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Accio (Summoning Charm)
Pronunciation: Various suggestions have been made, including:
/ˈæki.oʊ/ AK-ee-oh – film and video game
/ˈæksi.oʊ/ AK-see-oh – U.K. audio book
/ˈæsi.oʊ/ AS-see-oh – U.S. audio book
Description: This charm summons an object to the caster, potentially over a significant distance.[2] Its opposite is the Banishing Charm.
Seen/mentioned: First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when it was briefly used by Molly Weasley on the Weasley twins to confiscate their Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' products from their pockets, before they left for the Quidditch World Cup. Hermione was also mentioned trying to learn this charm during her ride aboard the Hogwarts Express. Later on in the same book, Harry summons his broom to complete the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[GF Ch.20] Near the end of the book, Harry summons a Portkey he cannot reach to escape from the Battle in the Graveyard. In "Order of the Phoenix", Bellatrix Lestrange attempts to summon the prophecy from Harry. Also seen in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows to try to summon Horcruxes, and Harry tries to summon a falling Rubeus Hagrid. One of the Death Eaters tried to snatch Harry's Invisibility Cloak using this charm, but it did not work.
Suggested etymology: The Latin word accio means "I call" or "I summon".[3] In the Hungarian translation, the spell is called "Invito", possibly from the word "to invite or invitation".
Aguamenti (Aguamenti Charm)
Pronunciation: /ˌɑːɡwəˈmɛnti/ AH-gwə-MEN-tee
Description: Produces a jet of water from the caster's wand.
Seen/mentioned: First seen in Goblet of Fire, when Fleur put the fire out on her skirt "with a bit of water from her wand." First named in Half-Blood Prince, when Harry is being taught how to perform this specific charm in Professor Flitwick's class. Later Harry casts this spell in an attempt to create water for Dumbledore to drink after taking Voldemort's potion[HBP Ch.26] and then to douse Hagrid's hut after it is set on fire later.[HBP Ch.28] Then in Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger uses it to put out Mundungus' searing eyebrows after Harry accidentally set them on fire.[DH Ch.11] Later on, Harry uses it in a failed attempt to douse Vincent Crabbe's Fiendfyre curse in the Room of Requirement.[DH Ch.31]
Suggested etymology: The Latin word aqua (water) combined with augmentum (compare with English augment), an increase, from augere, to increase; see aug- in Indo-European roots, meaning: “increasing the water (flow)”, this combination explains the QU/GU alteration in aqua- → agua- (see agua e. g. in Portuguese and Spanish). -menti is the genitive form of the suffix -mentum
Alohomora
Pronunciation: /əˌloʊhəˈmɔərə/ ə-LOH-hə-MOHR-ə
Description: Used to open and/or unlock doors,[4] but doors can be bewitched so that this spell has no effect.[citation needed]
Seen/mentioned: Used throughout the series, with the first use by Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Used gradually less in the series as the characters discover more and more doors, chests, etc. with counter-charms on them. (For example, the doors into Professor Snape's and Professor Umbridge's offices are mentioned as being Alohomora-proof.[citation needed])
Etymology: J. K. Rowling stated that the word was from the West African Sidiki dialect used in geomancy and has the literal meaning Friendly to thieves.[5]
Anapneo
Pronunciation: /əˈnæpniː.oʊ/ ə-NAP-nee-oh
Description: Clears the target's airway, if blocked.
Seen/mentioned: Shown in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn casts this spell on Marcus Belby when the latter begins to choke.[HBP Ch.7]
Suggested etymology: The Greek word anapneo which means "to draw breath or to revive".[6]
(Anti-Cheating Spell)
Description: Cast on parchment or quills to prevent the writer from cheating whilst writing answers.
Seen/mentioned: Mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as being cast on quills and exam papers for exams at Hogwarts.[PS Ch.16]
(Anti-Disapparition Jinx)
Description: Used to prevent Disapparition and/or Apparition in an area for a period. Presumably can be used to prevent an enemy from entering a defended area, or used to trap an enemy in an area.
Seen/mentioned: Mentioned in Order of the Phoenix, used by Dumbledore to trap several Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries.[OP Ch.36] Also cast long ago on Hogwarts, the reason why, as Hermione quotes often throughout the series, "no one can Apparate or Disapparate inside the Hogwarts grounds." In Deathly Hallows, it prevented the trio from escaping Hogsmeade when Death Eaters placed the same spell around the area.
(Antonin Dolohov's Curse)
Description: This curse causes serious internal injury, but shows no external symptoms. It is described as cast with "a slashing motion", sending out a streak of purple flames. It is not nonverbal, though Harry could not hear it because Hermione had used the silencing charm Silencio on Dolohov before.
