The Bat Bogey Hex is a type of hex that transforms the target’s bogeys into large bats that flow out of the nose of the target.
“However, when a person’s bogies turn into black bats, which crawl out of their nostrils and flap away, you can generally count on them shutting up long enough for you to talk for a change.“
-Miranda Goshawk on the nature of the Bat Bogey Hex
The etymology of the Bat Bogey Hex
The name “Bat Bogey” comes from the nature of the spell. Bats fly out of the victim’s nose. “Boogey” is colloquial slang for booger.
History of the Bat Bogey Hex
It came into existence in the early 20th C. Hogwarts went on to teach the spell sometime around the late 20th Century. The creator of the spell was Miranda Goshawk, the author of the Standard Book of Spells series. She created the spell while growing up.
She grew up in a family of nine children, often ignored by her siblings. Goshawk wanted to find a way to make herself heard. The spell was the medium through which she communicated. Miranda had reportedly cast this spell on one of her sisters, Diadema, as she wanted to have privacy and be alone in her room.
She cast this spell on another sister when she wanted to finish her homework in peace. She also cast it on a third sister who had borrowed Miranda’s clothes without her permission. The spell that started as a simple defense spell against mischievous siblings eventually grew to become one of the most well-known defensive spells in the magical world.
End of and Beyond the 20th C.
One of the most astonishing yet notable incidents surrounding this hex charm was the Bat-Bogey Hex of 1972. In this incident, an entire class at Hogwarts, unfortunately, got enchanted by the spell. It causes mass panic and chaos.
“You’ve never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey Hexes, have you?“
-George Weasley to Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley’s talent for this spell in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The Bat-Bogey Hex came as a question on the 1996 Theory of Charms O.W.L. Ginny taught this hex to wizards and witch members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force who pursued the profession of the Auror. The purpose of teaching the spell was to help address the aftermath of the Calamity.
Mathilda Grimbelhawk, a Magizoologist, helped fellow members of the profession understand and gain a deeper insight into this spell.
Legal Status
Humans could get subjected to this spell. It was legal for anyone to use it on humans. However, it is illegal to cast this spell on any non-humans. It could be fatal to any non-humans like a cat.
The Ministry of Magic has outlawed practicing this spell on non-humans. If anyone were to break this law, they would find themselves confronting the wrath of Julius Dowler, the Chief Warlock of Wizengamot.
How to Cast the Bat Bogey Hex
If someone wants to cast the Bat-Bogey Hex, they must focus on the intent. In severe defensive cases, the intention of the spell heavily depends on its effect. In simple words, it depends on what you want the spell to do.
The wand movement involved in casting this spell involves a downward flick on the left side. The next movement is a diagonal up and then to the left of the caster. These specific movements from the silhouette of a sideways hourglass. To chant the incantation of the Bat-Bogey Hex, all one needs to say is “Volamucus”!
Effect of the Bat Bogey Hex
The Bat-Bogey Hex causes the target’s bogeys to change into the shape of bats. The bats would fly out of the nose of the target. As amusing as the spell might sound, it can be very painful.
The Bat-Bogey Hex also functions as an outstanding distraction. It buys you time to get away from the target or to cast another spell.
The Inventor of the Bat Bogey Hex
Miranda Goshawk, the inventor and originator of the spell, had used the Bat Bogey Hex on her other two sisters as well apart from Diadema.
She cast it on Romilda Goshawk, the second sister, as she was trying to keep her out of her room. She also used it on her third sister, Taanwystl Goshawk, who disturbed her while she was doing her homework.
Ginny Weasley-The One Who Mastered the Bat Bogey Hex
Ginny Weasley was a frequent practitioner of the Bat Bogey Hex spell. She learned it during her early years at Hogwarts and made use of it often.
She used it many times to save her friends from crises. She used the Bat Bogey Hex to help her friends, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom, and her brother, Ron Weasley, escape from the office of the dreaded Dolores Umbridge.
The second occasion when Ginny Weasley used this spell was when she was aboard the Hogwarts Express. Zacharias Smith kept annoying Ginny, asking her about what happened at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Fed up with him, Ginny cast the spell on him. It is what made Professor Horace Slughorn notice and appreciate Ginny’s capabilities as a sorceress. It was shortly after that she got the invitation to join the Slug Club and have lunch with him.
The Inquisitorial Squad acted on the tyrannical order of Professor Umbridge. They captured the group on suspicions of violating Ministry rules and plotting against the Ministry and the Minister of Magic. They captured the students on the pretext of accusing them of being part of Dumbledore’s Army, who vowed to fight against Lord Voldemort and his legion of Death Eaters.
She also used it at the Hogwarts Express when questioned about the incidents during the Battle of the Ministry. She used it on Draco Malfoy on 18th June 1996. She used this on Zacharias Smith on 1st September 1996 aboard the Hogwarts Express. Professor Slughorn, impressed with her, asked her to join the Slug Club.
