
After running away from the Dursleys, Harry considered the idea of casting
a spell to make his trunk "feather-light" so he could carry it all the way to
London on his broomstick (PA3).
The spell Harry was considering for this was not named.
Ferula
Lupin used this spell to conjure a splint and bandages for Ron's broken leg
(PA19).
Etymology: "ferule" alt. spelling of "ferrule" Eng. wooden handle for strength or protection, from "ferula" L.
fennel plant
Fidelius Charm
Used to try to protect Lily and James Potter from Voldemort. "As long as the SecretKeeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and
James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed
against their sitting room window!" (PA10) Unfortunately, Peter Pettigrew was chosen
as Secret-Keeper, and he betrayed the secret.
Dumbledore used the Fidelius Charm to hide number twelve Grimmauld Place, the
headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. He himself was the Secret-Keeper for the
Order (OP6). Note that he once mentioned it in front of the Dursleys (HBP3).
Snape could refer (at least indirectly) to the fact that a Fidelius Charm applied to the
headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but since he was not the Secret Keeper he
could not mention the name of the place (HBP2).
"When a Secret-Keeper dies, their secret dies with them, or to put it another way, the
status of their secret will remain as it was at the moment of their death. Everybody in
whom they confided will continue to know the hidden information, but nobody else...
"In other words, a secret (e.g., the location of a family in hiding, like the Potters) is
enchanted so that it is protected by a single Keeper (in our example, Peter Pettigrew,
a.k.a. Wormtail). Thenceforth nobody else - not even the subjects of the secret
themselves - can divulge the secret. Even if one of the Potters had been captured,
force-fed Veritaserum or placed under the Imperius Curse, they would not have been
able to give away the whereabouts of the other two. The only people who ever knew
their precise location were those whom Wormtail had told directly, but none of them
would have been able to pass on the information (JKR)."
After the death of a Secret Keeper, each of the people to whom he or she had confided
the secret will become a Secret Keeper. The power of the Fidelius Charm will be
diluted more and more as more and more people are Secret Keepers (DH6).
Fiendfyre
Incantation: unknown
Effect: Creates a cursed fire, made up of flames of abnormal size and heat that can crumble
fairly substantial objects to soot at a mere touch. Left burning long enough, the fire will take
the shapes of gigantic fiery beasts (including serpents, chimaeras, dragons, and birds of prey)
which will pursue any target humans.
References:
One of the substances that can destroy Horcruxes, but Hermione considered it far too
dangerous to ever use (DH31).
Crabbe cast this in the Room of Requirement while it was in its Room of
Hidden Things mode (DH31). He died in the ensuing magical inferno.
"finger-removing jinx"
Incantation: unknown
Effect: Removes the target person's fingers.
References:
Goodwin Kneen's wife, Gunhilda, hit him with this jinx after he came home a bit late
from celebrating Ilkley's win in Quidditch (QA3).
Finite
(fi-NEE-tay)
"finio" L. settle, end, die, cease
Lupin used this spell to take a Tarantallegra Hex off Neville Longbottom (OP36).
Harry used this spell to cancel the effects of Descendo (cast by Crabbe) on
a large pile of objects (DH31).
This spell might be a shorthand way of casting the General Counter-Spell (Finite
Incantatem).
Finite Incantatem
(fi-NEE-tay in-can-TAH-tum)
"finio" L. settle, end, die + "incantationem" L. the art of enchanting
Snape used this spell to end the various unfortunate spells that were affecting
members of the Duelling Club when things got a little out of hand (CS11).
Contrary to what is shown in CS/f, this spell does not blow up rogue Bludgers. The
magic required to tamper with a Bludger is extremely high level and can't be
counteracted a simple spell, especially not one cast by a 13-year-old (CS/f)
fire magic
References:
"bluebell flames"
candle magic
Fiendfyre
Fire-Making Spell
"fire whip"
Flagrate
Flagrante Curse
Green Sparks
Incendio
Red Sparks
Anti-fire magic:
Aguamenti
extinguishing spells
Flame-Freezing Charm
at the Quidditch World Cup, a magical fire shot violet sparks twenty feet
into the air (GF7).
Other references:
Floo Powder
Fire Talking
Wand Effects
Fire-Making Spell
"fire whip"
Incantation: non-verbal
Effect: creates a powerful whip or lasso of fire
Dumbledore used a nonverbal spell during his duel with Voldemort in the Atrium that created
a fiery rope emanating from the tip of his wand (OP36). A year later, Dumbledore used a
nonverbal spell to create a ring of fire emanating from his wand like a vast lasso. It acted as a
barrier against Inferi (HBP26). A year after that, McGonagall non-verbally caused a torch to
fly out of its bracket, creating a ring of fire that filled the corridor and flew like a lasso at her
target (DH30). Judging from the effects, these instances appear to be the same unnamed fire
spell.
"fire talking"
Fixing Charm
no words given
Elveira Elkins wrote to the Daily Prophet Problem Page because she could not make a
simple Fixing Charm 'stick'. The correspondent who dealt with everyday magical
problems diagnosed that the caster was allowing her attention to wander whilst
'charming', and recommended using nails instead (DP).
Flagrante Curse
(flah-GRAN-tay)
no words given
c.f. FLAGRATE.
Flagrate
(flah-GRAH-tay)
"flagro" L. blaze, burn
Creates a burning, fiery line in the air which can be "drawn" with the wand into specific
shapes. The shape lingers for some time.
Hermione used this spell to draw fiery X marks on the doors of the circular hall in the
Department of Mysteries (OP34).
May be the same basic magic as wand writing and wand sparks.
Flame-Freezing Charm
no words given
Changes the properties of fire so that its heat feels like a warm breeze.
Spell used by witches and the wizards in medieval times who were burned at the
stake. They would then scream and pretend to be burning up (PA1)
This "tricky little charm" makes the paint on a banner flash different colors.
Hermione used this charm on the banner that the Gryffindors had painted on one of
the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good
at drawing, had drawn a Gryffindor lion under the words (PS11).
It is probably this charm which Hermione used to make the various squares on their
revision schedules flash different colors as they prepared for O.W.L.s (OP29).
flying magic
no incantation given
While "[n]o spell yet devised enables wizards to fly unaided in human form" (QA1), various
spells create flying effects.
Dobby used a Hover Charm to float a pudding above Aunt Petunia's kitchen (CS2).
The films show Quirrell (PS/f) and Death Eaters (OP/f, HBP/f, etc.) flying through the air.
This effect, while effective visually, is definitely not canon.
"fountain of wine"
no incantation given
A spell which produces a fountain of wine from the end of the caster's wand.
Mr. Olivander performed this spell with Harry's wand to test it at the Weighing of the
Wands (GF18).
Similar to the spell used by Mrs. Weasley to create a creamy sauce from her wand
when cooking (GF5).
Four-Point Spell
Freezing Charm
According to Slughorn, one simple Freezing Charm will disable a Muggle burglar
alarm (HBP4).
Full Body-Bind
fur spell
no incantation given
Fred and George, in an effort to cheer up Ginny, cast this spell on themselves so they
would be covered with fur. All it did was irritate Percy (CS11).
Furnunculus
(fur-NUN-kyoo-lus)
Curse that causes boils to break out all over the victim.
Harry cast this spell on Draco, but it was deflected and hit Goyle in the face (GF18,
GF37)
Fred and George tried to cheer up Ginny by covering themselves with fur or boils and
then jumping out at her (CS11).
Obliviator Arnold Peasegood suffered a minor attack of boils while helping to break
up a goblin riot in Chipping Clodbury (DP).
at some point, wizards decided it was easier to say the spell when they threw in the extra "n" after the letters f-ur. Submitted by Claire T. Nollet
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Incantation: unknown
Effect: Spell that makes the target object weigh practically nothing.
References:
After running away from the Dursleys, Harry considered the idea of casting
a spell to make his trunk "feather-light" so he could carry it all the way to
London on his broomstick (PA3).
The spell Harry was considering for this was not named.
Ferula
Lupin used this spell to conjure a splint and bandages for Ron's broken leg
(PA19).
Etymology: "ferule" alt. spelling of "ferrule" Eng. wooden handle for strength or protection, from "ferula" L.
fennel plant
Fidelius Charm
Used to try to protect Lily and James Potter from Voldemort. "As long as the SecretKeeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and
James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed
against their sitting room window!" (PA10) Unfortunately, Peter Pettigrew was chosen
as Secret-Keeper, and he betrayed the secret.
Dumbledore used the Fidelius Charm to hide number twelve Grimmauld Place, the
headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. He himself was the Secret-Keeper for the
Order (OP6). Note that he once mentioned it in front of the Dursleys (HBP3).
Snape could refer (at least indirectly) to the fact that a Fidelius Charm applied to the
headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but since he was not the Secret Keeper he
could not mention the name of the place (HBP2).
"When a Secret-Keeper dies, their secret dies with them, or to put it another way, the
status of their secret will remain as it was at the moment of their death. Everybody in
whom they confided will continue to know the hidden information, but nobody else...
"In other words, a secret (e.g., the location of a family in hiding, like the Potters) is
enchanted so that it is protected by a single Keeper (in our example, Peter Pettigrew,
a.k.a. Wormtail). Thenceforth nobody else - not even the subjects of the secret
themselves - can divulge the secret. Even if one of the Potters had been captured,
force-fed Veritaserum or placed under the Imperius Curse, they would not have been
able to give away the whereabouts of the other two. The only people who ever knew
their precise location were those whom Wormtail had told directly, but none of them
would have been able to pass on the information (JKR)."
After the death of a Secret Keeper, each of the people to whom he or she had confided
the secret will become a Secret Keeper. The power of the Fidelius Charm will be
diluted more and more as more and more people are Secret Keepers (DH6).
Fiendfyre
Incantation: unknown
Effect: Creates a cursed fire, made up of flames of abnormal size and heat that can crumble
fairly substantial objects to soot at a mere touch. Left burning long enough, the fire will take
the shapes of gigantic fiery beasts (including serpents, chimaeras, dragons, and birds of prey)
which will pursue any target humans.
References:
One of the substances that can destroy Horcruxes, but Hermione considered it far too
dangerous to ever use (DH31).
Crabbe cast this in the Room of Requirement while it was in its Room of
Hidden Things mode (DH31). He died in the ensuing magical inferno.
"finger-removing jinx"
Incantation: unknown
Effect: Removes the target person's fingers.
References:
Goodwin Kneen's wife, Gunhilda, hit him with this jinx after he came home a bit late
from celebrating Ilkley's win in Quidditch (QA3).
Finite
(fi-NEE-tay)
"finio" L. settle, end, die, cease
Lupin used this spell to take a Tarantallegra Hex off Neville Longbottom (OP36).
Harry used this spell to cancel the effects of Descendo (cast by Crabbe) on
a large pile of objects (DH31).
This spell might be a shorthand way of casting the General Counter-Spell (Finite
Incantatem).
Finite Incantatem
(fi-NEE-tay in-can-TAH-tum)
"finio" L. settle, end, die + "incantationem" L. the art of enchanting
Snape used this spell to end the various unfortunate spells that were affecting
members of the Duelling Club when things got a little out of hand (CS11).
Contrary to what is shown in CS/f, this spell does not blow up rogue Bludgers. The
magic required to tamper with a Bludger is extremely high level and can't be
counteracted a simple spell, especially not one cast by a 13-year-old (CS/f)
fire magic
References:
"bluebell flames"
candle magic
Fiendfyre
Fire-Making Spell
"fire whip"
Flagrate
Flagrante Curse
Green Sparks
Incendio
Red Sparks
Anti-fire magic:
Aguamenti
extinguishing spells
Flame-Freezing Charm
at the Quidditch World Cup, a magical fire shot violet sparks twenty feet
into the air (GF7).
Other references:
Floo Powder
Fire Talking
Wand Effects
Fire-Making Spell
"fire whip"
Incantation: non-verbal
Effect: creates a powerful whip or lasso of fire
Dumbledore used a nonverbal spell during his duel with Voldemort in the Atrium that created
a fiery rope emanating from the tip of his wand (OP36). A year later, Dumbledore used a
nonverbal spell to create a ring of fire emanating from his wand like a vast lasso. It acted as a
barrier against Inferi (HBP26). A year after that, McGonagall non-verbally caused a torch to
fly out of its bracket, creating a ring of fire that filled the corridor and flew like a lasso at her
target (DH30). Judging from the effects, these instances appear to be the same unnamed fire
spell.
"fire talking"
flames and they can hold a conversation and even interact physically with the person they are
connecting to.
References:
Amos Diggory used this method of contacting Arthur Weasley when the fake Moody reported
being attacked (GF11).
While in hiding, Sirius Black talked to Harry by means of a wizard fireplace (GF19).
Snape used a powder thrown into the fire to contact Lupin and ask to speak to him (PA14).
When the Ministry wanted to spy on all communication in and out of Hogwarts, they
employed the Floo Regulation Board to monitor the Hogwarts fires (OP27, OP28).
Fixing Charm
no words given
Elveira Elkins wrote to the Daily Prophet Problem Page because she could not make a
simple Fixing Charm 'stick'. The correspondent who dealt with everyday magical
problems diagnosed that the caster was allowing her attention to wander whilst
'charming', and recommended using nails instead (DP).
Flagrante Curse
(flah-GRAN-tay)
no words given
c.f. FLAGRATE.
