Harry Potter Spells

DUEL WITH THE EXPELLIARMUS SPELL

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
DUEL WITH THE EXPELLIARMUS SPELL

The Expelliarmus spell is a commonly used Harry Potter Spell in duelling. Harry always advocated for a fair duel. So, he used this “Expelliarmus spell”. His goal was to simply his opponents. He never wanted to harm or attack them.

EXPELLIARMUS SPELL

Expelliarmus

“I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus, you know, the Disarming Charm. I know it’s pretty basic but I’ve found it really useful.” “Oh please…I don’t think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?” “I’ve used it against him…It saved my life last June.”

– Harry Potter and Zacharias Smith, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

The Best Wands To Duel With and Cast the Expelliarmus Spell

When it comes to duelling, the ideal Harry Potter wand to fight with is the Aspen wands. They also fully project the power of the expelliarmus spell. The Duelling Club called Silver Spears in the 18th C. used aspen wands exclusively.

Red oak and rowan wands are also considered ideal for duelling. Sorcerers feared yew wands in duels, as they got associated with curses and evil magic.

 

Dumbledore v/s Voldemort and the Expelliarmus Spell

Albus Dumbledore was considered by many ‘the greatest wizard of modern times’. Not only did he defeat Gellert Grindelwald in an epic duel, but Dumbledore was the only one that Voldemort found frightening.

In Order of the Phoenix, we see a duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort. It is one of the most spectacular showcasing of magic across the whole of the Harry Potter series.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when Voldemort raised his wand, another jet of green light came out and streaked towards Professor Dumbledore. However, Professor Dumbledore was quick enough to disappear from his spot and then reappear behind Voldemort.

Dumbledore waved his wand towards the fountain as he rejected the Killing Curse with an “Expelliarmus!” and then the other statues came to life.

 

The Poetic Case of the Expelliarmus Spell

It is interesting that the Expelliarmus spell would defeat the most feared Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. That too, just six years after the Duelling Club.

The colours of the spells in the final duel were red and green.

You see, Harry’s eyes are green. While Voldemort’s eyes have the colour red (in the books). These colours are the house colours of each other. Stunning spells have red colour, while the Killing Curse emits a green light. Therefore, when Harry’s and Voldemort’s spells meet, it creates golden flames.

Harry challenged Voldemort not to kill anyone else on the 2nd of May 1998. He stared into the Dark Lord’s eyes, green into the red- justice, challenging the evil to end it for once and for all.

A green glow burst from Voldemort’s wand, indicating he had chanted the Killing Curse. As it headed towards Harry at lightning speed, Harry, too, cast his spell. “Expelliarmus”, he said. A red light emitted from Harry’s wand.

“Avada Kedavra!”

“Expelliarmus!”

Voldemort died as his Death curse rebounded on him. The Elder wand did not agree to obey him. For he was not the real owner of the wand. It was Draco Malfoy’s wand. So, when he uttered the Killing Curse, it killed him instantly instead of Harry. Harry always stood by his signature spell, the Expelliarmus spell. He maintained a fair and dignified duel.

 

Standing Against the Dark Arts with the Expelliarmus Spell

Harry Potter may have been ridiculed regarding his over usage of the Expelliarmus spell. Even Lupin warned him about it, saying that the Death Eaters knew it was his signature move and, therefore, it could leave him exposed in front of them. Some may see this as being naive and a sense of security that one feels doing something that they are used to and confident in.

Harry was very confident about casting this spell because he had mastered it. However, there is a moral issue that actually drives Harry to stick to the Expelliarmus spell.

Whenever Harry confronts a challenge, he trusts the Expelliarmus spell. Even in the face of death in the final showdown against Lord Voldemort in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, Harry trusted this spell blindly. This simple spell defeated the Dark Lord. It ended the Second Wizarding War.

When Voldemort charged at Harry with the Elder wand and yelled the Killing Curse, Harry at the same time cast the Expelliarmus spell, and Voldemort’s curse rebounded and hit him. He fell dead on the floor. The Elder wand refused to obey him, as the true master was Draco Malfoy. Interestingly, Draco had used the Expelliarmus spell to disarm Professor Dumbledore, who won the allegiance of the wand after defeating Grindelwald at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.

 

Expelliarmus at The Duelling Club

The then Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor started a  Duelling Club at Hogwarts with the permission of Headmaster Dumbledore. He did it, assessing that dark times would befall Hogwarts eventually. Professor Lockhart taught the students the formalities of duelling like bowing, holding the wand in a certain way and wielding it in the attack.

When Harry found himself in front of Voldemort in the graveyard, he got attacked by him. Voldemort used the Imperius Curse on him to force him to bow. Harry later used the Expelliarmus spell to distract Voldemort. The Expelliarmus spell always saved Harry every time he was in a near-death situation.

 

Expelliarmus Spell: The Simpler, the Better

Not all spells in the magical world are as grand or, in some cases, horrifying as the Unforgivable Curses or as mystic as the Patronus Charm. Something as simple as the Expelliarmus spell is equally exhilarating and quite powerful.

 

The Winner of Duelling Competition Who Used the Expelliarmus Spell

Alberta Toothill was the winner of the All-England Wizarding Duelling Competition of 1430. She disarmed Samson Wiblin with a Blasting Charm. Elizabeth Smudgling won the title of Supreme Dueller in a famous Dartmoor contest in 1379. She used a spell that she made. Some speculate it was the Expelliarmus spell. Some say she invented it.

CRUCIO HARRY POTTER- ETHICS AND MORALE OF THE WIZARDING LAW

Isla Harry Potter Spells
CRUCIO HARRY POTTER

The Crucio Harry Potter is one of the Unforgivable Curses banned by the Ministry of Magic in 1717. This curse was punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban without parole. The word “Crucio” literally translates to “I torture” in Latin.

The crucio curse gets labelled as unforgivable for it puts its victim through unspeakable torture and pain to the point of rendering them psychologically damaged. That is exactly what happened to Frank and Alice Longbottom, Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix members. Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr. and two other Death Eaters tortured them to get information about James and Lily Potter.

