Post by Rose Potter on May 29, 2008 20:32:03 GMT
Please note that this may contan possible SPOILERS for the books!
A
Accio
Latin for “to summon”. Summoning charm, used to make objects fly straight to the spell caster.
Aguamenti
Causes a jet of water to come from the end of the caster's wand. The speed of the jet is controllable: Harry used it to refill a small goblet in the Horcrux cave, whilst a short while later, he and Hagrid used it to douse the flames on Hagrid's Hut when it was on fire.
Alohomora
From Hawaiian “Aloha” which means “hello/farewell” and Latin “mora” which means “obstacle”. This spell is used to open a locked door or window. While it will not unlock all magically sealed doors, it works well against "Colloportus."
Anapneo
Greek for "breathe". Clears the airways of the person who the spell is cast upon, allowing them to breathe properly. Horace Slughorn cast this on Marcus Belby when he accidentally swallowed a large mouthful of pheasant.
Anti-Cheating Spell
A spell that teachers at Hogwarts use on quills or exams to prevent cheating.
Anti-Disapparation Jinx
When cast on a person, it prevents them from Disapparating. Dumbledore used this jinx to bind the Death Eaters in the Death Chamber at the Ministry of Magic.
Anti-Intruder Jinx
Repels intruders. These were cast on the Hogwarts walls for the 1996-97 school year to protect the students following the return of Voldemort.
Aparecium
“Appareo” is Latin for “appear” or "to become visible". Used to reveal invisible ink.
Apparate
“Appareo” is Latin for “to become visible”. This spell allows the spell caster to appear instantly in a given place. It is used in conjunction with Disapparate. The caster must Disapparate from one location in order to Apparate in another.
Avada Kedavra
A corruption of "abracadabra" which was used as a Healing Spell to drive disease from the patient's body in the Middle Ages. Its likely source is either the Arabic "abra kadabra" (may the things be destroyed), or the Aramaic "abhadda kedhabhra" (disappear with these words).
The Killing Curse. It requires a strong bit of magic behind it; the incantation alone is not enough for the spell to work. When cast effectively, Avada Kedavra kills instantaneously, producing a blinding flash of green light but leaving no mark on the victim's body. There is no way to block or counter the Killing Curse, and the only people ever to survive it are Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. Avada Kedavra is one of the three Unforgivable Curses and its use against another human being is punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban.
Avis
Latin for “bird”. Conjures a flock of birds.
B
Backfiring Jinx
Effect unknown, but the casting of such a jinx in Elephant and Castle (a district of London) was serious enough to require the Magical Law Enforcement Squad to be called out.
Babbling Curse
Causes the victim to babble nonsense. Lockhart once cured someone of this curse on his travels. Or not.
Banishing Charm
The opposite of Accio, causes an object to fly away from the caster.
Bat-Bogey Hex
Maybe the effects of this are best left to the imagination. Causes bogies to grow, become bat-like, and attack the victim. Ginny casts this spell on Draco Malfoy in Order of the Phoenix.
Blasting Charm
A charm used to good effect by Alberta Toothill in the 1430 All-England Duelling Competition, where she used it to defeat the favourite, Samson Wiblin.
Bubblehead Charm
Used to create a bubble of air around the caster’s head. Often used to allow the caster to breathe underwater.
C
Cheering Charm
Not much is known about these, but it’s safe to assume that they make people happy.
Colloportus
From the Latin "colligere," meaning "bind together" and "portus," meaning door. This spell is used to magically seal doors, but is not particularly effective. It can easy be countered with Alohomora, which will open any door sealed with Colloportus.
Colour-Change Charm
Causes an object to change colour. This spell also works on organic matter, as Harry was meant to cast it on a rat during his Charms OWL in order to turn it orange. Unfortunately he got the incantation mixed up with the Growth Charm and it ended up the size of a badger before he could stop it.
Colour Flash Charm
Possibly a variant of the Colour-Change Charm, this is used to make the item it is cast on flash different colours. It was used by Hermione on a “Potter for President” banner the Gryffindors had made for Harry’s first Quidditch match in his first year to make it more eye-catching.
Concealment Charm
Used to conceal something so that it cannot be seen.
Confundus Charm
“Confundo” is Latin for “to confuse”. Used to confuse an object or person, to make them believe what the spell caster wants them to.
Conjunctivitis Curse
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva (mucous membrane that lines the surface of the eyelid and the exposed surface of the eyeball), and is taken from the Latin "conjunctus," meaning "joined together."
