Spells
Here you can browse through a list of spells and charms used throughout the Harry Potter series and learn where they come from and how they are used.
Latin Root: accedo (to approach, come near / (things) to be added)
The Summoning Charm (incantation: "Accio!") is used to bring an object to you, wherever it may be. Concentrating is essential to succeeding in the spell; the further away an object is and the larger it is, the harder it is to summon. This spell is used in the Goblet of Fire and later in the Order by the Weasley twins.
Alohomora! (Sorcerer's Stone, page 160)
Latin Root: Unknown
The Alohomora Charm (incantation: "Alohomora!") can be used to unlock doors, even those that have been locked magically. However, its power is limited as seen in the fifth book during the trio's journey through the Department of Mysteries.
Aparecium! (Chamber of Secrets, page 233)
Latin Root: appareo (to become visible, appear, manifest)
"Aparecium!" is used only once by Hermione in an attempt to reveal the hidden contents of Tom Riddle's diary. Though the spell is unsuccessful, Hermione says that it is used to reveal invisible ink.
Avada Kedavra! (Goblet of Fire, page 215)
Aramaic Root: abracadabra (ancient spell means "let the thing be destroyed")
This is the infamous killing curse that Voldemort used on Harry as a child and tries to use on him later in the Order. Seen as a jet of green light, this curse is one of three unforgivables, including the Cruciatius and Imperius curses.
Avis! (Goblet of Fire, page 309)
Latin Root: avis (bird)
"Avis!" is used when examining a wand; it will cause small, twittering birds to fly out of the end of a wand in working condition and is used by Mr. Ollivander when checking the wands of those competing in the Triwizard Tournament.
Colloportus! (Order of the Phoenix, page 788)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Colloportus!" is used to lock doors and other objects. However, the spell is not of much use unless dealing with Muggles or a wandless wizard or witch, because the Alohomora Charm will unlock anything locked by "Colloportus!"
Crucio! (Goblet of Fire, page 214)
Latin Root: crucio (to torture, torment)
The Cruciatus Curse (incantation: "Crucio!") inflicts severe pain. It is used mainly by Voldemort and his Death Eaters when torturing people. It is another unforgivable curse and prolonged exposure to the level of pain it causes, can lead to insanity such as that seen in Neville's parents.
Deletrius! (Goblet of Fire, page 136)
Latin Root: deleo (to destroy, wipe out, erase)
"Deletrius!" is used only once throughout the Harry Potter series in order to vanish the "echo" of a spell conjured by Prior Incantato! The incantation comes from the Latin word deleo, which means "to destroy, wipe out, erase."
Densaugeo! (Goblet of Fire, page 309)
Latin Roots: dens (tooth), auctus (growth, enlargement, increase)
"Densaugeo!" causes a person's teeth to grow rapidly. Whether the spell only enlarges the teeth is unknown, it could be that it enlarges whatever it hits and that when Hermione's teeth began to grow in Goblet, it was simply because that was where the spell made contact.
Diffindo! (Goblet of Fire, page 340)
Latin Root: diffundo (to spread, pour forth, scatter)
"Diffindo!" is a severing charm. Wand aim is essential to the success of this spell. It has only been used once in the Harry Potter books but is often used in the computer games.
Dissendium! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 195)
Latin Root: dissimulo - antonym (to conceal, disguise, keep secret)
The incantation "Dissendium!" combined with a tap of the wand will open up the hump of a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch (located on the third-floor corridor of Hogwarts). Going through the opened statue leads to a secret path to the wizard village Hogsmeade.
Engorgio! (Goblet of Fire, page 214)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Engorgio!" causes something to become several times its normal mass.
Ennervate! (Goblet of Fire, page 133)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Ennervate!" is a revival spell for those who have either been knocked unconscious by normal means or by the Stunning Spell, "Stupefy!"
Latin Root: Unknown
"Evanesco!" causes what it is cast upon to vanish. In the Order, it is used on scrolls and potions. Whether or not the disappearing object vanishes completely is unknown; a spell to bring the object back may exist, but is not verifiable.