CRUCIO HARRY POTTER

Barty, in guise of Prof. Moody, demonstrating crucio on a spider

Barty Crouch Jr. and Crucio Curse

Barty Crouch Junior was a convicted Death Eater. He was sentenced to life in Azkaban. He used the Cruciatus curse on Frank and Alice Longbottom. Furthermore, Barty knew a lot about the Unforgivable Curses. He, in the guise of Alastor Moody, taught the Unforgivable Curses to the students at Hogwarts.

Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, “Crucio!”

At once, the spider’s legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given a voice, it would have been screaming.

“Pain,” said Moody softly. You don’t need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse… That one was very popular once too.

-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Cruciatus Curse is unforgivable in the easiest sense, as torture is a dreadful crime by universal standards.

 

Crucio: Bringing out the “Evil” even in the Good

The Cruciatus Curse offers a deep and disturbing insight into Harry’s character. It brings out his dark side. Harry wished that he knew how to do the Cruciatus curse so that he could make Snape lie on his back and twitch and jerk like that spider.

Harry later would use the curse on three different occasions. After Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius Black, Harry chases her. Upon catching up with her, he uses the curse on her. He also attempts to use it on Snape after the latter killed Dumbledore.

Harry, in the seventh book, used it to torture Hogwarts professor (and Death Eater) Amycus Carrow into unconsciousness. Carrow had spit in Professor Minerva McGonagall’s face. Harry avenged her.

Amycus had spit in McGonagall’s face, which angered Harry. For a second, Harry forgot all about ethics and good or bad. He lifted his wand and shouted the “Crucio” spell. Amycus was lifted from his feet and writhed through the air. He looked like a drowning man. The spell made him thrash and howl in pain. Finally, he smashed into the bookcase like shattering glass. He became completely unconscious. Harry exclaimed that he now understood the excitement that Bellatrix got from using the spell. He finally understood that one could cause excruciating pain only when you really mean it.

In all these three instances, Harry chose to use the Cruciatus Curse. That is, however, disturbing. He could have just immobilized his opponent. Harry’s use of the Cruciatus Curse poses a moral question.

If Harry uses the curse, knowing that it is both wrong and illegal, is Harry still good? And if he’s flawed – if he has a touch of evil in his personality – is it still okay to root for him?

 

Crucio at Hogwarts

Under the tutelage of Lord Voldemort, when he finally took over the Ministry of Magic in 1997, Amycus Carrow taught this curse at Hogwarts. Carrow taught this curse alongside the two other Unforgivable Curses in the curriculum of Dark Arts.

Carrow went on to use this spell on Ginny Weasley during the Second Wizarding War.

The members of the Dumbledore’s Army, like Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finch, cast this Cruciatus curse on Death Eaters, namely, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, to avenge Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore.

 

Unbearable Pain by the Cruciatus Curse

Harry himself would describe the effect of the Cruciatus curse as causing “immense pain”. He exclaimed that it was a feeling worse than “one thousand white-hot knives, boring into the skin”.

The curse is powerful enough to cause not only physical, but also mental damage. Damage is permanent and irreversible. At the Little Hangleton graveyard, when Harry faced Voldemort, Voldemort attacked him with the Cruciatus Curse.

Barty Crouch Jr. had enchanted Portkey. The Portkey took Harry and Cedric to the Little Hangleton graveyard. After killing Cedric, Lord Voldemort started to attack Harry. He made Harry vow with the Cruciatus curse after challenging him to a duel. The pain that Harry felt almost blinded him.

 

Cruciatus Curse and the Ordeal at the Malfoy Manor

Hermione was also tortured by the Cruciatus curse, most probably. At the Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix tortures Hermoine and carved the term “mudblood” on her arm.

 

Transmogrifian Torture- A Variation of the Cruciatus Curse

When Mrs Norris was petrified in the second book by the Basilisk, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart inaccurately assessed that it might be the effect of a “Transmogrifian curse”.

The Transmogrifian Torture was a curse that tortured its victims and eventually killed them. It may be similar to or a variation of the Cruciatus Curse. Prolonged use of the Cruciatus Curse can also lead to permanent psychological damage and death.

Like the Cruciatus Curse, this curse also tortures. However, unlike the Crucio spell, this one had a counter-curse to undo the damage.

 

Cruciatus Curse: A Picture of the Systematic Failure

The story of Harry Potter is not just about law, but about a society trying to establish a rule of law. The Ministry of Magic is not a dictatorship, but it is not a democracy. The failures of the Ministry and the Order are not glossed over. In fact, they get presented with concern. Therefore, the Crucio Harry Potter was declared an Unforgivable Curse again, along with the Killing Curse and Imperius Curse, a punishable offence after the Second Wizarding War, when Kingsley Shacklebolt became the Minister of Magic.

THE IMPERIO SPELL – A Sinister Spell to control your Enemies

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
Imperio Spell

One of the Unforgivable Curses, the Imperio Spell was probably the most sinister of them all. Apart from killing or torturing a person with magic, the worst thing one could do was to manipulate them into committing heinous crimes.

The sole purpose of the Imperio spell was to manipulate and control wizards and Muggles alike. The spell caused complete hypnosis and the person affected lost all sense of judgment and morality, the very defining feature of humanity.

“One of the three Unforgivable Curses, it allows the caster to control another’s actions.“

-About the Imperius Curse

 

Origin and Meaning of the Imperio Spell

The Imperio spell derives its name from the Latin word “imperious” which means “commanding, mighty and/or powerful”.

Another root word for this spell is “imperative”, whose verb form acts as a command function. The Imperius Curse, most certainly, achieves this thing.

Dark wizards and witches created the Imperius Curse sometime during the Middle Ages. The main purpose of the spell is to coerce and brainwash others into slavery or to do other illegal deeds.

 

Known History of the Uses of the  Imperio Spell

As the Wizard’s Council became the Ministry of Magic, tighter restrictions started governing the use of Dark Magic. They declared the Imperius Curse to be dark magic along with Crucio and Avada Kedavra, and called the trio “the Unforgivable Curses”.  The use of this curse was punishable with life imprisonment in Azkaban. The only exception was if the cursor had done so under the influence and control of the curse itself.