Flagrate
(flah-GRAH-tay)
Creates a burning, fiery line in the air which can be "drawn" with the wand into specific
shapes. The shape lingers for some time.
Hermione used this spell to draw fiery X marks on the doors of the circular hall in the
Department of Mysteries (OP34).
May be the same basic magic as wand writing and wand sparks.
Flame-Freezing Charm
no words given
Changes the properties of fire so that its heat feels like a warm breeze.
Spell used by witches and the wizards in medieval times who were burned at the
stake. They would then scream and pretend to be burning up (PA1)
This "tricky little charm" makes the paint on a banner flash different colors.
Hermione used this charm on the banner that the Gryffindors had painted on one of
the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good
at drawing, had drawn a Gryffindor lion under the words (PS11).
It is probably this charm which Hermione used to make the various squares on their
revision schedules flash different colors as they prepared for O.W.L.s (OP29).
flying magic
no incantation given
While "[n]o spell yet devised enables wizards to fly unaided in human form" (QA1), various
spells create flying effects.
Dobby used a Hover Charm to float a pudding above Aunt Petunia's kitchen (CS2).
The films show Quirrell (PS/f) and Death Eaters (OP/f, HBP/f, etc.) flying through the air.
This effect, while effective visually, is definitely not canon.
"fountain of wine"
no incantation given
A spell which produces a fountain of wine from the end of the caster's wand.
Mr. Olivander performed this spell with Harry's wand to test it at the Weighing of the
Wands (GF18).
Similar to the spell used by Mrs. Weasley to create a creamy sauce from her wand
when cooking (GF5).
Four-Point Spell
Freezing Charm
According to Slughorn, one simple Freezing Charm will disable a Muggle burglar
alarm (HBP4).
Full Body-Bind
fur spell
no incantation given
Fred and George, in an effort to cheer up Ginny, cast this spell on themselves so they
would be covered with fur. All it did was irritate Percy (CS11).
Furnunculus
(fur-NUN-kyoo-lus)
Curse that causes boils to break out all over the victim.
Harry cast this spell on Draco, but it was deflected and hit Goyle in the face (GF18,
GF37)
Fred and George tried to cheer up Ginny by covering themselves with fur or boils and
then jumping out at her (CS11).
Obliviator Arnold Peasegood suffered a minor attack of boils while helping to break
up a goblin riot in Chipping Clodbury (DP).
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Geminio - Gemino Curse - Glisseo - gouging spell - Gripping Charm - grooming charms Growth Charm - Gubraithian fire
Geminio (jeh-MIN-ee-oh)
from "geminare" L. to double
Hermione uses this to duplicate (in appearance, anyway) the locket Horcrux so that
Umbridge won't realize that it is missing (DH13).
Gemino Curse
no incantation given, but see GEMINIO
When touched, the target object will multiply, but the copies are worthless.
Gringotts placed Gemino Curses on the objects in the Lestranges' high security vault,
creating a lot of apparently identical copies from which the genuine objects could not
be distinguished. According to Griphook, a would-be thief who continued to handle
treasure under such a curse would eventually be crushed by the weight of expanding
gold (DH26).
Glisseo (glis-EH-oh)
from "glisser" Fr. slip, slide
When Hermione cast this, the stairs on which she, Harry, and Ron were standing
flattened into a chute down which they slid very fast (DH32)
gouging spell
See DEFODIO.
Gripping Charm
no incantation given
Gripping Charms, invented in 1875, are cast on a Quaffle to make it possible for a
Chaser to hold onto it one-handed (since a Chaser needs at least one hand free to
control his or her broomstick) (QA6).
grooming charms
no incantation given
Molly Weasley thought that Bill's hair was too long and wanted to give it a trim. She
fingered her wand as she suggested this, indicating that she would use her wand to do
the trimming (GF5). (On the other hand, Molly may have had Diffindo in mind for
this or some other general use spell, so there may not be a specific hair-trimming
spell.)
Oddly enough it was Charlie, not Bill, whom Molly made a point of giving a haircut a
day or so before Bill's wedding. Ron said later that he expected Charlie to sneak out
and use a spell to regrow his hair (DH7).
Eloise Midgen tried to curse her pimples off, but that is not the recommended
procedure and it did not work as well as she might have hoped (GF13).
During breakfast on the day of her first Divination class with Firenze, Parvati curled
her eyelashes around her wand because she wanted to make a good impression on the
centaur (OP27). This may not have been a spell, however, any more than the use of
Muggle hair curlers would have been.
Growth Charm
no incantation given
Harry accidentally mixed up the incantations for Colour Change and Growth Charms
during his practical Charms O.W.L. (OP31).
c.f. ENGORGIO.
Gubraithian fire
no incantation given
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Hair-thickening Charm - Hex-Deflection - hexes - Homenum revelio - Homorphus Charm horn tongue - Horton-Keitch Braking Charm - hot air charm - Hover Charm - Hurling Hex
Hair-thickening Charm
no incantation given
Miles Bletchley cast a jinx on Alicia Spinnet that made her eyebrows grow to cover
her eyes. Snape refused to accept that a member of the Slytherin team would do such
a thing, suggesting instead that Alicia had cast a Hair-thickening Charm (evidently the
spell used) on herself, presumably to make her hair look better (OP19).
Hex-Deflection
A form of magic or class of spells that defend the caster against hexes.
The fake Moody included Hex-Deflection in his fourth-year Defence Against the
Dark Arts classes (GF28).
hexes
The following spells are known as hexes.
Bat-Bogey Hex
Bedazzling Hex
Hurling Hex
knee-reversing hex
Stinging Hex
toenail-growing hex
Cast by Hermione just after she, Ron, and Harry entered number twelve, Grimmauld
Place (DH9).
Homorphus Charm
"homo" Gr. the same + "morph": Eng. change shape [force a werewolf not to change]
or
"homo" L. man + "morph": Eng. change shape [force werewolf into human shape]
A good charm to use against a werewolf. Its exact effects aren't given.
Lockhart supposedly used this charm to defeat the Wagga Wagga werewolf and
demonstrated the feat in Defence Against the Dark Arts (CS10).
horn tongue
no incantation given
Harry, looking for spells to help him combat a dragon, wisely decided not to use this
one as it would just give the dragon one more weapon (GF20).
Invented and patented by Basil Horton and Randolph Keitch, the founders of the
Comet Trading Company (QA9).
Fires off a jet of hot air from the end of the caster's wand.
Hermione used this charm to melt snow and dry off her snow-covered robes (OP21).
Dumbledore used something similar on Harry's wet robes, but the spell he cast
instantaneously made the robes warm and dry and didn't involve any wasted wand
motion (HBP26).
Hover Charm
no incantation given
Dobby used this spell (without wand or incantation) to float Aunt Petunia's violet
pudding in the air (CS2).
Hermione had to use one on Harry to get him into his bunk while he was unconscious
after their visit to Godric's Hollow (DH17).
Hurling Hex
no spell words given
A nasty kind of hex that can be placed on a broom. The effect is presumably to make the
target broom attempt to hurl its rider off.
When Harry's Firebolt was stripped down to be checked for jinxes and curses,
Flitwick checked whether it had a Hurling Hex on it. It didn't (PA12).
This may have been the spell Quirrell cast on Harry's Nimbus 2000 to try to throw
him off (PS11).
Encyclopedia of Spells
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Impediment Curse / Jinx - Impedimenta - Imperio - Imperius Curse - Imperturbable Charm Impervius - Inanimatus Conjurus - Incarcerous - Incendio - insect jinx - instant scalping Invisibility Charm
Impediment Curse / Jinx
See IMPEDIMENTA.
C Line
Impedimenta (im-ped-ih-MEN-tah)
"Impediment Curse," "Impediment Jinx"
"impedimentum" L. hindrance
Harry learned this spell to use in the third task. Ron also learned it, using it to stop a
bee in midair. Harry used it to good effect on the Acromantula and on the huge BlastEnded Skrewt (GF29, (GF31).
Madam Hooch used this to knock Harry away from Draco as they were fighting after
a Quidditch match (OP19).
Harry saw his father use this on Snape in the Pensieve (OP28)
The Impediment Jinx was used by Death Eaters and by Harry during the Battle of the
Department of Mysteries (OP35)
Harry used this on Amycus Carrow while the latter was duelling Ginny during the
Battle of the Tower. Later Harry cast it on either Amycus or on Alecto Carrow when
they tried to catch him from behind, and still later he attempted to cast it on Snape
(HBP28).
Cast by Harry on a Death Eater just after the sidecar he was riding in broke off the
flying motorbike (DH4).
Imperio (im-PAIR-ee-oh)
"Imperius Curse"
"impero" L. order, govern, command
One of the Unforgivable Curses, this spell causes the victim to be completely under the
command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything the caster wishes. A victim of
this spell is said to have been Imperiused.
Harry raised the possibility - which Arthur Weasley then refuted - that Fudge may
have been acting under the Imperius Curse (OP9).
Cast by Draco Malfoy on Madam Rosmerta, and by her on Katie Bell (HBP12,
HBP27).
Cast by Harry on various goblins and on Travers during the retrieval of the cup
Horcrux (DH26).
Harry believes that Stan Shunpike must have been Imperiused (DH5).
Imperius Curse
See IMPERIO.
Creates a magical barrier on a target object, such as a door, to prevent eavesdropping. The
target object is said to have been Imperturbed.
The door to the kitchen in number twelve, Grimmauld Place had an Imperturbable
Charm placed on it. This prevented the kids from using Extendable Ears to eavesdrop
on the meetings there. Anything thrown toward a door which has been Imperturbed
will bounce off without touching it. Ginny tested the door by lobbing Dungbombs at it
(OP4).
Impervius (im-PER-vee-us)
"im-" prefix from L. not + "pervius" L. letting things through
Hermione used this spell to make Harry's glasses repel water during a rainy Quidditch
match (PA9).
The entire Gryffindor team used it on their faces to try to practice in a driving rain,
but they still gave up after an hour (OP18).
Hermione used this in an attempt to protect herself, Ron, Bogrod, and Griphook from
the burning, multiplying treasure in the vault (DH26).
Although not identified, the name suggests that this involves the conjuring inanimate objects.
The fifth years were assigned homework about this by McGonagall at the very
beginning of the school year (OP14). Since according to McGonagall Conjuring spells
are usually not attempted until N.E.W.T. level, perhaps this assignment was
preparatory theory work.
Incarcerous (in-CAR-sir-us)
"incarceratus" L., past participle of "incarcerare", from in- + carcer prison
Sends thick ropes out of thin air to wrap around someone or something.
Umbridge used this spell on Magorian the centaur, which prompted the rest of the
centaurs to attack (OP33).
Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts
(HBP28).
Incendio (in-SEN-dee-o)
"incendo" L. to set fire to
Starts a fire.
Arthur Weasley used this to start a fire in the Dursleys' fireplace (GF4).
insect jinx
no incantation given
Sprouts feelers on the victim's head, removes the victim's powers of speech, and forces the
victim to scuttle along the ground.
Harry was tempted to jinx Dudley like this when Dudley was taunting him about his
nightmares (OP1).
instant scalping
no incantation given
This spell appears in Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, which Harry consulted to
find a spell to work against dragons (GF20)
Invisibility Charm
no incantation given
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Impediment Curse / Jinx - Impedimenta - Imperio - Imperius Curse - Imperturbable Charm Impervius - Inanimatus Conjurus - Incarcerous - Incendio - insect jinx - instant scalping Invisibility Charm
Impediment Curse / Jinx
See IMPEDIMENTA.
C Line
Impedimenta (im-ped-ih-MEN-tah)
"Impediment Curse," "Impediment Jinx"
"impedimentum" L. hindrance
Harry learned this spell to use in the third task. Ron also learned it, using it to stop a
bee in midair. Harry used it to good effect on the Acromantula and on the huge BlastEnded Skrewt (GF29, (GF31).
Madam Hooch used this to knock Harry away from Draco as they were fighting after
a Quidditch match (OP19).
Harry saw his father use this on Snape in the Pensieve (OP28)
The Impediment Jinx was used by Death Eaters and by Harry during the Battle of the
Department of Mysteries (OP35)
Harry used this on Amycus Carrow while the latter was duelling Ginny during the
Battle of the Tower. Later Harry cast it on either Amycus or on Alecto Carrow when
they tried to catch him from behind, and still later he attempted to cast it on Snape
(HBP28).
Cast by Harry on a Death Eater just after the sidecar he was riding in broke off the
flying motorbike (DH4).
Imperio (im-PAIR-ee-oh)
"Imperius Curse"
"impero" L. order, govern, command
One of the Unforgivable Curses, this spell causes the victim to be completely under the
command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything the caster wishes. A victim of
this spell is said to have been Imperiused.
Harry raised the possibility - which Arthur Weasley then refuted - that Fudge may
have been acting under the Imperius Curse (OP9).
Cast by Draco Malfoy on Madam Rosmerta, and by her on Katie Bell (HBP12,
HBP27).
Cast by Harry on various goblins and on Travers during the retrieval of the cup
Horcrux (DH26).
Harry believes that Stan Shunpike must have been Imperiused (DH5).
Imperius Curse
See IMPERIO.
Creates a magical barrier on a target object, such as a door, to prevent eavesdropping. The
target object is said to have been Imperturbed.