This curse is aimed at the eyes of the victim and causes the eyelids to crust together so that the victim cannot see. In addition to loss of sight, it seems to cause pain to the victim as well.
Conjuring Spells
These are a type of spells taught in NEWT-level Transfiguration classes. They are not strictly Transfiguration-based, however, in that they are used to conjure items into existence from nowhere. These spells are used repeatedly by skilled wizards in the books, for example where Dumbledore conjures mead for himself and the Dursleys when he goes to pick Harry up before Harry’s 6th year, where Flitwick is conjuring Christmas decorations from his wand to decorate the school, and where Mr Ollivander creates smoke rings and a fountain of wine during the Weighing of the Wands.
Crucio
Latin for “to torture”.
The Cruciatus Curse. This inflicts severe physical pain on whomever it is cast upon. To effectively use the Cruciatus Curse, the witch or wizard casting the spell must have the genuine desire to cause pain. When effectively used, the curse is excruciating and has the ability to drive victims insane. As such, it is one of the three Unforgivable Curses. The use of this spell against another human being is punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban.
Curse Alleviation Charm
When Katie Bell was injured by the cursed necklace from Malfoy, Professor Snape did everything that he could to prevent a rapid spread of the curse. The magic he performed is unknown, and so it is included here simply as a Curse Alleviation Charm.
Curse of the Bogies
Professor Quirrell told his class about this curse, although its exact effect is unknown. Something to do with bogies, no doubt.
Cushioning Charm
Creates an invisible cushioned area. It is primarily used in broomstick manufacture to make the brooms more comfortable to sit on.
D
Daydream Charm
This gives the spell caster a highly-realistic 30 minute daydream, according to its inventors Fred and George Weasley. Daydream Charms can be found for sale in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
Deletrius
“Delete” means “to erase”. Used to erase spell images conjured by Priori Incantem.
Densaugeo
From the Latin "dens," meaning "tooth," and "augeo," meaning "increase, enlarge."
Enlarges the teeth of the victim.
Diffindo
Latin for “to split”. A spell that rips an object in half or causes things to separate. It is likely to be the same spell as the Severing Charm. See also "Severing Charm".
Disapparate
From the Latin "disparitio" meaning "disappearance," or "dispareo" meaning "to vanish."
This spell allows the caster to disappear instantly from any given place with a soft popping sound, or alternatively a loud cracking noise. The sound made seems to be different from one spell caster to the next. It is used in conjunction with Apparate. The caster must Disapparate from one location before he or she can Apparate in another.
Disillusion
Literal meaning is to remove an illusion. Generally used to indicate unhappiness with a situation.
Spell used to hide something. Typically used to hide magical objects and occurrences from Muggles.
Dissendium
This is possibly a path-revealing spell. It was used to open a secret passage to Hogsmeade.
Drought Charm
Dries up a limited amount of water. Harry decided he probably wouldn't be able to use it to dry up the entire Hogwarts lake.
E
Engorgio
“Engorge” means “to fill to excess”.
The Engorgement Charm. Causes the target to enlarge. See also "Enlargement Charm".
Enlargement Charm
Similar to an Engorgement Charm (Engorgio), this causes an object to swell in size. The Weasley twins put an Enlargement Charm on a copy of The Quibbler which contained Harry's interview, so it may be that the Engorgement Charm works only on organic matter (ie animal or vegetable), whilst the Enlargement Charm works on other objects.
Ennervate
Revives someone, especially someone who has had Stupefy cast on them.
Entrail-Expelling Curse
Invented by Urquhart Rackharrow, 1612-1697. Effect unknown, but presumably involves expelling entrails.
Entrancing Enchantment
Entrances the person the spell is cast upon.
Episkey
From the Greek "episkeyi" meaning "repair". A healing spell. Tonks used to it repair Harry's nose when it was broken by Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express. It may also work on bones, and may therefore have been the spell Lockhart was attempting to cast when he accidentally removed all the bones from Harry's arm.
Evanesco
Latin for “to vanish”.
This spell is used to make an object vanish. It is assumed this spell works only on objects, and not on people. Note that this spell actually makes the object disappear rather than just turn invisible. An Invisibility Spell is required to have this effect. Evanesco is also known as the Vanishing Spell.
Expecto Patronum
"Patronus" is Latin for "protector".