 

Imperio Spell Before and After the First Wizarding War

This was one of the major loopholes in wizarding law. Many dark wizards and witches exploited it to reduce their sentence when they were facing prison, especially after the First Wizarding War.

Along with the Cruciatus Curse, the Imperio spell‘s main purpose is to torture various Secret Keepers. The effect is not profound as the Keeper will only reveal the secret on their own will.

During the First Wizarding War, Barty Crouch Sr. was in charge of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Barty Crouch Sr. legalized the Unforgivable Curses for the Aurors to use in the battle against Grindelwald. He did it so that the Aurors could win the war. The war ended with the status quo.

 

Imperio Spell Before and During the Second Wizarding War

After the Second Wizarding War, many Death Eaters and Dark wizards like Lucius Malfoy, Corban Yaxley, and others claimed that they served Lord Voldemort under the influence of this curse. They did it to avoid maximum punishment and imprisonment for their war crimes. While some of their claims were accepted, the Ministry deployed personnel to determine the veracity of the claim- whether they were telling the truth or lying to escape punishment.

During the 1994–1995 school year at Hogwarts, Professor Moody, who was Barty Crouch Jr., demonstrated the use of all the three Unforgivable Curses. He demonstrated them on a spider as using them on humans has been illegal since 1717. In disguise, he did his demonstration of the Unforgivable Curses to the fourth-year students. Spiders were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the curse. It was, however, against the rules of the Ministry. Many students were under Crouch’s command except for Harry who was able to resist it completely and shake it off.

Voldemort legalized the Unforgivable Curses as soon as he took over the Ministry. Amycus Carrow taught it as a curriculum at Hogwarts. He said every wizard and witch could use it as and when they desired. When the Ministry was under Voldemort, the curse became a part of the curriculum at Hogwarts. Amycus Carrow taught it at the Dark Arts class when he was the Professor of Dark Arts under the tutelage of Lord Voldemort.

 

Legal Status of the Imperio Spell after the Second Wizarding War

After the death of Voldemort and imprisonment of all the Death Eaters, the curse was once again declared illegal and forbidden. The Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt passed the law. Many people who were under the influence of the curse during the war slowly started to come out of the trance.

The Imperius Curse controlled the wizards to the point they had no sense of right or wrong. Even the most powerful sorcerer could not break free from its control. The Ministry additionally declared that the use of this curse on any human would be punishable by a life sentence without parole in the prison for magical criminals, Azkaban.

 

Nature of the Imperio Spell

The ones subjected to this spell did not have any unpleasant experience per se. It was the opposite, to say the least. The victim finds themselves in a calm position, quite akin to the hypnosis of some sort. The victim will completely be under the control of the caster. They will do anything that the caster desires. This may include heinous crimes like murder, political corruption, and even suicide. In the case of Harry, the curse was not as strong as it should have been.

 

Defense against the Imperio Spell

Unlike the other Unforgivable curses, the Cruciatus Curse and the Killing Curse, a person can fight against the Imperio spell. Resisting the Imperius curse demanded a great amount of strength of will and character. This is what makes this Unforgivable curse unique. Wizards like Harry Potter, Barty Crouch Snr., Barty Crouch Jr. learned how to resist it. In Crouch Sr.’s case, it caused permanent psychological damage.  Trying to resist the curse was akin to Occulumency. Both required a lot of willpower.

 

Known Practitioners of Imperio Spell

Corvus Lestrange used the curse on Laurena Kama making her leave her husband and child to marry him and eventually bear Leta Lestrange.

Barty Crouch Sr. had used this curse on his son when the latter was under house arrest before 1994. Barty Crouch Jr. used it on many people- Alastor Moody to impersonate him, Harry, who resisted the curse, Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown. He used it on Viktor Krum, who under the spell’s influence, attacked Cedric Diggory with the Cruciatus Curse.

Lord Voldemort used it on Harry at the Battle of the Little Hangleton graveyard.

Lucius Malfoy used the curse to steal a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries.

Harry used it on the goblin Bogrod who worked at the Gringotts Bank. He did so to get past the Lestrange vault in 1998.

Imperio Spell was banned once again after the Second Wizarding War. Many wizards and witches made sure that no one used the Unforgivable Curses again. The ones who used it were subjected to punishment and imprisonment.

The ordeals of the Second war and the lives lost goes on to show that all of the tragedies and casualties are not worth in the quest for possessing absolute power. After the Second Wizarding War, under Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Ministry, no one used the Imperio spell ever again.

BAT BOGEY HEX SPELL – will scare your Enemies!

Isla Harry Potter Spells
Bat Bogey Hex

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.

STUPEFY HARRY POTTER! A Spell To Stun Your Enemies

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
Stupefy Harry Potter

Stupefy Harry Potter, labeled as a defense charm, is one of the most commonly used jinxes or charms in the Harry Potter novels and books. All one needs to do is chant the spell with or without the name of the person they want to stun.

True, Neville did Stun Padma Patil rather than Dean, at whom he had been aiming, but it was a much closer miss than usual, and everybody else had made enormous progress.”

— Dumbledore’s Army learning the Stunning Spell in December 1995

–Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

Origin and Meaning of Stupefy Harry Potter

The word ‘stupefy’ comes from the Middle French word ‘stupéfier’. Another possible root word may be from the Latin word ‘stupefaciō’. It means to ‘strike dumb’ or ‘stun with amazement’. The third root of origin might be the English word ‘stupor’, which means ‘a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility’.

The stunning spell is hard to master. As one needs to learn how to stun the opponent properly without causing maximum damage, only practice and skilled recitation and masterful wielding of the wand can assure a perfect cast of the Stunning Spell.

Nature and Appearance of Stupefy Harry Potter

If the spell is correctly cast, a jet of red light will emit from the caster’s wand.

When the light hits the opponent squarely on their chest, it will knock them out for quite a particular amount of time.

Depending on the accuracy of the caster and where the spell hits the opponent, the opponent may be unconscious anywhere from a few minutes to hours on end.