The door to the kitchen in number twelve, Grimmauld Place had an Imperturbable
Charm placed on it. This prevented the kids from using Extendable Ears to eavesdrop
on the meetings there. Anything thrown toward a door which has been Imperturbed
will bounce off without touching it. Ginny tested the door by lobbing Dungbombs at it
(OP4).
Impervius (im-PER-vee-us)
"im-" prefix from L. not + "pervius" L. letting things through
Hermione used this spell to make Harry's glasses repel water during a rainy Quidditch
match (PA9).
The entire Gryffindor team used it on their faces to try to practice in a driving rain,
but they still gave up after an hour (OP18).
Hermione used this in an attempt to protect herself, Ron, Bogrod, and Griphook from
the burning, multiplying treasure in the vault (DH26).
Although not identified, the name suggests that this involves the conjuring inanimate objects.
The fifth years were assigned homework about this by McGonagall at the very
beginning of the school year (OP14). Since according to McGonagall Conjuring spells
are usually not attempted until N.E.W.T. level, perhaps this assignment was
preparatory theory work.
Incarcerous (in-CAR-sir-us)
"incarceratus" L., past participle of "incarcerare", from in- + carcer prison
Sends thick ropes out of thin air to wrap around someone or something.
Umbridge used this spell on Magorian the centaur, which prompted the rest of the
centaurs to attack (OP33).
Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts
(HBP28).
Incendio (in-SEN-dee-o)
"incendo" L. to set fire to
Starts a fire.
Arthur Weasley used this to start a fire in the Dursleys' fireplace (GF4).
insect jinx
no incantation given
Sprouts feelers on the victim's head, removes the victim's powers of speech, and forces the
victim to scuttle along the ground.
Harry was tempted to jinx Dudley like this when Dudley was taunting him about his
nightmares (OP1).
instant scalping
no incantation given
This spell appears in Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, which Harry consulted to
find a spell to work against dragons (GF20)
Invisibility Charm
no incantation given
Encyclopedia of Spells
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Impediment Curse / Jinx - Impedimenta - Imperio - Imperius Curse - Imperturbable Charm Impervius - Inanimatus Conjurus - Incarcerous - Incendio - insect jinx - instant scalping Invisibility Charm
Impediment Curse / Jinx
See IMPEDIMENTA.
C Line
Impedimenta (im-ped-ih-MEN-tah)
"Impediment Curse," "Impediment Jinx"
"impedimentum" L. hindrance
Harry learned this spell to use in the third task. Ron also learned it, using it to stop a
bee in midair. Harry used it to good effect on the Acromantula and on the huge BlastEnded Skrewt (GF29, (GF31).
Madam Hooch used this to knock Harry away from Draco as they were fighting after
a Quidditch match (OP19).
Harry saw his father use this on Snape in the Pensieve (OP28)
The Impediment Jinx was used by Death Eaters and by Harry during the Battle of the
Department of Mysteries (OP35)
Harry used this on Amycus Carrow while the latter was duelling Ginny during the
Battle of the Tower. Later Harry cast it on either Amycus or on Alecto Carrow when
they tried to catch him from behind, and still later he attempted to cast it on Snape
(HBP28).
Cast by Harry on a Death Eater just after the sidecar he was riding in broke off the
flying motorbike (DH4).
Imperio (im-PAIR-ee-oh)
"Imperius Curse"
"impero" L. order, govern, command
One of the Unforgivable Curses, this spell causes the victim to be completely under the
command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything the caster wishes. A victim of
this spell is said to have been Imperiused.
Harry raised the possibility - which Arthur Weasley then refuted - that Fudge may
have been acting under the Imperius Curse (OP9).
Cast by Draco Malfoy on Madam Rosmerta, and by her on Katie Bell (HBP12,
HBP27).
Cast by Harry on various goblins and on Travers during the retrieval of the cup
Horcrux (DH26).
Harry believes that Stan Shunpike must have been Imperiused (DH5).
Imperius Curse
See IMPERIO.
Creates a magical barrier on a target object, such as a door, to prevent eavesdropping. The
target object is said to have been Imperturbed.
The door to the kitchen in number twelve, Grimmauld Place had an Imperturbable
Charm placed on it. This prevented the kids from using Extendable Ears to eavesdrop
on the meetings there. Anything thrown toward a door which has been Imperturbed
will bounce off without touching it. Ginny tested the door by lobbing Dungbombs at it
(OP4).
Impervius (im-PER-vee-us)
"im-" prefix from L. not + "pervius" L. letting things through
Hermione used this spell to make Harry's glasses repel water during a rainy Quidditch
match (PA9).
The entire Gryffindor team used it on their faces to try to practice in a driving rain,
but they still gave up after an hour (OP18).
Hermione used this in an attempt to protect herself, Ron, Bogrod, and Griphook from
the burning, multiplying treasure in the vault (DH26).
Although not identified, the name suggests that this involves the conjuring inanimate objects.
The fifth years were assigned homework about this by McGonagall at the very
beginning of the school year (OP14). Since according to McGonagall Conjuring spells
are usually not attempted until N.E.W.T. level, perhaps this assignment was
preparatory theory work.
Incarcerous (in-CAR-sir-us)
"incarceratus" L., past participle of "incarcerare", from in- + carcer prison
Sends thick ropes out of thin air to wrap around someone or something.
Umbridge used this spell on Magorian the centaur, which prompted the rest of the
centaurs to attack (OP33).
Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts
(HBP28).
Incendio (in-SEN-dee-o)
"incendo" L. to set fire to
Starts a fire.
Arthur Weasley used this to start a fire in the Dursleys' fireplace (GF4).
insect jinx
no incantation given
Sprouts feelers on the victim's head, removes the victim's powers of speech, and forces the
victim to scuttle along the ground.
Harry was tempted to jinx Dudley like this when Dudley was taunting him about his
nightmares (OP1).
instant scalping
no incantation given
This spell appears in Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, which Harry consulted to
find a spell to work against dragons (GF20)
Invisibility Charm
no incantation given
Encyclopedia of Spells
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During the September 1999 riot that took place during the Puddlemere/ Holyhead
game, a lot of Harpy supporters were using this jinx (DP).
Jelly-Fingers curse
no incantation given
Presumably makes the target's fingers like jelly, so that they cannot grasp anything properly.
After a June 1999 Portree/ Arrows game, the losing Seeker accused his opposite
number of putting this curse on him as they both closed in on the Snitch (DP).
Jelly-Legs Jinx
"Locomotor Wibbly"
Hermione used the spell to break Harry's Shield Charm as they were practicing for the
third task (GF31).
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were hit with this jinx (along with a few other hexes and
curses) on the Hogwarts Express (GF37).
jinxes
A jinx is a spell cast to cause damage or other negative effect. A jinx is similar to a curse, but
typically not as powerful or cast with such negative intention. Jinxes are part of defensive
magic, although Umbridge tried to teach that spells should never be used in this way, even in
self-defense or as part of a legitimate attack. She used the textbook Defensive Magical
Theory by Slinkhard:
'He says that counter-jinxes are improperly named,' said Hermione promptly. 'He says
"counter-jinx" is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound
more acceptable (OP15)'.
A jinx is removed or undone by a counter-jinx. Defenses against jinxes are called "antijinxes." Some jinxes are also referred to as hexes.
Warrington of Slytherin was hit with a jinx that made his skin look as though he were
covered with corn flakes (OP30).
Madam Pince has been known to place jinxes on library books to protect them from
students who might doodle on them, tear out pages, or keep them checked out for too
long (QA).
To repair the exploding toilet caused by Willy Widdershins, Arthur told Harry he
would use a 'simple enough' anti-jinx (OP9).
The handle of Ron's new Cleansweep 11 had an anti-jinx varnish applied to it (OP9).
Jinxes:
o Anti-Disapparation Jinx
o Backfiring Jinx
o finger-removing jinx
o Hair-thickening Charm
o Impediment Jinx
o Jelly-Brain Jinx
o Jelly-Legs Jinx
o Revulsion Jinx
o snitch jinx
o Stretching jinx
o Trip Jinx
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knee-reversing hex
no incantation given
During the eleventh century, Gertie Keddle wrote in her diary that she hexed a man
who came to retrieve a leather-covered ball from her cabbage patch, and she'd "like to
see him fly with his knees back to front, the great hairy hog" (QA3).
knitting charm
no incantation given
Encyclopedia of Spells
Langlock - leek jinx - Legilimens - Leg-Locker Curse - Levicorpus - Levitation Charm Liberacorpus - Library book spells - light spell - lightening spell - Locomotor - Locomotor
Mortis - Lumos
Langlock (LANG-lok)
"lang" Eng. language (which derives from L. lingua tongue, language) + "lock" Eng. to fasten
A jinx that glues the target's tongue to the roof of his or her mouth.
One of the Half-Blood Prince's self-invented spells. Twice used by Harry on Filch, to
general applause; referred to as a jinx (HBP12)
leek jinx
no incantation given
Legilimens (le-JIL-i-menz)
"legens" L. reader + "mens" L. mind
See Legilimency.
Leg-Locker Curse
See LOCOMOTOR MORTIS.
Levicorpus (leh-vi-COR-pus)
A spell developed by the Half-Blood Prince, the incantation for which was written
down in his old Potions textbook without a description of the effects (but fortunately
with the counter-jinx); Harry very rashly cast this on Ron without a clear idea of what
the effects would be (HBP12)
Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts
(HBP28).
Hermione used this to levitate Harry by the ankle so that he could reach the cup
(DH26).
Levitation Charm
"Wingardium Leviosa"?
"wing" + "arduus" L. high, steep + "levo" L. to raise up, levitate
A basic charm that allows the target to float up to five feet above the ground
Lee Jordan levitated two Nifflers into Umbridge's office. She blamed Hagrid (OP31)
Although Harry did perform the Levitation Charm as part of his practical Charms
O.W.L., it is never stated that this is the same as Wingardium Leviosa. It seems likely,
however (OP31)
Not named, but this or something similar was used on Charity Burbage at Malfoy
Manor (DH1) as well as on the champagne bottles and lanterns at Bill Weasley's
wedding to Fleur Delacour (DH8).
Again not named, a levitation spell was used by James and Sirius to lift a police car
into the path of three onrushing Death Eaters on brooms (Pre).
Liberacorpus (lee-ber-ah-COR-pus)
A spell developed by the Half-Blood Prince, the incantation for which was written
down in his old Potions textbook without a description of the effects, alongside the
spell for which it is a counter-jinx. Harry cast it on Ron (HBP12)
Madam Pince puts a variety of spells and curses on the books in the Hogwarts library to make
sure that kids don't damage them. (At least, not twice...)
The screaming book in the Restricted Section may have been reacting according to
one of the spells on it (PS12)
Madam Pince has been known to add some unusual hexes and jinxes at times, besides
the usual collection of library book spells (QA).
light spell
no incantation used
Appearing with a soft, crackling sound, this spell creates a handful of shimmering light.
Lupin used this spell while on the Hogwarts Express. It lit the compartment and the
form of the Dementor that was searching the train (PA5).
lightening spell
no incantation given
Harry apparently knew such a spell by the summer after his second year, since he
planned to use it on his trunk in order to make it light enough to carry it to London on
his broomstick (PA2).
Locomotor... (lo-co-MO-tor)
"loco" L. from a place + "motionem" L. motion
Moves an object. Typically, the spell word "Locomotor" is followed by a target word, which
is the object to be moved.
Flitwick used Locomotor trunks to move Trelawney's belongings back up the main
staircase, back to her lodgings (OP26)
Tonks used Locomotor Trunk to move Harry's trunk downstairs before flying off to
Grimmauld Place (OP3).
McGonagall used Piertotum Locomotor to animate the statues and suits of armour,
sending them into the battle of Hogwarts (DH30).
Locks together the legs of the victim, making him or her unable to walk.
Draco cast this spell on Neville just for kicks; Neville then had to hop all the way
back to Gryffindor Tower (PS13)
Lumos (LOO-mos)
"lumen" L. light
Causes a small beam of light to shine from the end of the caster's wand.
This spell is used frequently as people skulk about the castle or the Forbidden Forest.
Dumbledore even used one when looking for Mr. Crouch (GF28), and his beam of
light was just as narrow and flashlight-like as Harry's usually is. You'd think
Dumbledore would have been able to summon up something a little brighter.
When Harry lost his wand during the Dementor attack, he desperately said Lumos and
to his surprise, the tip of his wand lit up even though he wasn't holding the wand at
the time. The light from a Lumos spell works even when the Dementors' presence had
cancelled out the light from the streetlamps and even the stars (OP1)
Cast by Harry while searching both number twelve, Grimmauld Place (DH10) and
while searching the Lestranges' vault (DH26).
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Memory Charm - Memory Modifying Charm - messenger spell - Meteolojinx Recanto Mobiliarbus - Mobilicorpus - Mors Mordre - Muffliato - Muggle-Repelling Charm
Memory Charm
See OBLIVIATE.
messenger spell
no incantation used
Dumbledore sent a message to Hagrid using this spell. He simply pointed his wand in
the direction of Hagrid's cabin and sent the messenger without saying a word. Hagrid
came directly to Dumbledore, which suggests that it is possible to retrace the
messenger's path (GF28).
Tonks sent a message to Hagrid to come get Harry at the gates of Hogwarts, but
Snape got the message instead (HBP8).