The Patronus Charm. When literally translated, the phrase "Expecto Patronum" means, "I expect a guardian." The Patronus Charm is highly advanced magic, beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is used to ward off both dementors and Lethifolds and probably works against other creatures as well. To conjure a Patronus, the spell caster must speak the incantation ("Expecto Patronum") while concentrating hard on an extremely happy thought or memory. When the charm is cast successfully, the spell caster's wand emits a Patronus; a stream of silvery vapor that takes on the shape of an animal. The type of animal the Patronus assumes depends entirely upon the witch or wizard who conjures it, reflecting certain traits of the caster's personality. The Patronus is the embodiment of the caster's happy memories and acts as a shield, protecting the witch or wizard.
Expelliarmus
Latin for “to expel a weapon”.
This spell is used to disarm an opponent. Although a simple spell, it causes the victim's wand to fly out of his or her hand, depriving its victim of his or her primary weapon and means of defense. When used by many people on a single target in tandem, the spell is powerful enough to knock the target off of his or her feet, as was demonstrated on Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Extinguishing Spell
Puts out fires. This was used by the keepers of the dragons used in the Triwizard Tournament.
F
Featherweight Charm
This charm is used to make something lightweight so that it can be carried more easily.
Ferula
Conjures a splint and bandages.
Fidelius Charm
“Fidelis” is Latin for “faithful friends”.
This is a complex charm that allows someone or something to be hidden away, often times in plain sight, for an indefinite period of time. The location of the hidden people or items is a secret known only to one person, the Secret-Keeper, and the information is stored within their very soul. The Secret-Keeper is the only one with the power to divulge the secret. The information remains undisclosed until said time when the Secret-Keeper decides to reveal it; not even those who have been told the secret information can reveal what they know. However, the Secret-Keeper does not have to directly speak with someone to tell him or her the secret, the information can be disclosed in a letter as long as the Secret-Keeper is the one who wrote it.
Finite
From the Latin “finis,” meaning “end.” Similarly to Finite Incantatem, this removes spell effects. It may be that Finite stops a single spell whilst Finite Incantatem stops all current spells. Remus Lupin cast this spell on Neville Longbottom in the Department of Mysteries to remove the effects of a Tarantallegra curse.
Finite Incantatem
From the Latin "finis," meaning "end." Removes the effects of any spells currently cast.
Fire Charm
When Harry and Dumbledore were attacked by Inferi in the Horcrux cave, Dumbledore created a ring of crimson and gold fire to protect them. This may be simple a Dumbledore-powered version of Flagrate or Incendio, or it may be a separate fire creation charm.
Flagrate
“Flagrantia” is Latin for “burning”. Makes the spell-caster able to draw lines of fire with their wand.
Flame Freezing Charm
Charm used by Medieval witches to remove the effects of the fire when they were burned at the stake. It is a good idea at this point to scream a bit and pretend to be burning.
Flying Charm
Different to Wingardium Leviosa, which merely makes objects float in the air, the Flying Charm allows them to be maneuvered by the user and turns them into genuinely controllable flying items. The Flying Charm is used on broomsticks (as confirmed by Draco Malfoy when he was criticising Ron's broom in 1995 - "why would anyone put a Flying Charm on a mouldy old log like that?" being the words he chose), and also presumably Flying Carpets. It is clear that Flying Charms can be cast only on objects rather than animals or people, as it is well known that no spell yet exists that allows a wizard to fly unaided.
Freezing Charm
Used by Hermione to immobilise Cornish Pixies in Professor Lockhart's first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, following Lockhart's pathetic attempt to deal with them himself. Freezing Charms are also effective in disabling Muggle burglar alarms.
Fur Charm
When Ginny was upset about the spate of Petrifications at school during her first year, Fred and George embarked on an ill-conceived campaign to cheer her up. One thing that they did was to cover themselves in fur and jump out at her from behind statues. Far from cheering her up, however, it merely caused her to have nightmares.
Furnunculus
Makes the victim's body break out in boils. When used in conjunction with the Jelly-Legs Jinx it causes tentacles to sprout all over the victim's face.
G
Gripping Charm
Allows a person to grip an object more effectively. This was invented in 1875 and is primarily used in Quidditch to allow the Chasers to handle the Quaffle one-handed whilst still keeping a grip on their brooms.
Growth Charm
Similar to the Enlargement Charm and the Engorgement Charm, this spell causes the target to increase in size. The precise differences between these three enchantments are unknown. Harry got confused during his Charms OWL and cast a Growth Charm on a rat he was meant to be turning orange. It had grown to the size of a badger before he could stop it.
H
Hair Growth Jinx
A spell cast on Alicia Spinnet by Miles Bletchley before the Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match in 1995. It caused her eyebrows to grow so fast they obscured her vision.