 

Counter Spell to Stupefy Harry Potter

The counterspell for the Stupefy Spell or the Stunning Charm is known as Enervate charm. The Enervate charm when cast wakes a person up from their stupefied state. However, unlike the Stupefy spell, the Enervate charm has limited uses.

 

Effect of the Stupefy Harry Potter

The Spell stuns a person completely. It makes the person unconscious. They do not often remember what happened prior to them being struck if they become completely unconscious in certain cases. The spell, being a jinx for obvious reasons, can incapacitate someone without actually killing them. The spell can quickly end a wizarding duel.

 

Defense against Stupefy Harry Potter

One can defend oneself from this Spell by deflecting it. Another solution lies with the Reviving Spell, which can counteract the Stupefy spell. However, this will wear over time. The Shield Charm can deflect the Stupefy or Stunning spell.

 

How to Resist Stupefy Harry Potter

This spell does not work on magical creatures like dragons, trolls, giants, half-giants, and acromantulas. Therefore, Rubeus Hagrid was not affected by this spell.

In 1996, the Ministry of Magic employees carried out the task to remove Hagrid from the Hogwarts grounds, but in vain. They could not do so with the spell.

One can also bewitch objects with this spell. The bewitching makes the objects volatilely reactive to ‘Stupefy’. Fred and George Weasley used the spell to bewitch their fireworks. The fireworks exploded when the spell hit them in the middle of the O.W.L.S. examinations in the fifth year.

 

Chances of Surviving Stupefy Harry Potter

Anyone hit by this spell will survive. The spell will incapacitate and immobilize the targeted person temporarily. However, it is neither fatal nor harmful. It causes no long-lasting effect.

 

Stupefy Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

The spell is heavily featured in the fifth book of the Harry Potter series. The spell, in the book, yields both good and bad results. Harry and his friends and confidants in the Dumbledore’s Army (D.A.) practice and learn the spell. They believe the spell will help them defend themselves and also fight against Lord Voldemort and his Dark Forces and Death Eaters.

They took it upon themselves to learn the spell amongst various others after Professor Dolores Umbridge refused to teach them any kind of defensive spell or magic.

Stupefy in the book is seriously used for the first time on Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Head of the Gryffindor House, when she tries saving Hagrid, the Gamekeeper, and the Professor for Care for Magical Creatures, whom Umbridge along with her Inquisitorial Squad intended to deport from Hogwarts forever.

 

Known Practitioners of Stupefy Harry Potter

All known wizards at one point or on several occasions have had used the Stunning Spell. From Dark wizards like Gellert Grindelwald, Leta Lestrange, Tom Riddle Jr., Bartemius Crouch Junior to even the students- Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Molly Weasley and Tonks, all the members of the Order of the Phoenix and of course the Weasley twins as well.

 

Successful Uses of Stupefy Harry Potter

Gellert Grindelwald used it on Mykew Gregorovitch to steal the Elder wand in the 1990s.

Tom Riddle Junior used it non verbally in the Gaunt Shack in the summer of 1943 to kill his father.

Harry learned the spell and eventually used it to save Ron Weasley at the Third Task in the Triwizard Tournament.

Harry also used it on several Death Eaters during the Battle of the Seven Potters. He attacked Lucius Malfoy and Fenrir Greyback with this spell during the skirmish at the Malfoy Manor. He also used it at Gringotts Bank while escaping from there.

Cedric Diggory used it to stun an Acromantula in the maze section during the Triwizard Tournament.

Albus Dumbledore used it on Barty Crouch Junior, who was in Alastor Moody’s disguise as he tried to attack Harry.

Hermoine Granger used it on Mafalda Hopkirk when the Trio infiltrated the Ministry of Magic.

 

Unsuccessful Uses of Stupefy Harry Potter

Bellatrix Lestrange and an unknown Death Eater in 1996 attacked Harry with this spell in the Department of Mysteries. However, their efforts were futile.

Hermione was unsuccessful in stunning Draco in the skirmish of the Room of Requirement.

Now you know what you have to do to stun your opponent, even if the opponent is Harry Potter himself.  Just raise your wand and say, “Stupefy Harry Potter!”.

AUGAMENTI SPELL – make water out of thin air with magic!

Isla Harry Potter Spells
AUGAMENTI SPELL

One of the simplest spells in the magical world, the Aguamenti spell produces potent water from the tip of the caster’s wand. This water is safe to drink and wizards have used it from producing drinkable water to even putting out fires.

 

Meaning of the Augamenti Spell

A charm, the water-making spell or Aguamenti is also a conjuration. It is an advanced form of transfiguration, as mentioned in the magical books. The origin of the word could be pseudo-Latin or pseudo-Spanish. “Aqua” is Latin for “water”, while the word “augmen” means “growth”. It is one of the most commonly used Harry Potter spells.

“The Water-Making Spell conjures clean, drinkable water from the end of the wand.“

—An excerpt from the Book of Spells

The Spanish and Portuguese word for water is “água”. The Latin word “mente” means ‘mind’. In its singular form, mente becomes ‘menti’. ‘Menti’ means “to the mind” or “for the mind”.  From the looks of this neologism, it is evident that J.K. Rowling liked puns and twisting the meaning of words from various languages.

 

Background of Aguamenti

The spell’s history is unknown. There are no documented records regarding its invention. The conjuration of the spell Aguamenti came about as an opponent to the Fire-making Spell. Its sole purpose is to put out fires during an emergency or amidst small fire breakouts.

 

The Look of the Augamenti Spell

The Augamenti Spell cast comes out as a straight jet from the caster’s wand. The color of this jet is icy blue.

 

Aguamenti at Hogwarts

Hogwarts teaches the Aguamenti spell or Water-making Charm in the N.E.W.T. levels in the sixth and seventh year in the Charms classes. There might be a possibility that one can find this charm in the Standard Book of Spells series written by the great sorceress, Miranda Goshawk.

The Aguamenti Spell has also been mentioned in the books on Transfiguration, namely, Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration.

 

The Effects of Augamenti

The Augamenti spell can instantly produce water out of thin air.