This spell is the method of communication used between members of the Order of the
Phoenix that
JKR mentioned on her website.
Cast by Kingsley Shacklebolt to send a message to the wedding guests at the Burrow;
his Patronus is a lynx (DH8).
Cast by Arthur Weasley to send a message to the Burrow announcing the arrival of the
Minister for Magic (DH7) and later to send a message to Harry, Ron, and Hermione;
his Patronus is a weasel (DH9).
Hermione said she had been practicing and thought she could cast this spell (DH9).
McGonagall cast this spell to contact the other three Heads of House just prior to the
battle of Hogwarts; non-verbally, she conjured three Patronuses at once and sent them
to their destinations, an impressive feat (DH30).
Arthur Weasley recommended this to Ron while the latter was disguised as Reg
Cattermole, saying it had worked for Bletchley (DH13).
Mobiliarbus (MO-bi-lee-AR-bus)
"mobilis" L. movable + "arbor" L. tree
The basic spell for moving something starts with the "Mobili-" prefix. It is up to the
caster to be able to tack on the correct Latinate word for the object to be moved, in
this case a tree. It seems unlikely that there is a "standard" spell for moving a tree to
one side!
Mobilicorpus (MO-bi-lee-COR-pus)
"mobilis" L. movable + "corpus" L. body
Moves a body.
The basic spell for moving something starts with the "Mobili-" prefix. In this case, the
Latin word for "body" is tacked on the end.
Remus Lupin used this spell to levitate Snape's unconscious body for transport back
to school from the Shrieking Shack (PA19). Unfortunately for Snape, Sirius Black
then took over managing the levitation while Lupin covered Wormtail with his wand,
and for some reason Sirius didn't seem to be very careful about keeping Snape from
bumping into things (PA20).
Thought of the day: "A real friend helps you move a body."
Morsmordre (mors-MOR-druh)
"The Dark Mark"
"mors" L. death + "mordere" L. to bite
Conjures an immense glowing skull in the sky, comprised of green sparks. There is a snake
coming out of the skull's mouth.
This spell is known only to Death Eaters, who send it up in the sky when they kill.
The Dark Mark was seen at the Quidditch World Cup in 1994, [Y14], conjured by
Barty Crouch Jr. using Harry's wand (GF9)
Muffliato (muf-lee-AH-to)
"muffle" Eng. to deaden a sound, making it more difficult to hear
Fills the ears of target persons near the caster with an unidentifiable buzzing, so that the
caster can hold lengthy conversations without being overheard.
One of the spells Harry learned from the Half-Blood Prince's notes. Hermione
disapproved of it and would refuse to talk at all if Harry had cast the spell on anyone
in the vicinity (HBP12)
Ron wished Harry had used this when Sprout caught the trio talking in class during
their sixth year (HBP14)
Cast by Hermione to help cover up her conversation with Harry and Ron on the night
of Harry's seventeenth birthday (DH7).
The corridors at the Ministry of Magic were as hushed as though the Muffliato charm
had been cast over the place (DH13).
Muggle-Repelling Charm
See REPELLO MUGGLETUM.
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Nox
Nox (noks)
"nox" L. night
Harry and Hermione used this spell to extinquish the lights on their wands in the
Shrieking Shack (PA17).
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Hermione used this to make it look as though she, Ron, and Harry hadn't walked back
from Hagrid's cabin in the snow (OP20)
Obliviate (oh-BLI-vee-ate)
"Memory Charm", "Memory Modifying Charm"
"oblivisci" L. forget
These spells are used routinely by the Ministry of Magic as they work to keep the
wizarding world a secret from the Muggles.
They are used if a Muggle sees a dragon (PS14) and after an enchanted item falls into
Muggle hands (CS3).
So many Muggles have seen the Loch Ness Monster that the Ministry of Magic has
been unable to perform Memory Charms on all of them (DP).
According to Blenheim Stalk in Muggles Who Notice, some Muggles "escape" Mass
Memory Charms on occasion that are used to cover up major incidents (FB).
Memory Charms were used on the witnesses to Peter Pettigrew's murder of twelve
Muggles and subsequent escape as a rat (PA10).
Bertha Jorkins had had a Memory Charm placed on her by Crouch Sr. after she
discovered Barty Crouch Jr. at the Crouch home (GF33). Voldemort broke through it,
but the process left her mind damaged and he killed her (GF1).
Mr. Roberts, the campground manager near the Quidditch World Cup, needed ten
Memory Charms a day or he started noticing odd things going on. Later, after he and
his family had been attacked by the Death Eaters, they all received Memory Charms
(GF7, GF9).
Lockhart used Memory Charms on those whose adventures he claimed as his own.
He'd interview someone who battled some creature or conquered some dark foe, then
write the story as if he did it himself and cast a Memory Charm on to the person so
they'd forget it was really them. He tried to do the same to Harry and Ron, but it
backfired onto him instead (CS16).
The Ministry of Magic arranged for the President of an unnamed country to forget to
telephone the Muggle Prime Minister in order to clear time on the latter's schedule for
an interview with Cornelius Fudge and Rufus Scrimgeour (HBP1).
Mnemone Radford was the first Ministry of Magic Obliviator, noted for developing
Memory Modifying charms (JKR).
Teams of Obliviators attempted to modify the memories of all Muggles who saw what
really happened during the so-called hurricane in the West Country during the
summer of 1996 [Y16].
Hermione modified her parents' memories, making them forget not only who they
were and that they had a daughter, but making them think that they had different
names and wanted to move to Australia (DH6). However, she later said that she had
never cast a Memory Charm before (DH9).
Hermione cast this on various witnesses to the caf incident to cover her trail and that
of her friends (DH9).
Hermione looked as though she had been Obliviated when she recalled seeing the
locket Horcrux two years before (DH10).
Obscuro (ob-SKOO-roh)
"obscuro" L. to cover, darken, obscure
Hermione used this spell to create a blindfold on the painting of Phineas Nigellus
Black (OP15).
Occlumency
"occlusum" - L. to block or close + "mens" - L. mind
Specialized branch of magic, not usually taught at Hogwarts, which consists of protecting
one's mind against outside intrusion.
Oppugno (oh-PUG-noh)
"oppugno" L. to attack, assault
Causes conjured creatures under the control of the caster to attack the target.
Hermione used this to set a flock of conjured canaries on Ron Weasley (HBP14).
Orchideous (or-KID-ee-us)
"Orchideae" L. name for the orchid plant family
Mr. Ollivander used this spell to test Fleur's wand at the Weighing of the Wands
(GF18).
Tom Riddle "produced a bunch of roses from nowhere" for Hepzibah Smith, which
was either sleight of hand or a non-verbal spell, possibly a spell similar to Orchideous
(HBP20)
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Pack - Patronus - Patronus Charm - pepper breath - Permanent Sticking Charm - Peskipiksi
Pesternomi - Petrification - Petrificus Totalus - Piertotum Locomotor - Placement Charm Point Me - Portus - possession - Prior Incantato - Protean Charm - Protego - Protego
horribilis - Protego totalum
Pack
"pack!"
Tonks used this spell to help Harry pack his school trunk when he was leaving the
Dursleys' house. She said she wasn't very good at housework spells and that her
mother used to be able to even make the socks fold themselves up together. Tonks'
version was a bit messier, but it certainly got the job done quickly (OP3).
Patronus
A silvery-white, conjured creature created by using the Patronus Charm. The Patronus is used
against Dementors and Lethifolds.
Harry's Patronus is a stag (like his father's Animagus form) (PA21, OP1).
Andros the Invincible is alleged to have been the only wizard known to have
produced a Patronus the size of a giant (fw)
Hermione's Patronus is an otter and Cho's is a swan (OP27). Seamus at first wasn't
sure what his was, just that it was hairy; it turned out to be a fox (OP27, DH32).
A Patronus can be commanded by the caster to attack. Harry controlled his and told it
to attack each Dementor in turn when they attacked him and Dudley in the alley near
Privet Drive (OP1).
A Patronus can also appear as a shapeless silvery mist, but when cast correctly, it
forms a "corporeal Patronus," which means it takes the form of an actual creature
(corporeal means having a physical form, from "corpus" L. for body). (OP8)
After a severe emotional upheaval, a witch's or wizard's Patronus may change form
(HBP16); this happened to Tonks after Sirius' death, when her Patronus seems to have
taken the shape of a wolf (HBP8).
pepper breath
no incantation given
Harry, when researching spells to use against a dragon, decided against this one
(GF20).
no incantation given
Spell that magically fastens one thing to another. It is extremely difficult to remove anything
fastened with a Permanent Sticking Charm.
Both the portrait of Sirius' mother and the tapestry showing the Black family tree
were fastened to the wall with Permanent Sticking Charms. As a result, the members
of the Order couldn't remove them from the walls (OP6).
The enchanted portrait in the Prime Minister's office could not be removed from the
wall by Muggle means, so it may have a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back
(HBP1).
Used by Sirius Black to put up Muggle posters, Gryffindor banners, and so on in his
room at number twelve, Grimmauld Place before he left home (DH10).
Lockhart tried this spell on the escaped Cornish Pixies. It had no effect. The spell
words certainly don't fit the usual format, so it seems likely that Lockhart was making
the whole thing up on the spot (CS6).
Petrification
"petrificare" L. to make into stone, from "petra" L. rock
Not a spell so much as a magical effect, caused by seeing the reflected eyes of a basilisk.
The Petrification effect resembles death, except that the victim is still alive, as if in
suspended animation. It takes careful examination to discern whether a victim is in
fact Petrified rather than dead. If a ghost is Petrified, it turns a dark smoky grey and
can only be moved by the use of a fan. The antidote is made from mandrake roots
(CS9).
Hermione cast this spell on Neville with profuse apologies when he tried to stop them
from going after the Philosopher's Stone. She referred to it as the Full Body Bind as
well as using the incantation (PS16).
Used by Harry on Dolohov during the battle of the Department of Mysteries (OP35)
Fred Weasley said, while waiting in dress robes in the hot sun for the wedding guests
to arrive, that when he got married, all of them could wear what they liked, and he'd
put a full Body-Bind Curse on Molly Weasley until it was all over (DH8).
McGonagall used this spell to animate the Hogwarts suits of armour and statues to
fight in the Battle of Hogwarts (DH30).
Placement Charm
no incantation given
used to put a bridle on a kelpie, the only way to control one (FB).
Point Me
"Four-Point Spell"
A simple spell, performed with the wand laying flat on the open palm of the caster. When the
words are spoken, the wand rotates to point north.
Harry used this spell to good advantage in the Triwizard maze, keeping himself
walking in more or less the right direction (GF31).
Portus (POR-tus)
"porta" L. gate, entrance
Dumbledore turned an old kettle into a Portkey to number twelve, Grimmauld Place
on the night of the snake attack on Arthur Weasley (OP22).
Dumbledore turned the head of the wizard statue into a Portkey to his office with this
spell after his duel with Voldemort (OP36).
When the spell is cast, the target object glows blue and trembles briefly before
returning to a normal appearance (OP22, OP36).
possession
no incantation given
Dark Magical effect of one person's spirit inhabiting or taking over the body of another.
The only examples of possession are the actions of Voldemort, the greatest Dark wizard of
the age.
He used this horrible form of intrusion on snakes and small animals while hiding out
in the wilds of Albania without a body of his own.
He possessed Quirrell in order to monitor and control him. In this particular case,
Voldemort's face appeared protruding from the back of Quirrell's head (PS17).
Tom Riddle's memory form, freed from its diary by life energy from Ginny Weasley,
inhabited the little girl off and on, forcing her to kill roosters, write on the wall, and so
on. She talked about it later and said that there were long periods of time when she
couldn't remember what had happened to her (OP23).
During the climactic battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort, the Dark Lord
possessed Harry, trying to make Dumbledore have to choose to kill Harry in order to
defeat Voldemort. Harry remembered the love of his mother and friends and the
feelings of love drove Voldemort out of him (OP36).
While a Horcrux is still intact, the bit of soul inside it can flit in and out of someone if
they grow too close emotionally to the object acting as a magical container (DH6).
Amos Diggory cast this on Harry's wand to discover whether it had cast the Dark
Mark (GF9).
When Harry and Voldemort duelled, their wands, which share a core of a feather from
the same phoenix, were linked in the Priori Incantatem effect (GF36).
Hermione was able to cast a Protean Charm on the fake Galleons the D.A. used
during the 1995 - 1996 [Y15 - Y16] school year to pass along the date and time of
each meeting. The spell caused the numbers on the members' coins to change when
Harry changed the numbers on his coin. The Ravenclaws were all astounded that
Hermione, who wasn't in their house, could cast this spell, since it's N.E.W.T. level.
Clearly none of them could cast this magic at fifth year level (OP19). Ironically,
Hermione got the idea from Voldemort's use of the Death Eaters' Dark Marks as a
means of communication.
Draco Malfoy, in turn, deliberately copied the notion of Hermione's D.A. coins to
enchant coins as a means of communication for himself with Madam Rosmerta
(HBP27).
Protego (pro-TAY-go)
"Shield Charm"
"protego" L. to defend
This spell creates a magical barrier that will deflect hexes thrown at the caster.
Harry learned this spell in his preparations for the third task (GF31).
Harry used the Shield Charm to defend himself against Snape's Legilimency during
Occlumency training and found himself unexpectedly seeing some of Snape's
memories (OP26).