Hair Loss Curse
Makes the victim lose their hair. Covered by Professor Vindictus Viridian in his book on curses and counter-curses.
Hair-Thickening Charm
Causes hair to thicken. During the build-up to the Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match in 1995, Alicia Spinnet was hit from behind by a curse from Miles Bletchley that caused her eyebrows to grow so fast they obscured her vision. Professor Snape refused to believe this and stated that she must have attempted a Hair-Thickening Charm on herself.
Hex Deflection
It is unclear whether this is a spell or a branch of magic (such as Occlumency). Either way, it is used to block or deflect magic cast as you.
Hives Hex
Causes the victims face to erupt in hives. Hives are raised lumps on the skin, usually caused by an allergic reaction.
Homorphus Charm
From "Homo" meaning "man" and "morphus" meaning "transform". Used to force a werewolf to revert to human form. Lockhart claimed to have used this against the Wagga Wagga Werewolf. He didn't, of course, but it is likely that it is a real spell.
Horcrux Creation Spell
After committing the act of murder, the Horcrux Creation Spell is used to encase the torn portion of the killer's soul into an object or creature. This is exceptionally advanced and evil magic, and even Horace Slughorn did not know any details at all of this spell when the young Tom Riddle asked him about it.
Horn Tongue Hex
Turns the tongue to horn. Harry found this hex in a book when he was trying to work out how to defeat a dragon in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. He decided not to use it as it would just give the dragon an extra weapon.
Horton-Keitch Braking Charm
Patented by Basil Horton and Randolph Keitch, this charm aids broomsticks in slowing down in a controlled manner. It is used on broomsticks made by the Comet company.
Hot Air Charm
Causes hot air to stream out of the end of the caster's wand. This is similar to Relashio, but in the case of the Hot Air Charm, no sparks are released. A complicated wand movement is required to cast this spell but no incantation. Hermione used it to dry her robes in winter 1995, and also to create a path through the snow.
Hover Charm
Makes an item hover in the air. Famously used by Dobby on Aunt Petunia’s pudding.
Hurling Hex
Professor Flitwick thought that Harry's new Firebolt broomstick - a gift from Sirius Black - might be jinxed with this hex. It is likely that it causes the rider to be thrown off the broomstick.
I
Immobulus
"Immobilise" means to prevent moving.
Stops an object moving. The name of this spell comes from the films rather than the books but is included here as it is very likely to be the "clever Freezing Charm" used by Hermione to immobilise Cornish Pixies in Professor Lockhart's first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. See also "Freezing Charm".
Impedimenta
“Impedimentum” is Latin for “a hindrance”. Use to stop or slow down a person or creature (as opposed to an object).
Imperio
From the Latin "impero," meaning "to give orders, rule, hold sway," or "imperium," meaning "power to command, rule, control." The Imperius Curse. This is used to control the actions of another person, leaving that person at the mercy of the spell caster. The experience of being under the curse is described as a fantastic sense of release, until the victim starts to fight back. The curse can be fought and its hold broken, but many witches and wizards are unable to do so. Because of its very dangerous implications, the Imperius Curse is one of the three Unforgivable Curses. Use of this curse against another human being is punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban.
Imperturbable Charm
Impeturbable means “not able to be disturbed”. Creates a barrier which sounds, objects and people cannot cross.
Impervius
Impervious means “incapable of being affected”. Used to make an object resistant to water.
Incantation Free Magic
Whilst the vast majority of spells have a notional verbal component, any spell can in fact be cast without speaking by a sufficiently talented wizard. It appears that it is the power of the mind and the body which causes the spell to take effect, and the incantation is merely a vehicle used to help create the necessary mental and physical conditions for the magic to be successful. The more advanced the magic, the more difficult it is to cast without its verbal component, and even Voldemort can be found using the incantation for spells such as Avada Kedavra. Non-verbal magic is taught in the sixth year and above at Hogwarts.
Incarcerous
“Incarcerate” means to shut in. Summons ropes which then bind the victim.
Incendio
“Incendo” is Latin for “set fire to”. Creates fire.
Intruder Charm
The wizarding equivalent of a burglar alarm. It makes an audible signal when the area covered by the charm is entered by somebody or something.
Invisibility Spell
Fred and George Weasley used this spell to good effect in their range of Headless Hats. Hermione was particularly impressed that they’d managed to make the range of invisibility go beyond the charmed object. This spell is different to Evanesco in that Evanesco actually causes the item to cease to exist rather than simply making it invisible.