Seen/mentioned: Seen only in Order of the Phoenix, this spell is cast three times by Antonin Dolohov during the battle between the Death Eaters and members of Dumbledore's Army at the Ministry of Magic.
Aparecium
Pronunciation: /ˌæpəˈriːsi.əm/ AP-ə-REE-see-əm
Description: This spell makes invisible ink appear.
Seen/mentioned: First seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Hermione tries to make hidden writing appear in Tom Marvolo Riddle's diary.[CS Ch.13]
Notes: See also Specialis Revelio.
Suggested etymology: The Latin word appareo which means "to become visible or to appear".[7]
Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse)
Pronunciation: /əˈvɑːdə kəˈdɑːvrə/ ə-VAH-də kə-DAH-vrə
Description: Causes a jet of green (blue in the 6th film) light, and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim (With the exception of Sirius Black, who lives momentarily when struck in the arm in the fifth film). It leaves no mark of death, and is said to be painless by Sirius Black towards the end of Book 7. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another Avada Kedavra spell mid-flight, negating both; or, for Harry, the Expelliarmus spell, which blocks all Killing Curses Voldemort casts, no matter which wand is used to cast the spell), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the curse, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being can earn the caster a life sentence in Azkaban.
Survivors: Only two people in the history of the magical world are known to have survived the killing curse – Harry Potter and Voldemort who was only saved by his horcrux. Harry was hit twice directly. Phoenixes can also survive a killing curse. They burst into flame, as they would do in old age and are reborn from the ashes. This occurred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Seen/mentioned: First said (not by name) at the beginning of the first book when Harry arrives at the Dursley's home. Nearly cast on Harry by Lucius Malfoy near the end of the second film. First seen in Goblet of Fire against Muggle Frank Bryce, and in every book following.
Suggested etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."[8] Rowling's use of this name may have been influenced by Latin cadaver = "corpse".
Avis
Pronunciation: /ˈeɪvɨs/ AY-vis
Description: This charm creates a flock of birds that pour forth from the caster's wand. When coupled with Oppugno, it can be used offensively.
Seen/mentioned: Shown in Goblet of Fire, cast by Mr Ollivander to test Viktor Krum's wand.[GF Ch.18] In Half-blood Prince, it is cast by Hermione, followed by Oppugno which causes the birds to attack Ron.[HBP Ch.14]
Suggested etymology: Correct Latin word avis, meaning "bird".[7]
Pronunciation: Various suggestions have been made, including:
/ˈæki.oʊ/ AK-ee-oh – film and video game
/ˈæksi.oʊ/ AK-see-oh – U.K. audio book
/ˈæsi.oʊ/ AS-see-oh – U.S. audio book
Description: This charm summons an object to the caster, potentially over a significant distance.[2] Its opposite is the Banishing Charm.
Seen/mentioned: First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when it was briefly used by Molly Weasley on the Weasley twins to confiscate their Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' products from their pockets, before they left for the Quidditch World Cup. Hermione was also mentioned trying to learn this charm during her ride aboard the Hogwarts Express. Later on in the same book, Harry summons his broom to complete the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[GF Ch.20] Near the end of the book, Harry summons a Portkey he cannot reach to escape from the Battle in the Graveyard. In "Order of the Phoenix", Bellatrix Lestrange attempts to summon the prophecy from Harry. Also seen in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows to try to summon Horcruxes, and Harry tries to summon a falling Rubeus Hagrid. One of the Death Eaters tried to snatch Harry's Invisibility Cloak using this charm, but it did not work.
Suggested etymology: The Latin word accio means "I call" or "I summon".[3] In the Hungarian translation, the spell is called "Invito", possibly from the word "to invite or invitation".
Aguamenti (Aguamenti Charm)
Pronunciation: /ˌɑːɡwəˈmɛnti/ AH-gwə-MEN-tee
Description: Produces a jet of water from the caster's wand.