Expecto Patronum! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 238)
Latin Root: patronus (patron, protector)
The Patronus Charm (incantation: "Expecto Patronum!") is highly advanced magic, well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Level, used to ward off dementors. When used properly, the spell creates a Patronus, which is a guardian that acts as a shield between the caster and the dementor. Each Patronus is unique to the wizard or witch who conjures it, and reflects their personality. In order for the spell to work properly, the incantation must be spoken while the caster concentrates on a extraordinarily happy memory. This causes a Patronus to be conjured; it is successful in warding off dementors because it is "a projection of the very things that the dementor feeds upon - hope, happiness, the desire to survive - but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it." (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 238)
Expelliarmus! (Chamber of Secrets, page 190)
Latin Root: expello (to drive out, expel, force out, banish)
This charm (incantation: "Expelliarmus!") is used to disarm someone, and is therefore often used while dueling. Though a simple spell, it can be used to get wizards and witches out of tight situations and close encounters - it saved Harry Potter's life in Goblet of Fire.
Ferula! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 376)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Ferula!" creates a splint of bandages, a temporary fix for an injured or broken limb.
Finite Incantatem! (Chamber of Secrets, page 192)
Latin Root: finis (end, limit)
"Finite Incantatem!" is used by Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Chamber of Secrets, and it stops the effects of both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's spells. The spell also works without the "Incantatem" portion of the incantation, which was proved by Remus Lupin in Order of the Phoenix. It was also used by Hermione in the second film to dispose of a rogue bludger.
Flagrate! (Order of the Phoenix, page 772)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Flagrate!" is a spell used by Hermione in the fifth book to mark the doors they have been through in the Department of Mysteries. It is visible by a hovering, red cross.
Furnunculus! (Goblet of Fire, page 298)
Latin Root: Unknown
The Furnunculus Curse (incantation: "Furnunculus!") causes ugly boils to break out all over whoever the curse is cast upon. The Furnunculus Curse should not be mixed with Jelly-Legs or the unlucky victim will sprout tentacles all over their face.
Latin Root: impedimentum (hindrance, impediment, obstacle, difficulty)
"Impedimenta!" slows down an attacker and can also knock them off their feet, as seen in the Order when Harry goes into the pensieve and see's his fathr tormenting Snape.
Imperio! (Goblet of Fire, page 214)
Latin Root: imperium (power to command, authority, command, rule, control)
The Imperius Curse (incantation: "Imperio!") is used to control the actions of a person. Incredibly hard to resist, it requires strength of mind such as that needed to block ones mind to a powerful legilimens (see "Avada Kedavra!" and "Crucio!"). This is also an unforgivable curse as witches, wizards and muggles can be made to do anything at all when under its influence.
Impervius! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 177)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Impervius!" is used to repel water and was used by Hermione on Harry's glasses during the fourth book. It was later used for a similar purpose in the Order.
Incarcerous! (Order of the Phoenix, page 755)
Latin Root: carcer (prison, cell, jail, dungeon)
"Incarcerous!" causes binding ropes to project from ones wand and bind whoever it hits.
Incendio! (Goblet of Fire, page 47)
Latin Root: incendia (fire)
"Incendio!" creates fire, and is most commonly used on a fireplace. We are led to the belief that the spell may not work on human beings, due to the fact that it is not an unforgivable curse.
Legilimens! (Order of the Phoenix, page 534)
Latin Root: lego (to gather, choose, collect, pass through, read)
"Legilimens!" is used by people who wish to break into someone else's mind and access their memories - usually memories that they fear.
Locomotor! (Order of the Phoenix, page 53)
Latin Root: loco (to place, put, position), motor (to move)
"Locomotor!" causes the object(s) that it is cast upon to levitate. Both of the times the spell was used throughout the books, it was cast on a trunk. In order for the spell to work most efficiently, the name of the object should be stated after the word "Locomotor." Example: "Locomotor trunk!" Also, the incantation for the Leg-Locker curse is "Locomotor Mortis!" The Leg-Locker curse causes someone's legs to bind together, making it extremely difficult to move.
Lumos! (Chamber of Secrets, page 302)
Latin Root: luma (light)
"Lumos!" is one of the most commonly used spells and causes a light to appear at the end of the wand that cast the spell. The incantation "Nox!" is spoken when the bearer of the wand wishes for the light to go out.
Mobilicorpus! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 377)
Latin Roots: mobili (to move), corpus (body)
"Mobilicorpus!" allows the caster to move someone else's body.
Morsmordre! (Goblet of Fire, page 128)
Latin Root: mors mortis (death)
"Morsmordre!" is the incantation used when a wizard creates the Dark Mark, the sign of Voldemort. The Dark Mark has long been feared, because it was cast over the houses of wizards and witches who had been slain by Voldemort or his Death Eaters.
Nox! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 338)
Latin Root: nox (darkness)
"Nox!" is used to put out the light created by "Lumos!"