Inanimatus Conjurus
From the Latin “inanimus”, meaning “inanimate”, and the word “conjurus”, a derivative of “conjure”.
A spell mentioned in passing as homework in Harry’s fifth year. The effect is unknown, but presumably involves conjuring inanimate objects. Professor McGonagall said at another point that Conjuring Spells were NEWT level magic, and so this is probably a simplified version.
Instant Scalping Hex
Removes the hair from the victim – instantly. Harry consulted the book "Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed" in preparation for the Triwizard tournament and found this spell but discarded it due to the fact that dragons have no hair.
J
Jelly-Legs Jinx
Makes the victim’s legs shake uncontrollably.
K
Knee-Reversal Jinx
When the ball from an early Quidditch game landed in Gertie Keddle’s cabbage patch, she was not impressed, and hexed the man who came to fetch it. The Knee-Reversal Jinx was the spell she used, which had the expected effect on his knees.
Knitting Charm
This charm enchants knitting needles. Hermione bewitched knitting needles to knit house-elf hats all by themselves for the SPEW cause.
L
Langlock
Glues the victim's tongue to the top of their mouth. Harry got this spell from the Half-Blood Prince and used it twice on Argus Filch and again on Peeves.
Leek Hex
Causes leeks to grow out of the ears. In the build-up to the Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match in 1994, a nasty incident occurred in which a Gryffindor 4th-year and a Slytherin 6th-year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting from their ears.
Legilimens
From the Latin root "lego," meaning "to gather, collect, pass through, read."
This is a practice very similar to Muggle mind-reading, except the Legilimens actually explores another's mind and sees the memories stored there. A skilled Legilimens can target the memories that are most hurtful, causing the most pain or fear and use that knowledge to manipulate the person whose mind they have entered. Occlumency is the defence of the mind against such an attack.
Levicorpus
From "levo", which is Latin for "to raise" and "corpus", which is Latin for "body". Dangles the victim by their ankle in mid-air. It looks as though an invisible hook is holding the person up. Harry cast this on Ron to find out what it did, and many years before, it was cast by James Potter on Severus Snape. This is ironic, as it was Snape that invented the spell.
Liberacorpus
From "libaro", which is Latin for "to set free" and "corpus", which is Latin for "body". The counter-spell to Levicorpus. It releases someone from being dangled upside-down so that they crash to the floor.
Locomotion Charm
Parvati and Lavender were practicing this spell in preparation for their OWLs, making their pencil cases race across the table. It is likely to be the same spell as Locomotor XXXX, shown below.
Locomotor Mortis
The Leg-Locker Curse. Causes the victim’s legs to lock together. The incantation for this spell is of a similar form to the “Locomotor” spell but doesn’t seem to sit very happily with it, considering the very different effects.
Locomotor XXXX
“Loco” is Latin for “place”. “Moto” is Latin for “to move”. Causes an object to travel floating in the air. The incantation used is Locomotor XXXX, where XXXX is the object that the caster wishes to enchant.
Lumos
“Lumen” is Latin for light. “Luminosus” is Latin for “bright”. Produces light from the end of the caster’s wand.
M
Memory Creation Charm
Quite different from the Memory Charm "Obliviate", this spell actually creates false memories in the victim. It is an exceptionally complex piece of magic and so rare that the authorities do not even consider that it might have been done when they obtain confessions from criminals. This was certainly true in the case of Morfin Gaunt, who had a memory of killing the Riddle family placed in his mind by Voldemort and was sentenced to life in Azkaban.
Mobili-XXXXX
“Mobilis” is Latin for “moveable”. When XXXXX is replaced by an object, the object is forced to move.
Morsmordre
From the Latin "Mors", meaning "death"" and the French "mordre", meaning ""to bite"". Hence the literal meaning is "to bite death", which is consistent with the name of the Death Eaters, who cast the spell.
Produces the Dark Mark. This spell was cast for the first time in 13 years by Barty Crouch Jnr at the Quidditch World Cup. It was also cast at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters, aided by Draco Malfoy, infiltrated the school.
Muffliato
From the English word "muffle". Fills the ears of anyone near the spell caster with an unidentifiable buzzing. Harry got this spell from the Half-Blood Prince and usually used it to hold conversations in class without being detected.
Muggle-Repelling Charm
Used to keep Muggles away from things that wizards would prefer them not to see. No harm is done to the Muggles in question.
N
Nox
Latin for "darkness".