The spell could effectively put out small fires and even refill jugs and bottles of water. However, the spell proves to be useless in front of Fiendfyre, a spell that produces cursed flames.

Water from the spell is not effective against Dark Magic. If it comes in contact with a fire produced by Dark Magic, the water will instantly evaporate.

 

Nature of the Aguamenti Spell

The force of the water jet can be anywhere from a small jet to a massive wave. The force solely depends on the concentration and the intentions of the one who casts the spell.

 

Known Practitioners of the Aguamenti Spell

Many wizards and witches used the Aguamenti spell for ages on various occasions. From Harry Potter to Hermione Granger to Fleur Delacour, many wizards and witches have used this spell.

 

Known History of Uses of Aguamenti

Fleur Delacour used the spell in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament to extinguish the flames of the Common Welsh Green Dragon.

Marietta Edgecombe might have used the spell in 1995 non verbally during a D.A. meeting.

Seamus Finnigan, in the 1996-1997 school year, accidentally used the Augamenti spell to shoot Professor Flitwick away with a huge jet of water. He caused the accident while practicing charms in the class. Finnigan later served detention for such callous behavior. He had to write lines as a punishment.

Harry, himself, has used this spell on many occasions. On 30th June 1997, Harry used it to fill Albus Dumbledore’s crystal goblet in the Crystal Cave. Unfortunately, the Potion inside the goblet made the water dry up before Dumbledore could drink it.

The same day he used the spell again to put out the fire engulfing Hagrid’s hut.

At the Battle of Hogwarts on 2nd May 1998, Harry used the spell again to douse Vincent Crabbe’s Fiendfrye. The attempt proved futile as the water evaporated instantly.

Rubeus Hagrid, on 30th June 1997, used the Augamenti spell. Hagrid used it to put out a fire in his hut. He put out the fire due to the ongoing battle at the Tower of Astronomy.

Hermoine had used this charm as well. On 4th August of 1997, Harry questioned Mundungus Fletcher, a former member of the Order of the Phoenix who turned out to be a traitor later. Harry was questioning Mundungus Fletcher on the whereabouts of the locket of Salazar Slytherin. In an attempt to threaten him, Harry set his eyebrows on fire accidentally. Hermoine immediately put out the fire with the help of this charm. By extinguishing the fire with this Augamenti charm, she saved him and his eyebrows from a serious accident.

 

How is the Augamenti Charm Different from the Aqua Eructo Charm?

There is another version of the Aguamenti charm. One can use a different spell to produce water. The Aqua Erecto charm produces large and powerful jets of water when cast. The Aqua Erecto Charm puts out fires of dragons and other fiery beasts. But the results of the two are vastly different. The Aqua Erecto charm is a more powerful and effective version of the Aguamenti spell.

 

Disputes and Possible Explanation Regarding the Aguamenti Spell

There are some disputes and confusion regarding the Aguamenti Spell. Harry in the cave did not use the spell directly to get water in Dumbledore’s mouth. Rather, he collected water in a small goblet.

In some or most cases, one cannot directly pour the drinkable water that originates from the Aguamenti spell into the mouth of someone. They do have to pour the water in a container, a goblet or glass, or a pitcher, preferably. Only then, the thirst-stricken person can drink the water from the container.

Thus, Professor Dumbledore could only drink the water from the small goblet. Also, Harry did his level best to help him stay hydrated as the Fire Spell was wearing out a parched Albus Dumbledore. He kept on refilling the small goblet using the Aguamenti Spell, again and again. At one point, Harry even tried to raise the water level in the stream that lay in the middle of the cave.

Summon The Wizard In You With The Accio Spell

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
Accio Spell

The Accio Spell or Summoning Charm makes the object fly towards the caster. The caster must know the location of the object they are trying to summon and picture it clearly. It is one of the oldest spells in the wizarding world.

“And then he heard it, speeding through the air behind him; he turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling towards him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in mid-air beside him, waiting for him to mount.“

—The Firebolt, under the influence of this spell, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

 

The etymology of the Accio spell

The word ‘accio’ comes from the Latin verb “accerso” which means “to summon or fetch”. Rowling restyled the spelling to be “accio” and the pronunciation to create the incantation for this summoning charm.

 

Accio Spell: History

The spell was notably used by the Accionites and their leader, Gideon Flatworthy, according to a witch and author, Miranda Goshawk.

In wizard folklore, “The Wizarding and the Hopping Pot” from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the son of the pot’s original owner summoned a lost donkey that belonged to one of his fellow villagers.

 

Glimpses of the Accio Spell at Hogwarts

Fourth years learn this spell in the Charms class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is revised again in a student’s fifth year in preparation for O.W.L.s.  This spell features in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4 by Miranda Goshawk, a celebrated author specializing in the Charms curriculum.

Being the Charms teacher, it would be Professor Flitwick, who would have taught the students the spell in 1991. However, in the case of Harry, Hermione taught him the spell to prepare him for the Triwizard Tournament’s first task. Harry had to summon his broom to escape from the Hungarian Horntail after he stole her egg.

 

Effects of Accio Spell

One can cast this spell verbally or nonverbally, depending on the skill and aptitude of the wizard or witch casting it. The sorcerer shall do a nice wrist movement while casting the spell. More preferably, a ‘swish and flick’ movement that makes the spell’s power more effective.

The casting charm will work exclusively on non-living objects. Furthermore, the objects have to be of a particular size. The Accio spell won’t work on objects of a visibly bigger scale, for instance, buildings and living things.

It is harder to summon objects that are really far away from the caster. The spell is more effective at a short-range distance. However, if the caster can picture and visualize the object clearly, then the distance does not matter.

Wizards should be able to summon anything with ease as long as they can clearly picture the target objects. The charm requires complete awareness and a certain mental exertion of what object/s the wizard is summoning and where it is, and where they want it to end up landing.

 

Known Uses of the Accio Spell

Accio Spell in The Triwizard Tournament

One had to retrieve a golden egg guarded by the Hungarian Horntail in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. The Hungarian Horntail had the egg within her clutch amongst her other eggs.