Harry used this spell to defend himself and to stop various Death Eaters from
Summoning the prophecy away from him during the Battle of the Department of
Mysteries (OP35, OP36).
According to the twins, many adult wizards as of Harry's sixth year cannot cast this
spell properly, hence the popularity of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes "Shield"
clothing line (HBP6).
Ron, grasping at straws, speculates that Moody could have used a Shield Charm
against the Killing Curse (DH6).
Cast by Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and various other wedding guests after
Shacklebolt delivered his warning (DH9).
Used by Harry at the beginning of his final duel with Voldemort (DH36).
Hermione cast this along with several other protective enchantments on the campsite
in the woods next to the old Quidditch World Cup campgrounds (DH14).
Casting this spell evidently became part of the routine protective enchantments used
on their campsites during the hunt for the Horcruxes, because escaping from the
Lovegoods' house, Hermione immediately began running in a circle around her
companions, casting this along with other protective enchantments before they set up
their tent (DH22).
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The Quaffle is enchanted to make it fall more slowly than would otherwise be the
case. This spell was invented by Daisy Pennifold, hence the modern Quaffle is
referred to as a Pennifold Quaffle.
The Golden Snitch is enchanted to keep it within the bounds of the pitch.
Bludgers are enchanted to try to knock any and all players off their brooms.
Quietus (KWY-uh-tus)
reverse: Sonorus
"quietus" L. quiet, peaceful
Reverses the effect of Sonorus, making the caster's voice normal in volume.
Ludo Bagman used this in conjunction with Sonorus to allow himself to speak to
large crowds at the World Cup and at the Triwizard Tournament (GF8).
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The fake Moody, who had enlarged a spider with an Engorgement Charm,
used this to return it to its normal size (GF14).
Harry, who had enlarged a spider with an Engorgement Charm, tried to use this
to return it to its normal size, but it didn't work (DH20).
Reducto (re-DUC-toh)
"Reductor Curse"
"redusen" Middle Eng. diminish, from "reducer" Old Fr. bring back to the source, from "reducere" L. bring, lead
Snape used this on rosebushes at the Yule Ball after his talk with Karkaroff
(GF23)
Harry learned this spell as part of his preparation for the third task. He used it to
blast a hole in the hedge (GF31)
Used by the various D.A. members at the beginning of the battle of the
Department of Mysteries to smash shelves in the Hall of Prophecy as a
diversion (OP35).
Reductor Curse
See REDUCTO.
Refilling Charm
incantation unknown
Taught in sixth-year Charms (HBP22). It is not clear how this differs from a
Conjuring Spell, which is a Transfiguration.
Harry used this successfully for the first time to refill the cups/glasses used by
Slughorn and Hagrid at Aragog's wake (HBP22).
Relashio
"rilascio" It. - to release, to relax, to issue
Releases a jet of fiery sparks. Underwater, this spell fires a jet of boiling water.
Harry used this spell against the Grindylows during the second task (GF26).
Note that this incantation was given a rather different result in HBP10 when Ogden
used it to knock Marvolo backward - away from Merope, whom he was attempting
to strangle. This is not consistent with the previous usage of this incantation.
The incantation was again given a different result when Hermione used it to force
the chains to withdraw into the arms of the chained chair (DH13) and when Ron
attempted to use it on Pettigrew's silver hand (although this last didn't work)
(DH23).
Harry used this to release the dragon from its chains in Gringotts' high-security
area (DH25).
Broom charm.
Rennervate (REN-er-vayt)
"en-" Old French from "in-" L. cause to be + "nerves" Eng. c.1603 strength, from "nervus" L. nerve
See Edits and Changes to the Text - GF; this spell has been officially renamed by JKR from its original
name. Some versions list this spell as "Enervate," which changes the etymology quite a bit. In fact, if the word
was really Enervate, the Latin origins would have exactly the opposite meaning from what it meant as
Ennervate.
Dumbledore also used it to revive Viktor Krum after he was stunned while
watching over Barty Crouch senior (GF28).
Reparo (re-PAR-oh)
"reparare" L. repair, restore
Probably the spell Mr. Weasley used to repair Harry's glasses (CS4), Bill
Weasley used to repair the table leg (GF5), and Percy used to repair his glasses
when he bowed just a little bit too low (GF8).
Hermione cast this spell to repair the broken glass in the door to a railway carriage
compartment (GF11)
McGonagall used what is very likely this spell to restore the leg of Neville's desk,
which he had accidentally vanished (CS16).
Harry used this to fix the china bowl of Murtlap essence he'd knocked to the
floor. The spell couldn't put the liquid back in the repaired bowl, however (OP15).
Snape used this spell to repair a shattered jar in his office during Occlumency
lessons (OP26).
Hermione used this to repair a teacup that Ron had broken in Transfiguration
(OP30).
Horace Slughorn and Albus Dumbledore seem to have cast this spell
nonverbally (and in a masterly way) to undo the damage Slughorn had inflicted
upon his borrowed living quarters in Budleigh Babberton (HBP4).
After cutting the covers off the old and new Potions textbooks in his possession
and swapping them, Harry "repaired" the two swapped covers simultaneously by
tapping each, then giving the incantation once (HBP11).
Harry attempted to use this to keep the sidecar attached to the flying motorbike,
but it didn't work (DH4).
Repelling Spell
See REPELLO.
Repello (re-PEL-oh)
"Repelling Spell"
"repello" L. to repel
Spell that keeps something away from the caster or from a target object that the spell is cast
upon.
The basic spell for repelling something starts with "Repello" followed by the correct
Latinate word for the target to be repelled.
Before the Golden Snitch was introduced to Quidditch, this spell was cast by the
spectators to keep the Snidget on the pitch (QA4).
The basic spell for repelling something starts with "Repello" followed by the correct
Latinate word for the object or objects (e.g., people) to be repelled.
The Quidditch World Cup Stadium had Muggle-Repelling Charms all over it; if
Muggles got anywhere near it, they would suddenly remember some appointment
they were late for and hurry off (GF8).
restoring spell
no incantation used
Forces an Animagus who has transformed into animal form to revert to his or her human
form. The spell's effect is a bright blue-white flash of light.
Lupin and Sirius cast this spell together to change Scabbers back into Peter
Pettigrew (PA19)
Revulsion Jinx
no incantation given
Forces the target to back off from the caster, letting go of him or her if the target is holding on
to the caster. May be associated with a flash of purple light when cast.
Hermione used this jinx to force Yaxley to let go of her during the escape from the
Ministry of Magic. At the time there was a flash of purple light (DH13, DH14).
Rictusempra (ric-tu-SEM-pra)
"Tickling Charm"
"rictus" L. gaping mouth, grin + "sempra" L. always
CS/f incorrectly shows this spell throwing Draco across the room, and CS/g is
similarly incorrect in its effects.
Riddikulus (ri-di-KYOO-lus)
"boggart banishing spell"
"ridiculum" L. joke, from "ridere" L. to laugh
A simple charm requiring force of mind, this spell requires the caster to visualize his or her
worst fear in an amusing form while reciting the incantation. When performed correctly, this
forces the boggart to take on an appearance which will inspire the laughter that forms an
effective defense against the creature.
Lupin taught the third year Defence Against the Dark Arts class to use this
spell (PA7). The laughter it produces in onlookers is what does the boggart in.
Molly tried and failed to use this spell against the boggart at number twelve,
Grimmauld Place (OP9).
Harry did a perfect one during his Defence Against the Dark Arts practical
O.W.L. (OP31)
room-sealing spell
no incantation given
Seals a room with a powerful charm that none but a powerful wizard could break.
See COLLOPORTUS.
ropes, magical
no incantation used in many cases, but possibly Incarcerous or similar
Sends out magical ropes from a wand which tie up someone firmly.
Dumbledore used magic ropes from his wand to bind Barty Crouch Jr. (GF36)
Quirrell created ropes out of thin air to bind Harry in the Chamber of the
Stone. Then he clapped his hands and the ropes fell away (PS17).
Snape used this spell to tie up Lupin. When he did it, there was a loud bang
(PA19).
A similar enchantment is used on the chained chair in the Court of Magical Law.
When a prisoner sits in that chair, the chains glow gold and encircle the person's arms,
binding them to the chair (GF30, OP8, DH13)
rowboat spell
no incantation used
Hagrid used his umbrella to cast this spell and "speed things up a bit" when he and
Harry were coming back from the Hut-on-the-Rock (PS5).
Possibly it is this spell which propels the fleet of small boats from the dock near
Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts castle (PS6).
See BOATS.
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Specific effect is not given, but the Latin derivation seems to suggest that this affects and
possibly augments the other spells being cast.
Hermione cast this along with several other protective enchantments on the
campsite in the woods next to the old Quidditch World Cup campgrounds
(DH14).
Casting this spell evidently became part of the routine protective enchantments used
on their campsites during the hunt for the Horcruxes, because escaping from the
Lovegoods' house, Hermione immediately began running in a circle around her
companions, casting this along with other protective enchantments before they set up
their tent (DH22).
Scarpin's Revelaspell
See SPECIALIS REVELIO.
Scourgify (SKUR-ji-fy)
"excoriata" L. 'to be stripped of' (thanks to Ruth Eyres)
Cleans things.
Tonks used this spell to clean out Hedwig's cage in Harry's bedroom (OP3).
James Potter used this spell to "wash out" Snape's mouth when the latter called
Lily a Mudblood just after their Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.
(OP28).
Scouring Charm
"Scourgify" (?) or possibly "Tergeo" (?)
Cleans things.
Hermione taught Neville a Scouring Charm to clean frog guts out from under his
fingernails (GF14).
There is no specific reference that Scourgify and the Scouring Charm are the same
thing, but it seems very likely.
sealing spell
No incantation used
Used by Umbridge to seal the pink parchment note she sent to McGonagall by
way of Harry; McGonagall slit it open with her wand when she received it
(OP12).
Sectumsempra (sek-tum-SEM-pra)
"sectus" L. past participle of "seco", to cut "sempra" L. always
Considered to be Dark Magic; anything severed from a target's body by this spell
cannot be grown back by magic, according to Molly Weasley (DH5).
Harry cast this on Draco. Snape said afterward that there might be a certain
amount of scarring, but that immediate treatment with dittany might prevent that
(HBP24)
Apparently the nonverbal spell used by Snape on James Potter that resulted in a
gash across James' face during their confrontation just after their Defence
Against the Dark Arts O.W.L, as seen by Harry in the Pensieve (OP28),
judging from Snape's remarks during his departure from Hogwarts (HBP28).
Harry used this on Inferi in the cave, but it didn't do much good (HBP26)
Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from
Hogwarts (HBP28).
Snape cast this at the wand-hand of a Death Eater who had been aiming at
Remus Lupin's back, but missed and hit George Weasley instead, removing one
of his ears (DH5, DH33).
Serpensortia (ser-pen-SOR-sha)
"serpens" L. serpent + "ortus" L. past participle of "ortir", to come into existence
(or second segment could be derived from "sortir" Old Fr. to go out)
(thanks to Jake Downs for suggesting we look at "ortir")
Causes a large serpent to burst from the end of the caster's wand.
Draco cast this spell on Harry at the Duelling Club on Snape's suggestion; the
serpent moved to attack Justin Finch-Fletchley (CS10).
Severing Charm
"Diffindo" (?)
Ron used this spell to remove the lace from the neck and sleeves of his used dress
robes (GF23).
Shield Charm
See PROTEGO.
Shock Spell
No incantation mentioned
One reader of The Quibbler wrote Harry after his interview was published and
suggested that he needed a course of Shock Spells at St. Mungo's, since he was
obviously a nutter (OP26)
Silencing Charm
See SILENCIO.
Silencio (si-LEN-see-oh)
"Silencing Charm"
"silencio" L. to be quiet
The song of the Fwooper will drive the listener insane and must therefore be sold
with a Silencing Charm on it. This charm must be recast on the Fwooper every
month (FB).
Fifth-years work on this spell in Charms using bullfrogs and ravens (OP18).
Hermione cast this spell on a Death Eater during the Battle of the
Department of Mysteries, which caused the spell he used to attack her to be a
lot less damaging. He still knocked her out, though, and did "enough damage to be
going on with," according to Pomfrey (OP35, OP38).
sleep, bewitched
incantation unknown
Puts the target person into a deep sleep; subject is in a state almost like suspended animation
and does not breathe for the duration of the spell.
Dumbledore placed Cho, Ron, Hermione, and Gabrielle Delacour into this
kind of sleep while they were "held hostage" by the merpeople in the lake
(GF27).
Fleur tried to put her dragon into some sort of enchanted sleep during the first
task (GF20)
slug-vomiting charm
no incantation given (no, it's not "eat slugs")
Ron tried to hit Malfoy with this curse after Malfoy had called Hermione a
Mudblood. Unfortunately, Ron's wand had been damaged earlier, so the spell
backfired (CS7)
Interestingly, Ron had only a short time before, at breakfast, snapped "Eat slugs,
Malfoy!" This is not the incantation, however, although CS/f clearly and incorrectly
indicates that it is.
snitch jinx
no incantation given
A delayed-action jinx which writes the word "sneak" across someone's face in pimples if they
break an agreement they sign. This jinx may be an invention of Hermione Granger.