Obliviate! (Chamber of Secrets, page 303)
Latin Root: oblivio (forgetfulness, oblivion)
The memory Charm (incantation: "Obliviate!") causes whoever it is cast upon to lose most of their memory. It is very powerful when used by a witch or wizard who is skilled with the spell and was famously used by Lockhart in the second book. Unfortunately the spell backfired and he now has permanent memory damage.
Petrificus Totalus! (Sorcerer's Stone, page 273)
Latin Root: Unknown
Used just once throughout the first five Harry Potter books, the full-Body Bind (incantation: "Petrificus Totalus!") causes whoever it is cast upon to lose mobility.
Point Me! (Goblet of Fire, page 622)
Latin Root: Unknown
The Four-Point spell (incantation: "Point Me!") is used as a directional tool. When the caster places his or her wand in their open palm and utters the incantation, their wand will point north, allowing the caster to know what direction they are going.
Portus! (Order of the Phoenix, page 472)
Latin Root: porta (gate, entrance)
"Portus!" is used to turn an object into a Portkey. When cast correctly, the spell makes the object it is cast upon glow temporarily blue.
Priori Incantatem! (Goblet of Fire, page 136)
Latin Root: priori prius (former, prior)
The reverse spell effect (incantation: "Priori Incantatem!") causes a wand to regurgitate an echo of spells it has performed in reverse.
Protego! (Order of the Phoenix, page 803)
Latin Root: protego (to protect)
The shield charm (incantation: "Protego!") deflects most minor spells.
Quietus! (Goblet of Fire, page 116)
Latin Root: quies quietis (quiet, rest, peace)
"Quietus!" is used to counter the effect of the spell "Sonorus!", which amplifies the voice of whoever it is cast upon. "Quietus!" merely makes the voice softer; it does not completely silence it. The spell "Silencio!" completely quiets one's voice.
Reducio! (Goblet of Fire, page 215)
Latin Root: reduco (to lead back, bring back, return)
The reductor curse (incantation: "Reducio!") shrinks solid objects. If "Engorgio!" has previously been cast on an object, "Reducio!" will cause it to reduce to its original size.
Relashio! (Goblet of Fire, page 496)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Relashio!" presumably shoots sparks at someone; however, the only usage of the spell in the books was underwater where it, instead, pelts a jet of boiling water at someone.
Reparo! (Goblet of Fire, page 169)
Latin Root: reparo (to restore, renew)
"Reparo!" does exactly what its Latin root suggests - fixes things that are broken. However if one dropped a cup of tea, the cup could be repaired but the tea would not reappear. It is not a reversal of time.
Rictusempra! (Chamber of Secrets, page 192)
Latin Root: rideo risi risum (to laugh at, laugh)
The tickling charm (incantation: "Rictusempra!") causes whoever it is cast upon to start laughing uncontrollably. The effects of the charm can be stopped by the spell "Finite Incanatem!"
Riddikulus! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 134)
Latin Root: ridiculus (facetious, laughable)
The spell "Riddikulus!" is used to get rid of a boggart, a shape-shifter that takes the shape of what we fear most. Only by picturing something amusing will this spell be effective.
Scourgify! (Order of the Phoenix, page 53)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Scourgify!" is a cleaning spell.
Serpensortia! (Chamber of Secrets, page 194)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Serpensortia!" causes a snake to shoot out of the caster's wand.
Silencio! (Order of the Phoenix, page 375)
Latin Root: silens (silent, still)
The Silencing Charm (incantation: "Silencio!") causes whoever it is cast upon to lose the ability to make audible noises.
Sonorus! (Goblet of Fire, page 102)
Latin Root: sono (to make a noise, to sing)
"Sonorus!" amplifies the voice rather like a microphone.
Stupefy! (Goblet of Fire, page 129)
Latin Root: stupefactus (stunned)
The stunning spell (incantation: "Stupefy!") stuns whoever it is cast upon, knocking them temporarily unconscious. The victim can be brought back to consciousness by the spell "Ennervate!"
Tarantallegra! (Chamber of Secrets, page 192)
Latin Root: Unknown
"Tarantallegra!" causes the legs of whoever it is cast upon to jerk around in a kind of tapdance.
Waddiwasi! (Prisoner of Azkaban, page 131)
Latin Root: Unknown
The exact effects of the spell are unclear, but when used by Lupin, caused a wad of chewing gum to shoot out of a keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril.
Wingardium Leviosa! (Sorcerer's Stone, page 171)
Latin Root: levo (to raise, lift up)
"Wingardium Leviosa!" levitates objects. Once the caster has an object in the air, it can be moved around with the caster's wand acting as a navigator.
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