On the advice of Professor Moody (who was actually Baty Crouch Jr. In the Professor’s disguise), Harry used the Summoning Charm to bring his Firebolt broom close to him in order to escape from the ferocious dragon. The spell was one of the key reasons he completed his first task with roaring success.

 

Little Hangleton graveyard

As the Battle of Little Hangleton was going on, Harry and Voldemort’s wands briefly touched each other. It occurred as both the wands had “twin cores”.

It caused the echoes of the people Voldemort had killed to appear as apparitions. Lily and James Potter, Cedric and Frank Bryce, and Bertha Jorkins appeared and told Harry to break the connection while they held the Dark Lord at bay momentarily. It allowed Harry to escape.

On breaking the connection, and with the apparitions distracting Voldemort, Harry summoned the Triwizard Cup with the Accio spell. He was also able to get a hold of the dead body of Cedric Diggory. Thus, Harry escaped from the Little Hangleton Graveyard and Lord Voldemort.

In the sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry uses the Accio spell to retrieve his wand after Draco puts him in a Body-bind Curse. They were aboard the Hogwarts Express, and Harry was spying on Draco. Harry later used this spell to summon Gryffindor’s sword from the lake but failed. In Hogsmeade, he also used it to summon a few of Madam Rosmerta’s brooms to fly to Hogwarts.

Also, the trio used the spell in the seventh year at Hogwarts when they were hunting Horcruxes. The Trio wielded the spell many several times to summon objects that were Horcruxes. They tried to summon the legendary Sword of Gryffindor. However, the charm proved unresponsive, and they failed.

 

Counter Spell of the Accio Spell

The counter spell of the Accio spell or the Summoning Charm is the anti-theft charm. Sorcerers used the anti-theft charm to prevent something from being summoned by anyone but the rightful owner of the targeted object. It was mostly done for security purposes. Merchants sell their merchandise in the modern wizarding world with the anti-theft spell already enchanted on them.

 

Boundless Legacy of the Accio Spell

The Accio spell has helped Harry on various occasions. In a few, it has saved his life. The spell is harmless but extremely useful. It is one of the most used Harry Potter spells in the books. With the power it bestows upon its caster, the spell can summon anything and everything the caster desires.

The Accio spell makes life and tasks easier for the wizards daily as objects fly towards them, and they can get anything they want without having to lift a finger.

Cruciatus Curse – the Unforgivable Curse To Torture Your Enemies

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
The Cruciatus Curse

The Cruciatus Curse originated during the Middle Ages. After the reformation of the Wizard’s Council into the Ministry of Magic, rigid regulations banned the use of this spell. The Ministry declared the Cruciatus Curse unforgivable in the year 1717. The use of this curse was punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban without parole.

 

“Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was… white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain; he was screaming more loudly than he’d ever screamed in his life — “

-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

 

Effect of the Cruciatus Curse

The Cruciatus Curse causes immense pain when used on someone. The person will experience an intense sensation. It will make the person wish for unconsciousness and even death. The person who used this spell needed to be soulless and had a deep desire to cause harm.

For instance, Bellatrix Lestrange was extremely sadistic. She lacked conscience and did not follow the rules of a fair duel. She used the curse with daunting potency as she seemingly had an affinity to it.

Lestrange tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom with the Cruciatus Curse. She tortured them for information regarding the whereabouts of the Dark Lord to restore him to power.

The pain may cause permanent damage to memory and mental health if used on a person for a long time, and it happened with Longbottoms. They spent the rest of their lives at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. They could not bear the trauma the spell subjected them to.

The Ministry declared the Cruciatus Curse as unforgivable because of its harmful and long-lasting damage. It was the tool of sadistic pleasure for many dark wizards. The curse remained in effect in Azkaban for the dangerous magical criminals.

 

Legal Status of the Cruciatus Curse

The Cruciatus Curse was one of the three curses pronounced by the Ministry of Magic to be “Dark Magic”, along with the Killing and Imperius Curses. The Cruciatus Curse was a popular instrument of torture for the vilest of the dark wizards. The Ministry additionally declared that the use of this curse on any human would be punishable by a life sentence without parole in Azkaban.

 

Nature of the Cruciatus Curse

The Cruciatus Curse caused immense pain, as Harry himself described it. Lord Voldemort had tortured Harry with the curse in the battle at Little Hangleton graveyard. Harry described the pain as a feeling worse than “one thousand white-hot knives, boring into the skin”. It is beyond the imagination of what anyone can ever imagine.

The sensation of the curse is intense. It causes the person to lose consciousness. Under the effect of this curse, one only wishes for death to escape the unspeakable and searing pain.

The spell could also attack  Secret Keepers to inflict pain and suffering on them. It did not guarantee the fact that they might reveal the truth, though.

If the Cruciatus Curse hit an inanimate object, it would cause the object to shatter.

 

Cruciatus Curse: Performance

To perform this spell successfully, the wizard or witch has to possess a deep desire to cause immense pain to their victim.

 

Effects of the Cruciatus Curse

The spell causes great mental and physical torture. It may even bend and twitch one’s limbs. The curse causes sounds of agony to ring out, declaring the torturous pain.

 

Defense against the Cruciatus Curse

The Cruciatus Curse is a difficult spell to defend oneself from. Still, there are options to evade it. One can dodge the spell if they hide behind a solid object. Strong-willed wizards can resist the pain for a long time. Harry was able to do so when Voldemort attacked him with the curse in the Little Hangleton graveyard.

A second way to avoid the spell was to interrupt the caster before they finished chanting it. Harry attacked Snape with this spell in Legilimency class. Snape dodged the spell as he saw it coming.

 

Known History of Uses of the Cruciatus Curse

During the First Wizarding War, Barty Crouch Sr. was in charge of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Barty Crouch Sr. was charged with violence. He legalized the Unforgivable Curses for the Aurors to use.

Barty Crouch Jr., under the disguise of Alastor Moody, had shown the curse to the students in their fourth year. He demonstrated the use of all the three Unforgivable Curses. He demonstrated them on a spider as using them on humans has been illegal since 1717.

Voldemort legalized the Unforgivable Curses as soon as he took over the Ministry. Amycus Carrow taught it as a curriculum at Hogwarts.