Hermione jinxed a piece of parchment with this spell. Each member of the D.A.
signed the parchment when the group started meeting and in so doing put themsleves
under its effect. When Marietta Edgecombe told Umbridge about the DA, the
word "sneak" broke out on her face instantly. Umbridge tried to remove it but
couldn't, which indicates just how talented Hermione is at casting spells (OP16)
This jinx was still in effect on Marietta the following September (HBP7)
Sonorus (so-NO-rus)
reverse: Quietus
"sonorus" L. loud
Ludo Bagman used these spells to make his voice heard throughout the
Quidditch World Cup stadium and over the stands of people watching the
Triwizard Tournament (GF8, GF31)
Used to identify the ingredients of the target potion or the enchantments on a target object.
Sponge-Knees Curse
no incantation given
Presumably turns the target's knees spongy, making it difficult for him or her to walk.
During the a riot that took place during the Puddlemere/ Holyhead game, a group
of Puddlemere supporters were using this curse "in retaliation" to the Jelly-Brain
Jinx, according to one Puddlemere supporter (DP).
Spells to detect anyone sneaking past them. Can be placed on physical objects such as doors.
After two Nifflers had been placed in her office, Umbridge placed Stealth
Sensoring Spells on her door, which detected Harry and Hermione as they broke in
to use the fire (OP32)
Stretching Jinx
no incantation given
Mrs. Weasley said before their sixth year that Harry and Ron had grown so
much that they looked as though they'd had this jinx put on them (HBP5).
Stinging Hex
no incantation given
Stunner
See STUPEFY.
Stupefy (STOO-puh-fye)
"Stunner" "Stunning Spell" "Stupefying Charm"
reverse: "Rennervate"
"stupefacio" L. to make senseless, from "stupeo" L. stunned
Renders the target of the spell unconscious; this spell hurls a bolt of red light.
Used by Ministry wizards to try to stop whomever cast the Dark Mark during the
Quidditch World Cup riot (GF9)
Flavius Belby tried to use a Stupefying Charm against a Lethifold, but only
succeeded in blasting a hole through his bedroom door (FB)
Harry tried to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts, but
missed (HBP28).
Harry cast this on Thorfinn Rowle and attempted to cast it on Antonin Dolohov
but missed the latter, hitting the waitress instead (DH9).
Cast by Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the crowd of goblins responding to the
alarm at Gringotts (DH25).
Stupefying Charm
See STUPEFY.
Substantive Charm
no incantation given
Effect unknown.
Seamus Finnigan, the day before Harry's year's first O.W.L., was reciting the
definition of this charm aloud (OP31)
Summoning Charm
See ACCIO.
Supersensory Charm
Lets the caster sense things out of his or her line of sight.
Ron says he can use this spell instead of looking in the mirrors when he drives a car
(DH/e).
Switching Spell
various, depending on the Transfiguration intended
Hermione knew quite a bit about Switching Spells already in her first year, and
gained some house points for it from McGonagall (PS9)
Neville wasn't particularly adept at these, managing to switch his own ears onto a
cactus during Transfiguration class (GF15).
The definition of Switching Spells was on the theory portion of the Transfiguration
O.W.L. that Harry took in June 1996 (OP31)
Encyclopedia of Spells
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When put on a word, anyone who then says that word becomes trackable by the caster;
saying the word breaks protective enchantments and causes some kind of magical
disturbance.
The Death Eaters placed a Taboo on the word "Voldemort", reasoning that only
serious opposition such as the Order of the Phoenix would use it (DH20)
Harry accidentally broke the magical protections around the campsite where he was
staying by slipping and saying the name as he had been used to doing for years,
forgetting that it was Taboo (DH22).
The choice of name for this effect is neat; there was already a social taboo on saying
the name before the spell was ever cast.
talon-clipping charm
no incantation given
Harry found this spell in a book in the Hogwarts library when researching ways
to overcome the Hungarian Horntail in the first task (GF20).
Tarantallegra (TAIR-an-tuh-LEG-ruh)
"tarantella" It. dance associated with the tarantula, from Taranto, a city in Italy + "allegro" It. fast
Dolohov used this spell on Neville during the Battle of the Department of
Mysteries (OP35).
Tergeo (tair-GAY-oh)
"tergeo" L. to wipe off, to wipe dry; to scour, to clean
Hermione used this spell to siphon blood off Harry's face, which had been left
there after his nose had been broken by Draco Malfoy (HBP8)
Ron used this spell to siphon oven grease off his handkerchief so that he could lend it
to Hermione, who had just burst into tears (DH6).
Harry used this spell to remove dust from some of the framed photographs in
Bathilda Bagshot's house (DH17).
Thief's Curse
no incantation given
An unspecified bit of nastiness which can be cast on someone who steals something.
People who stand too long reading Quidditch Through the Ages in a shop
without buying it might find themselves the object of this curse (QA).
Thief's Downfall
no incantation given
A waterfall that can be released over the track at Gringotts that has the effect of washing
away all enchantment, all magical concealment.
This was released against Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook during their raid
on the Lestranges' vault. It removed the effects of Polyjuice Potion from
Hermione, of a number of small charms and Transfigurations from Ron, and
lifted the Imperius Curse from Bogrod, whom they had compelled to accompany
them. It did not, however, damage Harry's Invisibility Cloak or other magical
items that they had with them (DH25).
Tickling Charm
See RICTUSEMPRA.
Tickling Spell
See TITILLANDO.
time travel
no incantation used; by magical device only
An extremely dangerous magical effect, allows a person to travel back in time. Because of the
potential for catastrophe should history be altered, time travel is all but forbidden in
wizarding society. Certain magical devices can be used for time travel, but access to them
is strictly controlled.
Hermione once used a Time-Turner to repeat hours of the day and take more
classes than would otherwise have been possible (PA21).
The Pensieve and Tom Riddle's diary allowed a form of time travel, although
the person or persons traveling were not actually part of the time they entered.
Instead, they became observers, unseen and unheard. This form of time travel is tied
to stored memories and the traveller views the past from a vantage point near the
person whose memories are used. This form of time travel might be better termed
"memory travel."
Titillando (ti-ti-LAN-do)
"Tickling Spell"
Similar to the charm Rictusempra, but nastier, apparently, since it's found in the
book Curses and Counter-Curses (Pm).
toenail-growing hex
no incantation given
Ron recommended that Harry use it on McLaggen after the latter's antics cost
them a match (HBP19)
Tongue-Tying Curse
"Mimble wimble"
Binds the target's tongue to keep him or her from talking about some specific subject.
Arthur Weasley said that Mad-Eye Moody had set up a couple of curses at
number twelve, Grimmauld Place in case Snape returned there. The curses
were to both "keep him out and bind his tongue if he trie[d] to talk about the place"
(DH6).
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were affected by this upon their arrival at number
twelve, Grimmauld Place. Something whooshed over them like cold air, causing
their tongues to curl backward on themselves, making it impossible for them to speak,
though their tongues soon unravelled again. It was unpleasant, and afterwards Ron
made retching noises and (with Hermione) stammered for a while (DH9).
Trace, the
no incantation given
Moody said that if Harry or anyone around him cast a spell to get him out of
number four, Privet Drive, Pius Thicknesse and the Death Eaters would
know about it thanks to the Trace (DH4).
Discussed by Harry and Ron as the principal reason why they had to wait until after
Harry's seventeenth birthday to begin hunting for Horcruxes (DH6). When the
time came, Harry initially revelled in its removal (DH7).
Ron said that it's wizarding law that the Trace breaks at seventeen and that it cannot
be put on an adult (DH9). When asked if Harry's Trace could still be on him,
Remus Lupin said 'Impossible', then added that for one thing, if it had been the
Death Eaters would have known for certain where Harry was (DH11).
Transmogrifian Torture
"trans" L. across + ?
"transmogrify" Eng. verb c.1656, from L. to change or alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect
c.f. Calvin and Hobbes: his "duplicating machine" is called a Transmogrifier ("Calvin and Hobbes" is a very
popular comic strip in the U.S.)
perhaps also related to:
"moggy" Br. slang: cat
Lockhart pronounced with certainty that Mrs. Norris was dead, killed by the
Transmogrifian Torture. Immediately thereafter, Dumbledore informed everyone
that she wasn't in fact dead, rather she was Petrified, and Lockhart pointed out that
he knew this all along. Knowing Lockhart, it is distinctly possible that there is no
such thing as the Transmogrifian Torture (c.f. PESKIPIKSI PESTERNOMI) (CS9)
Trip Jinx
no incantation given
Draco Malfoy used a Trip Jinx to catch Harry in the seventh floor corridor,
running away from the Room of Requirement (OP27)
Harry was hit with this hex as they practiced Hex-Deflection in Defence
Against the Dark Arts (GF28)
Encyclopedia of Spells
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Hermione cast an Unbreakable Charm on the jar in which she imprisoned Rita
Skeeter in beetle form (GF37).
Unbreakable Vow
incantation not given
The spell apparently cannot be performed using wandless magic (judging from Snape's
remarks to Bellatrix rather than from the Weasley twins' underage efforts) and requires
that the Bonder's wand be touching the joined hands of the person administering the vow
and the person taking the vow. As each clause of the oath being sworn is agreed to, a thin
tongue of brilliant red flame shoots from the caster's wand and winds itself around the
joined hands of the participants, remaining in place as other clauses of the oath are sworn to.
The Weasley twins tried to get Ron to make one when he was about five, but
Arthur caught them at it (HBP16).
Unforgivable Curses
Three curses in particular are known as Unforgivable because using them on another human
being can result in a life term in Azkaban. These three curses were used extensively by
Voldemort's followers during his rise to power in the 1970s, and their use by Aurors
against suspects was in turn authorized by Bartemius Crouch senior at that time. One,
the Killing Curse, was used by Voldemort himself on Harry Potter, but the curse
backfired and Voldemort was defeated.
The three curses are:
During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry tried to use the
Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange, but it didn't have much effect. She taunted
him:
"Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy? You need to mean them, Potter!
You need to really cause pain--to enjoy it-- righteous anger won't hurt me for long..." (OP36)
Unplottable
incantation not given
Hermione suggested that this may have been done to make Durmstrang and
Beauxbatons harder to locate by other witches and wizards (GF11).
Hogwarts also has wards and spells on it to hide its true nature from Muggles, but it
is apparently not Unplottable.
Encyclopedia of Spells
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Vanishing Spell
Vanishing Spell
See EVANESCO, VANISHING MAGIC.
Encyclopedia of Spells
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Lupin considers this to be a useful little spell. He used it to remove a wad of gum
from a keyhole that Peeves was putting there. The gum then shot up Peeves' nose
(PA7).
The "useful spell" that Lupin was showing them was undoubtedly the "wasi" part, in
this case with a target word attached, "wad." Again we see how important intention is
to magic, since the wad was directed into Peeves' nose by intent with the "go there"
part of the spell. In another situation, the spell might be "stolawasi" to send a robe into
a student's trunk, but it would only work if the student focused his mind on where he
wanted the robe to go.
wand effects
no words used
Causes loud booming noises, sparks, or flashes of light, designed to get people's attention.
McGonagall created a loud bang to get people's attention in the hallway (CS10)
Ollivander cast a stream of silver smoke rings and a fountain of wine during the
Weighing of the Wands (GF18)
Harry's wand spun and shot golden fire at Voldemort on its own (DH4).
Hermione's wand erupted purple and gold streamers which draped themselves
artistically over the bushes (DH7).
The wizard who performed the wedding ceremony cast a shower of silver stars over
the bride and groom at the end (DH8).
Harry's wand emitted a bang and red sparks when he closed the curtains over
Mrs. Black's portrait (DH9).
wand sparks
no incantation given
Harry, Draco, Neville fired red sparks into the air to call for help in the
Forbidden Forest (PS15).
Harry and Ron shot sparks to hold off an advancing skrewt (GF21).
For the third task, each champion was instructed beforehand to send up red sparks
if he or she got into difficulty and wished to be rescued (GF31).
When Harry's temper was getting the better of him, his wand inadvertently gave off a
few red and gold sparks (OP2).
The signal that it was clear for the Advance Guard to leave Privet Drive with
Harry was a shower of red sparks, then green sparks, far off in the night sky (OP3).
Harry's wand spun around by itself and shot gold flames at Voldemort when the
latter pursued him after his departure from Privet Drive. Albus Dumbledore
later said that this was because during their duel three years before, Harry's wand
had taken on some of the power and qualities of Voldemort's wand, recognized
him as both kin and mortal enemy, and regurgitated some of his own power back at
him (DH4, DH5, DH35).
Harry's wand emitted a bang and red sparks when he closed the curtains over Mrs.
Black's portrait (DH9).
wand writing
no incantation given
Emits an animated ribbon from the tip of the wand that spells words or forms numbers
Dumbledore used ribbon from his wand to form letters in air (PS7).
Tom Marvolo Riddle wrote his name in the air, then rearranged the letters (CS17)
The judges of the Triwizard Tournament showed scores with ribbons coming
from their wands (GF20)
In an excellent example of how intention affects magic, Ron used this spell to make a
mountain troll's club levitate, then crash back onto its own head, even though the
"wing" portion of the spell seems specific to feathers (PS10).
Harry cast this on the sidecar after it broke off from the flying motorbike (DH4).
