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{{Spell infobox
 
{{Spell infobox
 
|name=Confundus Charm
|image=[[File:Tumblr l81svp7nGj1qc5fnro1 500.jpg]]
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|image=[[File:Tumblr m012sxcnm01rpm9hyo3 250.gif|250px]]
|name=Confundus Charm
 
|incantation=''Confundo'' (Con-FUN-doh)
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|incantation=''Confundo''<ref name="DH26">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' - Chapter 26 (''Gringotts'')</ref><br/>(con-FUN-doe)
 
|type=[[Charm]]
 
|type=[[Charm]]
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|hand=[[File:ConfundusCharm.png|75px]]
|hand=
 
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|light=None<ref name="DH26"/>
|effect=Causes confusion
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|effect=Produces confusion<ref name="DH26"/>
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Quote| ''[...]'' each of the guards gave a little start as the spells hit them. The guard was confused. He stared down at the thin, golden [[Probity Probe|Probe]] and then at his companion, who said in a slightly dazed voice, 'Yeah, you've just checked them, [[Marius]].|The [[Gringotts guard]]s, confunded by [[Harry Potter]]|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}
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The '''Confundus Charm'''<ref name="GoF17">''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' - Chapter 17 (''The Four Champions'')</ref> (''Confundo''<ref name="DH26"/>) is a [[charm]] which causes confusion in a person<ref name="DH26"/> or [[Charm|bewitches]] an object.<ref name="GoF17"/> It appears that there are varying degrees of confusion caused by the [[spell]], from simply tricking a person or thing about a specific incident<ref name="HBP11">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' - Chapter 11 (''Hermione's Helping Hand'')</ref> to confusing a person to the point at which they endanger themselves.<ref name="OOTP35">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' - ''Chapter 35 (''Beyond the Veil'')</ref>
   
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==Casting==
The '''Confundus Charm''' is a [[charm]] that causes a person or animated object to become highly confused. There appears to be varying degrees of inflicted confusion, ranging from tricking a person about a specific issue to making them lose all semblance of common sense, similar to the Imperius Curse, even to the point of endangering themselves.<ref>If the Confundus Charm was the spell used on Ron Weasley in the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]], it was strong enough to make him unable to protect himself and inclined to injure himself through recklessness, as he did in summoning the brains.</ref> The incantation is ''"Confundo."''
 
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The spell seems to be rather difficult to cast, as [[Severus Snape]], a very powerful [[Wizardkind|wizard]] who could flawlessly perform [[Nonverbal spell]]casting and [[Wandless spell]]s, had such trouble with it that he had to "frown in concentration". To cast it, one must point their wand directly at the person or thing that must be confused and incant, "''Confundo''". If one is casting the [[charm]] on multiple targets, they must point their wand at each individual target in turn and incant once for every individual target.
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===Effects===
   
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Although the spell carries no light or sound, one can detect if another person has been Confunded (someone who has had this spell cast on them has been "Confunded") only immediately after the spell has been cast; the person will shudder when the spell hits them. It will cause any of varying degrees of confusion, from a simple trick<ref name="HBP11"/> to making a person believe that they have come up with a complex plan when said plan was given to them by the caster.<ref name="DH33"/> It can also be used on inanimate objects that have a level of sentience, as Barty Crouch Jr. did with the [[Goblet of Fire]], though this was noted to be a difficult task, as the Goblet itself was a powerful magical artefact.<ref name="GoF17"/>
==Known Uses==
 
*During the [[Triwizard Tournament]] of [[1994]], [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Barty Crouch, Jr.]] (in the disguise of retired [[Auror]] and new [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] professor [[Alastor Moody]]) used this charm to fool the [[Goblet of Fire]] into accepting [[Harry Potter]] under a non-existent fourth school. <ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*In [[1996]], [[Hermione Granger]] used this spell on [[Cormac McLaggen]] during the [[Gryffindor]] [[Quidditch]] [[Gryffindor Quidditch team|team]]'s [[Keeper]] tryouts to lessen his chances of passing after she overheard him insult [[Ronald Weasley|Ron]] and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]].<ref name="HBP">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref>
 
*In [[1997]], under Dumbledore's portrait's instructions, Severus Snape used this charm on Mundungus Fletcher, so that the latter could suggest using seven identical Potters (by means of the Polyjuice Potion) to the other members of the Order of the Phoenix when they moved Harry from Privet Drive.
 