Harry was furious with Bellatrix Lestrange for murdering his godfather, Sirius Black, in 1996. He attacked her with this curse to make her suffer a brief moment of pain. He justified his use of the curse in “righteous anger”.

 

Harry almost used it on Snape in their Legilimency class. The latter taught him how not to let the Dark Lord infiltrate his mind in that class.

Harry used this spell more effectively in 1998 on Amycus Carrow, a Death Eater. Carrow had spit on Professor McGonagall’s face which angered Harry. Harry attacked Amycus in a rage with the sole purpose of causing him pain. The spell inflicted on Amycus caused him excruciating and prolonged pain.

On the other hand, the Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, used the spell quite liberally, without any conscience on anyone. It seemed like she had an affinity for the Cruciatus Curse.

 

Bellatrix Lestrange tortured Luna Lovegood with the Cruciatus Curse at the Malfoy Manor, where Luna was for months.

After the Snatchers captured Hermoine, they brought her to the Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix then proceeded to torture her and even engraved the word “Mudblood” on her arm.

Amycus Carrow had also used this spell on Ginny Weasley at the Second Wizarding War at Hogwarts.

D.A. members Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finch used the spell on Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle to punish them for their disobedience.

 

 

Avada Kedavra Meaning: glimpses of the killing curse

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
Avada Kedavra

Labelled as the worst Unforgivable Curse (the other two being the Cruciatus Curse and Imperius Curse), Avada Kedavra meaning is, in simple words, death. The spell instantly takes the life of the person standing in front of the wand casting this spell.

 

Avada Kedavra Meaning and Origin

Any sorcerer who would want to kill others can use this spell and chant “Avada Kedavra”. The Avada Kedavra meaning stands for “what was said has been done”, or in Aramaic, meaning to “be destroyed at this word”. In the Potter-verse, it is also known as the Harry Potter killing curse.

This ancient Aramaic spell originates from abracadabra, which means ‘let the thing be destroyed’. It was originally used to cure illnesses. However, J.K. Rowling took the illness as the ‘thing’ standing in front of someone about to perform the spell. Alternatively, the word ‘kedavra’ sounds quite close to the English word cadaver, which means ‘corpse’. It is derived from the Latin word ‘cadere’ meaning, ‘to fall’.

 

Cause of Death of the Victims of Avada Kedavra

The book has never stated any biological reasons for the victims of the curse to die instantly. It may cause a person’s soul to ‘pass on’ and leave the body. It might be quite similar to what happens when someone dies naturally, and their soul passes on to the afterlife. In any case, it is something that does not affect the health of the victims that could be detected by any Muggle autopsy. There is no change or cause other than outright death.

 

Avada Kedavra: The Only Spell that is Crafted to Kill

There are other spells in the magic vocabulary that can cause the death of someone. Spells that can cause grievous injury are Fiendfyre, Sectumsempra, Antonin Dolohov’s Curse, the Blasting Curse or even overuse of the Stunning Spell. Other spells like the Imperius curse or Impedimenta can cause death in certain circumstances. The  Imperius Curse is used on someone to order the person to commit suicide.

However, Avada Kedavra is the only spell whose sole and primary application is to cause death, instant death.

 

Unforgivable Killing Curse

The Killing Curse was one of the three curses pronounced by the Ministry of Magic to be “Dark Magic”, along with the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses. They were deemed “unforgivable” throughout the UK from 1717 onwards.

The Killing Curse was declared to be the deadliest of the three. The Ministry commenced this declaration by adding that the use of this curse on any human would be punishable by a life sentence without parole in Azkaban.

The Killing Curse was used in other scenarios like the Magical Congress of the United States of America in 1927. It was legitimately used on magical beasts who were considered dangerous.

This curse was also used during the First Wizarding War, both by Aurors and supporters of the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald.

 

Nature of Avada Kedavra

The use of the Killing Curse is recognized by a flash of green light and a rushing noise emitted from the wand of the one who cast it. When the curse hits a living being, anything organic, the being gets invariably killed. There will be no detectable injury marks if someone is killed by the Avada Kedavra. The one and only Avada Kedavra meaning is instant death.

When the curse struck Voldemort, it killed his physical body but ripped his soul. Although most victims just drop dead, if the force of the impact is strong enough, it might blast off a person as well. When Snape used the curse on Dumbledore, he fell off the Astronomy Tower, an impact that Harry described as an “iron-clad punch”.

When the curse hits an inanimate object, it could produce greenish sparks or explosions of enormous intensity, large enough to blow up a place. It is known by most in the wizarding world as the signature spell of Lord Voldemort.

 

Chances of Survival

Though it could be physically dodged, the Killing Curse is unblockable, and its effect, i.e. death, is irreversible once it strikes a living victim. Also, there is no counter curse to revive the dead. However, there are a few exceptions.

In the magical world, there have been only two people who were able to survive the curse. Harry Potter, “The Boy Who Lived”, was protected by his mother’s loving sacrifice and Voldemort himself due to the Horcruxes he made. Each of them had a part of his soul in it.

Harry avoided being killed by the spell a second time when he used the Disarming Charm and was saved by the effects of Priori Incantatem when his and Voldemort’s wands interlocked in the Little Hangleton graveyard.

In 1996, Fawkes sacrificed himself by swallowing a Killing Curse cast by Voldemort, aimed at Dumbledore. However, since phoenixes are immortal, he just burst into flames and was immediately reborn from his own ashes.

 

The Victims of the Harry Potter Killing Curse

Lord Voldemort murdered many people with his signature spell. His victims included his own father, Tom Riddle Senior, his grandfather and grandmother, James and Lily Potter, Charity Burbage, Frank Bryce, Gellert Grindelwald, Bertha Jorkins, Cedric Diggory and countless more. In fact, he had killed enough people to create his own army of Inferi.

 

How Harry Survived the Killing Curse

Simply put, it was mother’s love. Something that Voldemort did not understand. So, when he asked Lily to step aside, and she refused, she had already cast her protective spell around the cradle of baby Harry. When the spell rebounded and hit the Dark Lord himself, it fragmented his soul into pieces, and one of them resided in Harry.