Ron cast this on a twig to move it into position to press the place at the roots of the
Whomping Willow to make it hold still, clearing the way to the tunnel leading to
the Shrieking Shack (DH32).
wizard space
Causes objects to hold more than their outer dimensions would seem to allow.
While not mentioned by name, this magical effect is seen in a number of places in the
wizarding world. It would seem that "wizard space" is fairly common, since Molly
Weasley didn't seem a bit surprised when their Ford Anglia could hold a lot more
people and cargo than it should (CS5).
(On the other hand, Molly Weasley knew that the car "borrowed" by Mundungus
for a Christmas Day visit to Arthur Weasley in hospital had been "enlarged with a
spell", rather than having been built like that (OP23).)
Cauldrons apparently can hold a lot of stuff. Harry dumped an entire collection of
Lockhart's books into Ginny's cauldron, for example. And apparently it didn't
get too heavy for an eleven-year-old to carry as a result (CS4).
Harry's invisibility cloak also seems to have this quality, since it can expand to
cover several children and a crated dragon, but still can be easily used by a single
person (PS14, etc). However, it has limits. When the D.A. was first formed,
Hermione pointed out that the invisibility cloak couldn't cover all the members
at the same time (OP17).
The magical tents Mr. Weasley borrowed for use at the Quidditch World Cup
were considerably more spacious inside than they looked from the outside (GF7).
Perkins didn't want them back because his lumbago was too bad to let him camp
comfortably, so Mr. Weasley kept them until he loaned one to Hermione, which
proved to be very useful (DH14). That tent was later lost during a raid by Snatchers
(DH26).
Gryffindor House
Head: Professor Minerva McGonagall (1990s)
Founder: Godric Gryffindor
Blazon: gules, a lion rampant or (that is, a golden lion on a red field, hence the Gryffindor
colours of scarlet and gold)
Ghost: Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington ("Nearly Headless Nick")
Characteristics:
Gryffindors are known for their courage
Location:
c. 1931 - 1938
(1960s)
Weasley, Arthur
1971 - 1978
Black, Sirius [verified in OP9 that he was in the same house as James, confirmed
HBP4]
Lupin, Remus [verified in OP9 that he was in the same house as James]
(1990s)
1982-1989
1983-1990
1987 - 1994
1989 - 1996
Jordan, Lee
1990 - 1997
1991 - 1998
1992 - 1999
1993 - 2000
1994 - 2001
1995 - 2002
Abercrombie, Euan
King, R. J. H. (PS/f)
McGonagall, M. G. (PS/f)
Mary MacDonald - could be Gryffindor from the context, but it doesn't specifically
say so (DH33)
Dean - hand
Ron - spider
Then Lupin calls it back before Harry has to deal with it, and sends it to Neville to finish it
off. Harry and Hermione didn't have to work with it, because they answered the questions
correctly at the beginning of the class.
Now we know that Lavender was one of those unidentifed students. We also know that
there are definitely only five boys in Harry's dorm room, so that's how I knew that the two
remaining students were girls.
Ta-da!
EDITOR'S NOTE:
This isn't conclusive proof of anything, of course, but it's a nice bit of deduction and just might turn out to be
true! Another perfectly reasonable explanation, of course, is that the boggart was getting confused and was
changing form at random. -- Steve Vander Ark
A suggestive bit of evidence against this theory is that every known Gryffindor - all three girls and eventually all
five boys - belonged to the D.A., as well as the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team, every non-Slytherin
prefect in Hermione's and Ron's year, and even including the close friends of various members' current
boyfriends and girlfriends. Everybody, in other words, who was thought to be a likely candidate for
membership, and we know all the members - and no extra Gryffindor girls are among them. -- MLW
Ravenclaw House
Head: Professor Filius Flitwick
Founder: Rowena Ravenclaw
D Line
Location: Ravenclaw Tower, which is located on the west side of the castle (OP18); the
entrance is a door at the top of a tightly winding spiral staircase that leads up from the fifth
floor. The door has neither handle nor keyhole, but a talking bronze knocker in the shape of
an eagle. Rather than asking for a conventional password, the knocker will ask a question;
if answered correctly, the knocker will compliment the person on the answer and the door
will swing open (DH29).
The common room, like the other House common rooms, is decorated in House colours (blue
and bronze silk wall hangings, in this case, and a midnight-blue carpet decorated with stars).
The room is wide, circular, and very airy, with a domed ceiling painted with stars, and walls
with graceful arched windows that provide a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.
There are bookcases, tables, and chairs, and opposite the entrance is another door leading to
the dormitories. Beside this door is a plinth on which stands a life-size statue in white marble
of Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her diadem (DH29).
(years unknown)
(ea. 1940s)
(1990s)
Chambers (OP31)
The earliest possible year for Chambers is two years above Harry while the latest
is three years below, because Chambers was on the Ravenclaw Quidditch
team in Harry's fifth year.
1988 - 1995
Clearwater, Penelope
1988 - 1996
1990 - 1997
Edgecombe, Marietta
Likely the same year as her friend, Cho Chang.
1991 - 1998
Li, Su (HPM)
1992 - 1999
1994 - 2001
[1] The screen capture from HPM lists Corner and Goldstein as Hufflepuffs, but they appear
in OP as Ravenclaws; OP is the definitive source, so they appear on this page.
Slytherin House
Head: Professor Severus Snape until spring of 1997, then Horace Slughorn.
Founder: Salazar Slytherin.
Blazon: vert, a serpent argent (that is, a silver serpent on a green field, hence the Slytherin
colours of green and silver) (PA15, GF15). The serpent device signifies the founder's gift of
being a Parselmouth (CS11).
Ghost: The Bloody Baron (PS7).
Location: The Slytherin common room is a low-ceilinged, dungeon-like room with greenish
lamps and chairs, with skulls all around. It is located under the
lake (DH23) [1].
Sorting Hat description: (PS7)
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
Slytherin Quidditch team
green robes
players chosen more for size than finesse or skill, it seems
all fly on Nimbus 2001s
the 1991-92 team included no girls
Known Slytherins, past and present
Slughorn, Horace
1858-1866
(c. 1970s)
(1990s)
Bletchley, Miles
Higgs, Terence
At least a year ahead of Harry, since he played Seeker in Harry's first year.
Urquhart (HBP14)
No more than a year older than Harry, since he was on the team in Harry's sixth year. May be
younger than Harry.
Vaisey (HBP14)
No more than a year older than Harry, since he was on the team in Harry's sixth year. May be
younger than Harry.
1986 - 1994
Flint, Marcus
Repeated a year without being kicked off the team, so actually left Hogwarts at the end of Harry's
third year rather than his second. This error was fixed in later editions of the books.
1988 - 1995
Bole
Derrick
1989 - 1996
Montague
Pucey, Adrian
1991 - 1998
Bulstrode, Millicent
Crabbe, Vincent
Goyle, Gregory
Malfoy, Draco
Nott, Theodore
Parkinson, Pansy
Zabini, Blaise
1992 - 1999
Harper (male)
1993 - 1994
1994 - 2001
Baddock, Malcolm
Pritchard, Graham
[1] according to Rowling's instructions to the designers of the set for CS/f., later verified in
DH23.
Hufflepuff House
Head: Professor Pomona Sprout
Founder: Helga Hufflepuff
Blazon: or, a badger sable (that is, a black badger on a golden field, hence the Hufflepuff
colours of yellow and black) (GF15)
Ghost: The Fat Friar
Sorting Hat's description (PS7):
These belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal.
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil.
Location: Accessed through a still life painting found near the
kitchens; to reach it, you enter a door to the right of the
main staircase in the Entrance Hall and down a staircase
there (GF17). Although it is therefore at dungeon level, it is
"as dissimilar as possible" from the Potions classroom. As
we have seen in the other common rooms, it is decorated in
House colours, which in this case means that there are lots of
yellow hangings; like Gryffindor Tower, it has a lot of comfortable armchairs. There are
"little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round
doors, like barrel tops" (BLC, JKR).
This last detail is reminiscent of hobbit architecture as described in J.R.R. Tolkien's book
The Hobbit - MLW.
Hufflepuff Quidditch team
Known Hufflepuffs, Past and Present
For each known Hufflepuff below, his or her name is given (with a link to the appropriate
entry in the Which Wizard), together with the years he or she was a student in Hufflepuff,
and the specific reference which verified the membership.
Cadwallader (HBP19)
[1] The screen capture from HPM lists Corner and Goldstein as Hufflepuffs, but they appear
in OP as Ravenclaws; OP is the definitive source, so they do not appear on this page.
Academics
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Fifth Year
Sixth Year
Seventh Year
schedule of
classes by
year
First Year:
classes:
Astronomy
Charms
Defense
Against the Dark Arts
Herbology
History of Magic
Potions
Transfiguration
Ancient Runes
Arithmancy
Divination
Muggle Studies
Fourth Year
Same classes as third year, begin preparing for O.W.L.s. Students may drop an
elective class if they wish but they are required to continue with the core classes
begun in first year.
If a student achieved the required O.W.L. in a particular subject (which varies from teacher to
teacher), he or she may continue in that subject, but is not required to do so. For example,
several (well, all, as far as we know) of Harry's year opted to drop out of Care of Magical
Creatures, much to Hagrid's dismay.
June: finals (exams)
Seventh Year:
We won't know what the classes are for seventh year until the book comes out, although it is
likely that seventh years concentrate on taking classes in their chosen fields.
June: Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.T.s)
Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.s)
At the end of fifth year, each student sits an Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) for each of
the classes he or she takes. These are standardized tests administered by the Wizarding
Examinations Authority; the teachers may proctor exams outside their own subjects but do
not attend the Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.) in their own subjects.
Each O.W.L. has a theory portion, and for applicable classes a separate practical portion is
given, so that many O.W.L.s are in two parts, although only one O.W.L. score is given for
each subject. See the individual classes for the details of the material covered in the
individual exams.
Pass Grades
Fail Grades
Outstanding (O)
Acceptable (A)
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
At the end of seventh year, each student sits a Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.)
for each of the classes he or she takes. These are standardized tests administered by the
Wizarding Examinations Authority, given at the same time and apparently in the same way
that O.W.L.s are given to fifth-year students.
The school motto, which appears on the crest, is "Draco dormiens nunquam
titillandus," which means "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."
Here's a map of the castle and the grounds we can see in the films (warning : this
version of the castle and its grounds doesn't fit at all with the books !). I
found information in SS/f, CS/f, PA/f and GF/f of course, the Bramman's painting
(inspired from the movie model - maybe he had access to several legended maps) and
two paintings available on the CS/dvd2. But these two paintings are trials and ideas
about possible positions and interpretations and all and don't really fit with the final
versions of the films. There are also a lot of differences between SS/f and GF/f.
Maybe I should redraw the whole map, but it's too fastidious.
This map is approximate, especially for the cliffs, and the scale is not correct at all,
because it's quite difficult to determine when you have very short sequences showing
the buildings, especially seen from another angle each time. The deepness of a aerial
view doesn't help the making of a "plane" map... But the organization of the buildings
between them is right, and I don't think I've forgotten anything ; there are just some
inconsistencies due to details brought up below. The organization of the legend
numbers is also peculiar, but most of the following precisions came step by step.
There are some differences and changes with each movie, especially in CS/f where
the greenhouses and the Whomping Willow have been added (and anyway they could
have been already present in SS/f); in PA/f where the clock building, the courtyard
with the fountain and the long wooden bridge were added (and the moving of the
Forest and Hagrid's Hut locations); and in GF/f where the owlery has been added
(and outside of the castle). At this point of the movies (the 4th), it became impossible
to have the big courtyard where the Whomping Willow was located in CS/f! There
are also many differences with the levels, and this map doesn't show them.
The PA/f buildings didn't exist in SS/f and CS/f, even if we never really see the place
where they're supposed to stand in the two first movies, because Hogwarts is always
shown from South-East but in PA/f, one strongly insists on the South-West view
where the new buildings stand. Maybe their location has voluntary been hidden to
allow the designers to add other elements when they have other ideas for the next
movies... The Hagrid's hut location in PA is completely changed because in SS/f and
CS/f the lake continues directly behind the castle that really seems to be on a peak, as
we see on the last CS/f image. There's not really any space for them ! In PA/f, the
castle is still on a peak but the lake seems to contour the forest and pass behind the
castle at last, as we can see Hagrid throwing pebbles (or rather stones) in the water.
It seems that Hogwarts is almost at the end of the lake, because Hagrid faces its
whole length... But these buildings have been designed for PA/f, they didn't exist
before and it's normal to have some inconsistencies, the designer's ideas evolving
along the movies and the discoveries of new special effects techniques. That's why my
map is a map of the more recent movie, including everything we've seen so far, and
not a map of the early movies, because each movie shows new elements that weren't
in the previous. I just attempted to put everything we see in the films. I'll be able to
make the ultimate map when the 7th movie is realised!
Like I said, there are too much changes, along the movies, creating inconsistencies.
That's why my map is approximate. But if we have a look at the arrangement of the
elements together (well, the first Hagrid's Hut, forest and Quidditch pitch locations
with the castle and lake locations), it completely agrees with JKR's map (PA/DVD2).
Just the castle inside doesn't fit with the books, even if it's so wonderful and that JKR
said it's quite faithful to what she imagined.
Movie designers haven't done a careful study of the castle of the books, that's a fact.