This spell counters "Lumos" by extinguishing the light "Lumos" creates.
O
Obliteration Charm
“Obliterate” means to wipe out, leaving no trace.
This was used by Hermione to wipe out tracks in the snow. It may be able to remove other marks as well.
Obliviate
"Oblivio" is Latin for "forgetfulness".
The Memory Charm. This spell erases sections of the memory of the victim as chosen by the spell caster. It can wipe out the entire memory if the caster so chooses. The Memory Charm deprives victims of essential knowledge, giving them amnesia-like symptoms that may be incurable.
Occlumency
From the Latin "occlude," meaning "to close, shut up, close off."
This is the defense of the mind against external attack. Occlumency is the only way to protect one's mind from someone using Legilimency.
Orchideous
Named after the orchid, a type of flower. Creates flowers from the caster’s wand.
Oppugno
Latin for "to attack". Causes something to attack a target chosen by the spell caster. Hermiones used it to cause a small flock of conjured birds to attack Ron, and so it has been confirmed that it works on living creatures. It may work on objects as well.
P
Permanent Sticking Charm
Charm used to attach one thing to another. Permanently.
Pepper Breath Hex
Harry found this spell in "Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed" when he was researching ways to fight a dragon during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. The effect is unknown, but presumably gives the target person or creature hot or fiery breath. Harry decided not to use it against the dragon, as it would just increase its firepower.
Peskipiksi Pesternomi
Used by Lockhart to attempt to get rid of Cornish Pixies. It had no effect, probably due to the fact that he’d just made it up.
Petrificus Totalus
An adaptation of “totally petrify”. Renders the victim temporarily unable to move.
Placement Charm
Used to remotely position an object. Presumably similar to object moving spells such as Locomotor, except that the Placement Charm allows for accurate positioning of the target object.
Point Me
The Four-Point Spell. This spell causes the spell caster's wand to act as a compass. By holding the wand in open palm and saying the incantation ("Point Me"), the wand automatically points North.
Portus
"Porta" is Latin for "gate".
This spell is used to turn an object into a Portkey. Portkeys are used to transport people from one location to another almost instantly. A Portkey requires direct physical contact in order for it to work properly. The use of Portkeys is closely monitored by the Office of Magical Transportation.
Possession
This involves magically inhabiting or taking over the body of another person or creature. Whilst Voldemort was hiding out in the forests of Albania, he took to possessing small creatures – mainly snakes – to give himself a temporary physical form. He is also in the habit of possessing Nagini, and possessed Harry during the battle at the Department of Mysteries as well. Harry suffered extreme pain during possession, but this is likely to be due to his own unique links with Voldemort, as Nagini showed no signs of pain when she was possessed.
Prior Incantato
From the Latin "priori prius," meaning "former, prior" and an adaptation of the English word "incantation."
The Reverse Spell Effect. When cast, this spell causes a wand to create an echo or ghostly image of the last spells it performed in reverse chronological order. A similar effect is known to occur when two wands sharing a magical core taken from the same animal (not just another animal from the same species) engage in battle. Brother wands cannot fight each other. Instead, the wands lock together, connected by magical energy. One of the wands will eventually force the other into a Reverse Spell Effect, which when it happens in this manner, is referred to as Priori Incantatem.
Protean Charm
A spell which links the appearance of several items. When one item is changed, the others change in the same way.
Protego
Latin for “protect”.
The Shield Charm. This creates a magical shield to deflect minor to moderate spells and jinxes cast by others. It is not advanced magic, as Harry managed to cast a very effective Shield Charm against Severus Snape whilst practicing Occlumency during his fifth year, but none-the-less a large number of adult witches and wizards are not proficient at it. The Weasley twins have taken advantage of this situation by marketing a range of Shield clothing which carries the charm and repels magic as though the wearer had cast it themselves.
Pus Hex
This spell was cast by Morfin Gaunt on Bob Ogden, when he went to visit the Gaunts as a representative of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad in connection with Morfin's attack on Tom Riddle Snr around 1925. It caused his nose to erupt into a cascade of pus, which could only be stopped through magical means.
Q
Quietus
Adaptation of "quiet".
This spell negates the effects of the Sonorus Spell, making a magically magnified voice return to its normal state.
R
Reducio
Adaptation of “reduce”.
This spell causes an object shrink. It also negates the effects of the Engorgio Spell, returning any magically enlarged item back to its original size.
Reducto
This spell is used to blast solid object into pieces. It does not work on anything that is not solid.