Seen/mentioned: First seen in Goblet of Fire, when Fleur put the fire out on her skirt "with a bit of water from her wand." First named in Half-Blood Prince, when Harry is being taught how to perform this specific charm in Professor Flitwick's class. Later Harry casts this spell in an attempt to create water for Dumbledore to drink after taking Voldemort's potion[HBP Ch.26] and then to douse Hagrid's hut after it is set on fire later.[HBP Ch.28] Then in Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger uses it to put out Mundungus' searing eyebrows after Harry accidentally set them on fire.[DH Ch.11] Later on, Harry uses it in a failed attempt to douse Vincent Crabbe's Fiendfyre curse in the Room of Requirement.[DH Ch.31]
Suggested etymology: The Latin word aqua (water) combined with augmentum (compare with English augment), an increase, from augere, to increase; see aug- in Indo-European roots, meaning: “increasing the water (flow)”, this combination explains the QU/GU alteration in aqua- → agua- (see agua e. g. in Portuguese and Spanish). -menti is the genitive form of the suffix -mentum
Alohomora
Pronunciation: /əˌloʊhəˈmɔərə/ ə-LOH-hə-MOHR-ə
Description: Used to open and/or unlock doors,[4] but doors can be bewitched so that this spell has no effect.[citation needed]
Seen/mentioned: Used throughout the series, with the first use by Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Used gradually less in the series as the characters discover more and more doors, chests, etc. with counter-charms on them. (For example, the doors into Professor Snape's and Professor Umbridge's offices are mentioned as being Alohomora-proof.[citation needed])
Etymology: J. K. Rowling stated that the word was from the West African Sidiki dialect used in geomancy and has the literal meaning Friendly to thieves.[5]
Anapneo
Pronunciation: /əˈnæpniː.oʊ/ ə-NAP-nee-oh
Description: Clears the target's airway, if blocked.
Seen/mentioned: Shown in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn casts this spell on Marcus Belby when the latter begins to choke.[HBP Ch.7]
Suggested etymology: The Greek word anapneo which means "to draw breath or to revive".[6]
(Anti-Cheating Spell)
Description: Cast on parchment or quills to prevent the writer from cheating whilst writing answers.
Seen/mentioned: Mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as being cast on quills and exam papers for exams at Hogwarts.[PS Ch.16]
(Anti-Disapparition Jinx)
Description: Used to prevent Disapparition and/or Apparition in an area for a period. Presumably can be used to prevent an enemy from entering a defended area, or used to trap an enemy in an area.
Seen/mentioned: Mentioned in Order of the Phoenix, used by Dumbledore to trap several Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries.[OP Ch.36] Also cast long ago on Hogwarts, the reason why, as Hermione quotes often throughout the series, "no one can Apparate or Disapparate inside the Hogwarts grounds." In Deathly Hallows, it prevented the trio from escaping Hogsmeade when Death Eaters placed the same spell around the area.
(Antonin Dolohov's Curse)
Description: This curse causes serious internal injury, but shows no external symptoms. It is described as cast with "a slashing motion", sending out a streak of purple flames. It is not nonverbal, though Harry could not hear it because Hermione had used the silencing charm Silencio on Dolohov before.
Seen/mentioned: Seen only in Order of the Phoenix, this spell is cast three times by Antonin Dolohov during the battle between the Death Eaters and members of Dumbledore's Army at the Ministry of Magic.
Aparecium
Pronunciation: /ˌæpəˈriːsi.əm/ AP-ə-REE-see-əm
Description: This spell makes invisible ink appear.
Seen/mentioned: First seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Hermione tries to make hidden writing appear in Tom Marvolo Riddle's diary.[CS Ch.13]
Notes: See also Specialis Revelio.
Suggested etymology: The Latin word appareo which means "to become visible or to appear".[7]
Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse)
Pronunciation: /əˈvɑːdə kəˈdɑːvrə/ ə-VAH-də kə-DAH-vrə
Description: Causes a jet of green (blue in the 6th film) light, and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim (With the exception of Sirius Black, who lives momentarily when struck in the arm in the fifth film). It leaves no mark of death, and is said to be painless by Sirius Black towards the end of Book 7. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another Avada Kedavra spell mid-flight, negating both; or, for Harry, the Expelliarmus spell, which blocks all Killing Curses Voldemort casts, no matter which wand is used to cast the spell), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the curse, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being can earn the caster a life sentence in Azkaban.
Survivors: Only two people in the history of the magical world are known to have survived the killing curse – Harry Potter and Voldemort who was only saved by his horcrux. Harry was hit twice directly. Phoenixes can also survive a killing curse. They burst into flame, as they would do in old age and are reborn from the ashes. This occurred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Seen/mentioned: First said (not by name) at the beginning of the first book when Harry arrives at the Dursley's home. Nearly cast on Harry by Lucius Malfoy near the end of the second film. First seen in Goblet of Fire against Muggle Frank Bryce, and in every book following.
Suggested etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."[8] Rowling's use of this name may have been influenced by Latin cadaver = "corpse".
Avis
Pronunciation: /ˈeɪvɨs/ AY-vis
Description: This charm creates a flock of birds that pour forth from the caster's wand. When coupled with Oppugno, it can be used offensively.
Seen/mentioned: Shown in Goblet of Fire, cast by Mr Ollivander to test Viktor Krum's wand.[GF Ch.18] In Half-blood Prince, it is cast by Hermione, followed by Oppugno which causes the birds to attack Ron.[HBP Ch.14]
Suggested etymology: Correct Latin word avis, meaning "bird".[7]