They appointed the concerned places with not much faith to the books (but it is true
that we don't have much rigorous descriptions in the Tolkien way) ; they took
existing places to place them in the model, and therefore it CAN'T be the "real"
Hogwarts. But there are some things they could have respected, like for the Great
Hall location compared to the entrance hall and the marble stairs location or the
entrance or the Gryffindor tower location in PA/f. But they're movies, and "personal"
adaptations, so whatever. There is no clear and accurate answers to my questions,
because the models have been designed as the films went, with a more aesthetic than
canon research!... But if someone knows where to find photos of the original model
(more than we see in the PA/DVD2), just tell me! Maybe I should simply contact
Warner Bros. instead of wasting my time...
UPDATE : now that I saw a map of the PA video game, I don't need any clue or help
because I noticed my map is almost the same! Great! That's the same pleasure than
SVA had when he realized that his Hogwarts and Environs map was almost the same
as JKR one! But I'm still quite satisfied with my map and the study that permitted its
design, even if now they seem a bit useless.
References :
1. We know where the Greenhouse #3 is, but instead of the greenhouses in SS/f, we
just see grass where Filch and our friends (and Draco) go to Hagrid's for their
detention (#27).
2. The Hungarian Horntail crashes on the foot of this bridge decorated with lanterns
(this bridge not always visible in PA/f). She chases Harry through the whole crack
located in the middle of the castle, therefore passing below the previous two bridges.
3. This Dark Tower has been added to lock Sirius in PA/f (a smaller building was
there in SS/f and CS/f). In the book, Sirius is locked in Flitwick's office.
4. The new PA/f buildings : the hospital wing - but for the location only, because it
makes the link between the clock building and the building with towers on each angle
(one of them is the Gryffindor's) in the third movie. Maybe it should have been at the
same place as SS/f and CS/f but should've had another entrance... However, it seems
to be the same room that was in the first two movies.
5. The new PA/f buildings : the clock building
6. The new PA/f buildings : the courtyard with the fountain and the ruined cloister
(I've forgotten two turrets to the angles beside the wooden bridge)
7. The new PA/f buildings : the wooden bridge ended with a little building - this
complex is one of the several movie Hogwarts entrances (still there in GF/f), for they
take this way to go to Hogsmeade in PA/f (the other entrances are #32 and 39#)
8.New PA/f element : the menhirs where Hermione hits Malfoy
9.New PA/f element : the stairs leading to Hagrid's Hut in PA/f, that should be a bit
more perpendicular to the wooden bridge
10. The PA/f's "double" Hagrid's Hut that should be placed a bit lower
11. We can see that this tower is the Gryffindor's (common room + dormitories)
because there's a view of that tower in SS/f before we see H-R-H chatting in the
common room (and it seems to fit with Bramman's painting). From PA/f, Harry can
see Hagrid's hut at last by his dormitory window, as in the books (even if the former
location was more accurate)
12. The Great Hall we always see in the general views; the Great Table is on the left.
13. These dotted lines evoke the cliff sketching of SS/f and CS/f (but here again
nothing is sure...)
14. In SS/f, we should find at the top of this building the statue Neville was hanging
from momentarily during his first disastrous flying lesson
15. In this big stretch of grass in SS/f, the first years have their first flying lessons
and Harry and Wood practice Quidditch. It's not very clear and doesn't really fit with
the Whomping Willow and all in CS/f, and I think it's too big on my map. In fact, it
should be a lot bigger and include the Quidditch pitch to fit with JKR's, as the
grounds are surrounded by walls, walls that could be of that kind. The views of this
place have been shot in Alnwick Castle, Northumberland (the first flying lesson and
the Wood practice in SS/f and the Whomping Willow scene in CS/f)
16. Many things happen in this courtyard and its cloister (it's a bit like their
"playtime court", but only in the two first movies). I made it a lot too big, but I
couldn't help it if I wanted the rest to fit (this cloister is in Lacock Abbey, England).
The Transfiguration classroom is around this cloister, and maybe the entrance to
Dumbledore's office too (the Griffin) (cf. 37), where Harry frees Dobby and Lucius
Malfoy leaves Hogwarts by a door opposite, leading to crenels and the outside - but
we don't really know where the main entrance is!... We also see crenels in the
courtyard, but there's no courtyard with all these details together... So I don't really
think Dumbledore's office entrance is in that cloister (see #37). In SS/f, we can see
the Trophies (there's no room for them at this point of the movies) and the DADA
classroom in SS/f. From CS/f, the DADA classroom in #42, under the roof.
17. I don't really know how this complicated building looks; most of the towers are
right but it changed a lot through the movies. It changes a bit in CS/f and begins to
look like the clock building in PA/f (q.v. the roof). Maybe we can find the library
there- we see ramparts by the windows (CS/f). When Harry looks for Nicholas
Flamel in the Restricted Section (during the night in SS/f), he directly finds Snape
and Quirrell in the famous cloister (#16). It's very likely that the Library is in that
building because the cloister is beside it. It's also clear that McGonagall's office is in
there, accorded to the Remembrall scene.
18. This Quidditch pitch location is only valid for SS/f and fits with JKR's map maybe it's a bit too far or too close to the castle - but without exact scale, I can't
determine it. The CS/f and PA/f pitches are closer to the castle (#34 and #40). The
little stadium erected for the first task, the amphitheatre and the maze erected for the
third task in GF/f are somewhere over there, but the first task stadium is more in the
north-west, on rocky hills.
19. The Dark Forest in SS/f, CS/f and on JKR's map
20. The Dark Forest in PA/f. Its location has totally changed because it's still behind
Hagrid's hut that also has its location changed. In the two first movies, it faced the
two big towers inspired from Durham cathedral (highly modified in PA/f). Instead of
his hut, we see a big valley filled with small rivers (q.v. the Harry's flight on Buckbeak
in Care of Magical Creatures). In fact, it seems that the peak where the castle stands
is at the end of a valley making a non symmetrical T with the lake, which the end fits
between CS/f and PA/f.
21. The direction of the Hogsmeade Station fits with the JKR's map but not the
village. The station and the direction taken by the train at the end of SS/f (south) fits
with the reality too. Somewhere there may be the path taken by the carriages to lead
the students to the castle on the 1st September in PA/f
22. In SS/f and CS/f, the Hagrid's Hut and the Dark Forest location fit better with
the JKR's map
23. The Whomping Willow in CS/f
24. The PA/f's Whomping Willow seems to be somewhere there downwards, quite
far actually - it seems to have a lot of land added in this portion (where there's the
lake in the first two movies). I located it regarding the view we have of the Great Hall.
It's relatively isolated.
25. The Lake
26. Cliffs (there we can see a hollow going under three bridges and extended with
grass under the wooden bridge in PA/f - this hollow separates the castle in two parts
- we can imagine, the lower part, for living : the Houses (4 towers in a building - not
faithful to the books, don't forget), the hospital wing and the Great Hall - the second
section for working : all the classrooms, the greenhouses and the library (that could
explain the fact they're always in #16 and another courtyard located just before #32
in SS/f (the scar hurting episode) and CS/f (the Ford Anglia episode) - courtyards
quite far from their tower)
27. Grass
28. Trees
29. Grass (in PA/f)
30. These two towers have been redesigned in PA/f ; they're inspired from the
Durham Cathedral in England. The shape of the building behind them is also
inspired from the cathedral. On the centre of the "crown" we have a round tower with
a squared base. This tower has 4 other round towers on each angle. I don't know
what we can find in that building; it looks too much like a church. In CS/f, we can see
the greenhouses at the base of these two towers. In SS/f, there is directly the grass
(#27). In PA/f, we find another valley.
31. Grass, trees and hills ; maybe a path to go to the CS/f Quidditch pitch (cf. the
CS/DVD2 paintings)
32. We can find here small buildings with a porch taken by the Ford Anglia escaping
to the woods - it fits with Hagrid's Hut location - they take the same porch to go to
their detention and after the scar hurts in SS/f (again in Alnwick castle). This
entrance is once of the several movie Hogwarts entrances, along with #7 and #39.
33. The locker rooms are on that side of the Quidditch field
34. CS/f Quidditch stadium (very close from the castle!)
35. This wall is not there in SS (the Whomping Willow neither). It appeared in CS/f
with the greenhouses (but there's NOTHING clear!) and it should be in the center of
the famous courtyard (#16) (see PA/f), but it was difficult to get it centred.
36. The Boathouse, according to Bramman. I suppose it's the building where the 1st
years' boats are stored each year from September to September. We can see stairs
along the cliffs leading to #39
37. According to Bramman, the marble stairs should be at the base of this tower we
always see in the large shots. The moving stairs should follow, in the whole tower.
When we see the Gryffindors going to their dormitories at the beginning of SS/f, they
take the moving stairs, then take at least one corridor to get to their tower. So it
should be consistent, except in PA/f, where the Fat Lady portrait is among the stairs,
which falsifies everything, since the Gryffindor tower is located on #11 in ES/f as in
GF/f (all this to add a useless and not funny scene, without thinking about the
consistency!) Plus, the stairs are linked to many corridors, while 3/4 of the tower are
not linked to any building. Anyway, Hogwarts is supposed to be a magical building,
and we don't know exactly if the stairs stops on the ground level.
The divination class is on the top of a very big tower, but which one? Maybe this
tower? I don't think so, actually... Last chance to know will be OP/f!
In GF/f, the Trophy Room replaces the little room located left of the staff table. It
seems to be somewhere under this big tower.
In GF/f, Harry is in serious trouble on the roof of this tower, chased by the
Hungarian Horntail. He succeeds in getting back on his broomstick, flies away and
turns to #30 and then to #13 and passes below the two bridges to escape the dragon,
defeating her by flying through the third bridge's arches (#2).
38. GF/f shows us that Dumbledore's office and residence constitute the three
turrets attached to the biggest tower of the castle (#37): the first turret for the
portraits, the curious instruments and the Pensieve, the second for the office itself,
Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, and the third for, upstairs, Dumbledore's personal
observatory, and his bedroom-lounge downstairs). The Bramman picture already
implied it. This location for the office could fit with Lucius Malfoy's departure at the
end of CS/f via a place "similar" to #39...
So far, PA/f is the only movie that doesn't show Dumbledore's office. Actually, it
does! The classrom lit by spine-shaped candles in which Lupin teaches Harry how to
repel the Dementors is in fact the original Dumbledore's office set, the objects
decorating it having just been replaced. They could have found another set, because
one can recognize the office without any problem. Too bad!
39. Here's the little building extending the Great Hall in which it would be logical to
find the marble stairs where, for example, McGonagall greets the first years in SS/f (I
forgot to draw a little turret located between this building and the Great Hall, on the
rooftop, and another turret located more or less above the staff table (#12). On the
other hand, in PA/f, this small building became a little courtyard. So, as I said in #7,
this place seems to be one of the several movie Hogwarts entrances, along with #7
and #32
40. These are the greenhouses in CS/f and PA/f
41. The PA/f stadium, even if we have difficulty seeing parts of the castle with all that
rain, is more or less at the same place than the CS/f one, but a bit lower. So, I don't
really know until we see the location of the new Forest in PA/f... (yeah right, that
makes a lot of stadiums on the map, I know!)
42. We can find here the CS/f, PA/f et GF/f DADA class, located under the roof. The
building is flanked with two turrets. The first one serves as the stairs, the other one,
on the opposite of the class, is the teacher's office. GF/f gives its precise location.
43. In the center of this crown formed by this building stands a round tower with a
squared base, becoming a fully squared tower in PA/f. This tower is flanked by four
other round towers on each angle. They are a bit smaller in PA/f
44. Here's the only really additional GF/f element (the first task stadium, the second
task platforms and the third task amphitheatre and maze being temporary
constructioned) : the owlery, that was isolated from the rest of the castle, instead of
being a part of it (in the West Tower).
map and research 2004-2006 Quentin Lowagie
Where is Beauxbatons?
During the feast celebrating the arrival of the students for the Triwizard Tournament, Rowling
chose to serve "bouillabaisse". This is a very typical fish soup from the southeast of France
and is not really eaten elsewhere, at least not as a common dish. It is likely, then (though an
assumption) that Beauxbatons is on the Mediterranean coast of France (maybe by Marseilles)
which could explain as well why the students of Beauxbatons are so cold in Hogwarts. -thanks to Amyll.
The word(s) Beauxbatons, roughly translated from French, means "beautiful wands." In the
film, it is implied that Beauxbatons is an all-girls school, but this is not canon.
Durmstrang Institute
the Sorting
Quidditch trials during the second week (PS7), also flying lessons for first
years
end of first term is usually about a week before Christmas and most of the
students and some of the teachers go home
shortly after January 1: Hogwarts Express returns and start of second term
Leaving Feast, sometimes called the end-of-term feast, the evening before
the Hogwarts Express goes back to London
the Hogwarts Express returns to London during the third week of June
all staff and students leave Hogwarts during the summer except for Filch
(SN)
The day begins with breakfast in the Great Hall. During breakfast, the
morning mail arrives in a flurry of hundreds of owls. A bell signals the start
of the first class at 9 am.
There are two morning classes with a break between (signalled by a bell),
followed by lunch and a break.
After lunch, classes resume at 1 pm. It is not clear if there are one or two
classes in the afternoon.
Supper is served in the Great Hall toward evening, after which the
students are expected to be in their House common rooms for studying
and socializing. Curfew for older students is 9 pm (OP).