Refilling Charm
Causes a container to refill with whatever liquid it was originally holding. Harry cast this on Slughorn's wine bottles when he was getting drunk with Hagrid after Aragog's funeral.
Relashio
This spell creates heat from the end of the wand. Normally sparks burst from the wand tip as a result of this spell, but if the wand is underwater, the spell produces jets of boiling water instead. When cast with enough vigour, this spell can be powerful to knock somebody off their feet if it is cast at them.
Rennervate
This may be a spell that revives an unconscious person. The incantation is, however, curiously close to the known spell Ennervate which has similar effects, and so when Harry attempted to cast this on Professor Dumbledore in the Horcrux Cave, he may simply have been mis-casting Ennervate in the heat of the moment.
Reparo
Latin for “to restore”. Mends the target object.
Repelling Spell
Repels an object.Repelling Spells were used during early Quidditch matches to prevent the Snidget leaving the playing area.
Restoring Spell
Used to make someone in their animagus state return to their normal form. Sirius and Remus used this spell against Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack to make him revert to human form. The spell creates two flashes of bright light, after which the target animagus is transformed, with the effect looking like a speeded-up animation.
Revelaspell
Invented by Scarpin, this is used to identify the ingredients of a potion.
Rictusempra
From the Latin "rideo risi risum," meaning "to laugh at, laugh."
The Tickling Charm. Causes uncontrollable laughter in the victim.
Riddikulus
Adaptation of "ridiculous".
Causes an item, creature or person to take on a humorous appearance of the spell caster's choosing. Particularly useful against Boggarts, who are destroyed by laughter.
S
Scourgify
From the English word "scour", meaning "to clean".
Used to clean an item. This spell was used by Tonks to clean Hedwig’s cage when she help Harry pack before going to Grimmauld Place. James Potter also used it on Snape when he was bullying him.
Scouring Charm
Probably the same spell as Scourgify, although this is never stated explicitly. Hermione tried to teach this charm to Neville to clean his fingernails with, after Snape made him disembowel a barrelful of horned toads in detention.
Sectumsempra
From the Latin "sectio", which means "to cut", and "semper", which means "always". Causes deep wounds to be immediately cut into the victim, as though they were being slashed with an invisible sword. Harry used it against Malfoy, not knowing what it did and was shocked at its effect. He used it again against the Inferi in the Horcrux cave, with little effect. This spell was invented by Severus Snape whilst he was a student at Hogwarts.
Serpensortia
From “serpent”, a snake.
Creates a snake from the caster’s wand.
Severing Charm
Cuts one thing from another. This is usually intended for use on items, but does work on living matter as well, as it is known that Crups living in Muggle-inhabited neighbourhoods are required to have their forked tails removed with a Severing Charm. If used on humans, this charm would provide a handy means for Dark Wizards to kill people, creating a powerful alternative to Avada Kedavra and has the advantage of not being Unforgiveable.
Shock Spell
A medicinal spell which treats the patient for shock.
A witch who wrote in to The Quibber following Harry's interview suggested he try a course of Shock Spells in order to restore his sanity.
Side-Along-Apparition
"Appareo" is Latin for "appear" or "to become visible".
When Apparating, it is possible for a qualified wizard to Apparate someone else as part of the process in addition to themselves. This technique is known as Side-Along-Apparition. The passenger being carried must grip tightly on to the Apparator in order to ensure that they are transported correctly.
Silencio
From “silent”.
This charm forces any person, creature, or object it is cast upon to fall silent, unable to make any audible noise.
Slug Curse
Causes the victim to burp slugs.
Sonorus
Latin for “loud”.
Projects the voice of the spell caster, making it very loud.
Spark Charm
Causes sparks to be emitted from the end of the caster’s wand. This may be the same spell as Relashio.
Specialis Revelio
"Specialis" is Latin for "special", and "revelo" is Latin for "to unveil". Causes an item to reveal anything that has been hidden by magical means. Hermione used it to make sure there was nothing untoward hidden in the Half-Blood Prince's copy of Advanced Potion-Making.
Stealth Sensoring Spell
Rather like a Secrecy Sensor, this spell detects illicit behaviour and alerts the caster. Professor Umbridge had cast this spell on her office door when Harry broke in to contact Sirius using her fireplace.
Stinging Hex
Produces a painful red weal on the victim’s body.
Stretching Jinx
Causes something to stretch. Molly Weasley thought Harry and Ron looked like they'd had Stretching Jinxes placed on them due to their rapid increase in height. Therefore the Jinx may work on organic matter as well as objects, but Molly may have just been flippant.