It was a kind of magic that Voldemort would have never comprehended.

When Voldemort hit Harry with the Killing Curse in the Battle of Hogwarts, he destroyed his own piece of Horcrux inside him, thus setting Harry free. Once all the Horcruxes were destroyed, Voldemort was at his most vulnerable. His own Killing curse spell bounced back at him for the Elder Wand refused to recognize him as its master, and he died an undignified death.

Harry Potter was a threat to Voldemort as long as he was alive. However, surviving the Avada Kedavra spell made him a legend.

 

The Bottom Line

The true power that lay behind bringing Harry back to life came from his unwillingness to fight death. His mother’s unconditional love shielded him from the Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse) once again, even after 17 years. It changed the hitherto existing Avada Kedavra meaning- the killing curse could be meticulously eluded by love.

 

Stupefy! – A complete guide to the Stunning Spell from Harry Potter

Isla Harry Potter Spells ,
Stupefy Spell

The Stupefy Spell, commonly known as the Stunning Spell, was a charm that wizards used to stun their target. It is one of the most commonly occurring and used Harry Potter spells. This charm was mostly used in duels.

“…Harry felt himself positively swelling with pride as he watched them all. True, Neville did Stun Padma Patil rather than Dean, at whom he had been aiming, but it was a much closer miss than usual, and everybody else had made enormous progress.”

— Dumbledore’s Army learning the Stunning Spell in December 1995

Stupefy Spell: Origin and Meaning

The word “Stupefy” comes from the Latin word “stupere” which means “to be stunned”. In the books, it is described as a jet of red light that totally immobilizes the person on whom it is used, leaving them literally stunned. The etymology comes from two Latin derivations- “stupefacio” to make senseless and “stupeo” which means “stunned”.

 

Appearance and Effect of Stupefy Spell

When correctly cast, there is usually one main color that appears- red. The spell also has two or three smaller red spirals swirling in and out and around the main cast which makes it more powerful.

The Stupefy Spell can be used as a counter curse to many attacking spells like the Killing Curse. The spell is mainly used to render the target unconscious without causing any serious and lasting damage. The spell’s main use was for creatures like trolls, dragons and half-giants. However, if an ordinary person is attacked by this spell, it may result in injury. It is also used to halt moving objects. It could also be used in a duel and is not too harmless. It will effectively end the duel without causing any lasting damage.

 

How to defend oneself against Stupefy Spell?

The Stunning spell can be reversed. The Stunning spell’s effects can be countered by the Reviving Spell. But it wears away on their own with time as well. The Reviving spell creates a shielding charm that protects the person from the attack and the subsequent shock and suffering of the Stunning spell. Another method of avoiding the spell was to deflect it with a Shield Charm.

 

Uses of Stupefy Spell

The Stupefy Spell has been used on various occasions in Hogwarts, and some of the uses had left a lasting impression on the reader’s mind.

 

Successful Uses of Stupefy Spell

The stunning spell is commonly used in the fifth book of the series that bore both good and bad results. Gellert Grindelwald used the Stupefy spell to stun Mykew Gregorovitch to steal the Elder Wand. Harry and his friends at the D.A. (Dumbledore’s Army) learnt the spell as they were training to fight Voldemort and his Death Eater followers. They took it upon themselves to learn how to defend because Professor Umbridge refused to teach them how to do so. Harry led the D.A., teaching everyone how to defend themselves using this spell.

The spell was used seriously for the first time by Professor McGonagall, the Head of the Gryffindor House. She was trying to save Hagrid, Hogwarts Gamekeeper and Professor for the Care of Magical Creatures from being taken away by Umbridge along with Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad.

Harry first learnt to use this spell in the third task in the Triwizard Tournament. The Death Eaters attacked the convoy that was helping Harry escape during the Battle of the Seven Potters. He also used Stupefy on Dolores Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy during the skirmish in the Malfoy Manor, and Gringotts Goblins while trying to escape after robbing the bank.

 

Luna Lovegood had also used the spell to help Harry. She used it in the Ravenclaw Tower, where she was searching for information on Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem to help Harry destroy the Horcrux, just moments before the Battle of Hogwarts.

 

It is possible to bewitch objects to be resistant to the spell. Fred Weasley and George Weasley bewitched their shop’s fireworks to explode when they were hit by the Stunning Spell. They did this during their last year at Hogwarts in an attempt to go out in style in true Weasley twin fashion. This was done with the sole purpose of making Umbridge taste her own medicine of meddling in Hogwarts administration on behalf of the Ministry of Magic.

 

Unsuccessful Uses of Stupefy Spell

Professor Dolores Umbridge had failed to stop fireworks that were enchanted by the Stunning spell by the Weasley twins. Instead of freezing, they started to explode mid-air. It was so impactful that it blasted a hole in a painting in the Great Hall in the fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Bellatrix Lestrange tried to hit Harry in the Hall of Prophecy during the battle of the Department of Mysteries. However, her spell was reflected by Lucius Malfoy’s spell, bouncing off and destroying various prophecies on the shelves.

Harry Potter tried stunning Severus Snape when the latter was trying to flee Hogwarts after killing Albus Dumbledore. However, he was unsuccessful as Snape escaped the stun of the spell.

Xenophilius Lovegood has also used the stunning spell to defend himself from Death Eaters. As the Death Eaters approached his house, he hit his Erumpent horn with the spell, causing a massive explosion.

 

Frequent Practitioners

Some of the known practitioners of this spell are quite famous wizards and witches. A few of them even fought at the First and Second Wizarding Wars. Dark wizards like Gellert Grindelwald, Leta Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange, even the Dark Lord himself when he was a student called Tom Riddle, Cedric Diggory, Amos Diggory, Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape and many more. The Golden Trio also has used the spell on various occasions.

 

The Stupefy Spell is one of the strongest spells

In terms of impact and damage, the stupefy spell is one of the strongest. Thus, it is a great defense mechanism. The Stupefy Spell has always lived up to its name and protected those who wielded it in desperate need.

Mischief Managed.