Stupefy
"Stupefy" means "to dull the senses".
It may also derive from the Latin "stupefactus," meaning "stunned." This spell produces a bolt of red light and stuns whoever it is cast upon, knocking the victim unconscious. A single Stunning Spell is not strong enough to do any lasting damage to a victim, but multiple stunners cast on one target can cause serious harm, as was done to Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The spell "Ennervate" can undo the effects of the Stunning Spell and bring victims back to consciousness.
Substantive Charm
Effect unknown. Seamus revised this spell for his Charms OWL exam.
Switching Spells
These are a class of spells which change items from one thing into another. This is the major branch of Transfiguration. It is not clear whether there are a number of related spells for different types of switching or whether it is all done with a single spell, as no details of this are given.
T
Talon-Clipping Charm
Harry found this charm in a book about dragon care when he was researching ways to defeat a dragon for the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. He decided it wouldn’t help him much.
Tarantallegra
The Tarantella is a fast Italian dance. Causes the victim’s legs to dance uncontrollably.
Tergeo
Latin for "to wipe, scour or clean". Spell used to clean something. It may be restricted to cleaning liquids; otherwise it would be no different from Scourgify. Hermione used it to clean the blood from Harry's face after his nose had been broken.
Thief's Curse
Effect unknown. Dumbledore ordered that every copy of Quidditch Through the Ages sold to Muggles was enchanted with this curse to prevent them reading it without buying it.
Toenail Growth
Charm Causes the victim's toenails to grow alarmingly fast.
Tongue-Tying
Curse Effect unknown, but probably something to do with tongues.
Covered by Professor Vindictus Viridian in his book on curses and counter-curses.
Transforming Spells
A close relative of Switching Spells, this class of charm is used to change living creatures (as opposed to items) from one thing into another. This is the other major branch of Transfiguration. It is not clear whether there are a number of related spells for different types of transformation.
Transmogrifian Torture
Lockhart thought that this had been used to kill Mrs Norris when she was found frozen rigid in 1992.
It hadn't of course - perhaps because no such curse actually exists. In fact, Mrs Norris was not dead at all and had been petrified by a basilisk.
Trip Jinx
Causes the victim to trip over.
Twitchy Ears Curse
Makes the ears of the victim twitch uncontrollably. Harry suffered a bad case of Twitchy Ears after a particularly rigorous DADA lesson on hex deflection from Moody/Crouch.
U
Unbreakable Charm
Makes an item unbreakable.
Unbreakable Vow
This spell creates a magical treaty between two people. The two participating parties must link their right hands in order for the spell to be cast. A third person, known as the Bonder, is also required to witness the pact and magically seal it. The tip of the Bonder's wand must be placed on the linked hands, and the terms of the treaty are made. As this is done, flame issues from the wand and winds itself around the hands of the participants. At this point the Unbreakable Vow is made, and if the terms of it are broken by one of the participants, they will die. It is likely that no other spell can counteract the effects of the Vow once it is made.
Unplottable Charm
Used to make a location unplottable. This is a security measure effective against both Muggles and wizards/witches, which is used to make it impossible to plot the charmed building or location on a map.
V
Vanishing Spell
See "Evanesco".
W
Waddiwasi
Causes an item to fly at high speed where the spell caster wants it to. This is likely to be a single variant of a general XXXXX-wasi spell which can be cast on any item. The XXXXX in this case was chewing gum, which is the “waddi” part.
Wandless Magic
Traditionally, magic requires a wand to be used, although this is not always the case. There are frequent examples of wandless magic throughout the books, and so it seems reasonable to assume that whilst the wand is a useful (and often vital) channel for magical power, gifted wizards can successfully cast spells without it when necessary. The more advanced the magic, the more difficult it is to cast without a wand, however, and there have been no examples of advanced spells being cast wandlessly. Severus Snape used a wandless Accio to summon the ropes that he'd just used to tie up Remus Lupin to his hand in the Shrieking Shack in Prisoner of Azkaban, whilst Harry's early life was littered with wandless magic such as his removal of the glass in the reptile house at the zoo. In addition to this, house-elves never use a wand for their magic.
Wingardium Leviosa
Taken in part from the Latin root "levo," meaning "to raise, lift up."
This spell causes an object to levitate. Once levitating, the object can be manipulated in midair by the spell caster.
Wound Healing Spell
Heals wounds and causes the skin to knit back together. Professor Snape used this charm on Draco Malfoy after Harry had attacked him using Sectumsempra.