*In [[1998]], Harry used the Confundus Charm on several employees of [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]] in order to facilitate a [[Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank (1998)|break-in]].<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
 
*In [[2017]], Ron used this spell on a [[Muggle]] driving instructor to earn his driving-licence.<ref name="DH"/>
 
*An unidentified person, most likely a [[Death Eater]], jinxed [[Ronald Weasley]] in the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] in his fifth year.
 
   
 
==Known practitioners==
==Possible Uses==
 
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[[File:Tumblr_m012sxcnm01rpm9hyo2_250.gif|frame|Hermione casting the Confundus Charm]]
*The Confundus Charm may be the spell that [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] was struck with by a [[Death Eaters|Death Eater]] during the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]]. He was highly confused and inappropriately amused, even [[Summoning Charm|summoning]] brains to himself, which subsequently began to strangle him.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''</ref>
 
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*[[Barty Crouch Jr.]]<ref name="GoF35">''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' - Chapter 35 (''Veritaserum'')</ref>
*In [[1930s|1938]], [[Albus Dumbledore]] may have used the Confundus Charm on [[Mrs. Cole]]; since the latter did not seem to facilitate Dumbledore's attempt to take [[Tom Riddle|Tom Marvolo Riddle]] to Hogwarts, and was said to be an "inconveniently sharp woman," Dumbledore waved his wand and showed her a blank piece of paper, and her eyes went briefly out of focus. She then let Dumbledore take Riddle without further questions, saying the blank paper was "perfectly in order."<ref name="DH"/>
 
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*[[Hermione Granger]]<ref name="HBP11"/>
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*[[Ronald Weasley]]<ref name="DHE">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' - Epilogue (''Nineteen Years Later'')</ref>
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*[[Severus Snape]]<ref name="DH33">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' - Chapter 33 (''The Prince's Tale'')</ref>
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*[[Harry Potter]]<ref name="DH26" />
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*Albus Dumbledore
   
 
==Etymology==
 
==Etymology==
''Confundus'', as well as the incantation ''Confundo'', are derived from the Latin verb ''confundo (confundo-confudi-confusum-confundere)'', "to confuse, to perplex." They could also be derived from the English word "''confound''". "''Confundo''" also means "I confuse" in Portuguese.
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''Confundus'', as well as the [[incantation]] ''Confundo'', are derived from the [[Latin]] verb ''confundo (confundo-confudi-confusum-confundere)'', meaning "to confuse, to perplex."
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
*In the video games and film, the incantation is ''Confundus''.
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*In the [[Harry Potter (film series)|films]] and [[Harry Potter (video game series)|video games]], the [[incantation]] for this [[charm]] is ''Confundus'', and not ''Confundo'' as it should be.
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*[[Professor]] [[Severus Snape]] repeatedly insisted that [[Sirius Black]] had [[curse]]d [[Harry Potter]] and [[Hermione Granger]] with this [[spell]]; however, this was false, as Black was actually telling the truth. This, however, could merely have been a cover-up to attempt to protect Harry due to his lasting love for his mother, and the reason he did the same for Hermione and Ron may have been would seem odd if only Harry was supposedly confunded when all three of them attacked him.
*In ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', [[Severus Snape]] insisted that the reason that Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley stated that [[Sirius Black]] was innocent was because Black had used this Charm on them.
 
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* [[Ronald Weasley]] used this spell to trick his Driving Examiner into letting him pass his driving test. This clearly constitutes a breach of the [[International Statute of Secrecy]], but it is unknown if Ron faced any repercussions about it
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' {{1st Mention}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' {{1st Mention}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' {{1st}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)]]'' {{mention}}
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)]]'' {{Mention}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)]]'' {{C|GBA and DS versions}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)]]'' {{C|GBA and DS versions}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
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*''[[Harry Potter: Spells]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter: Spells]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
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*''[[Pottermore]]'' {{C|Book Herding on PlayStation Home}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==
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[[it:Incantesimo Confundus]]
 
[[it:Incantesimo Confundus]]
 
[[ru:Конфундус]]
 
[[ru:Конфундус]]
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[[pl:Confundus]]
 
[[Category:Charms]]
 
[[Category:Charms]]
 
[[Category:Jinxes]]
 
[[Category:Jinxes]]
 
[[Category:Spells with Incantations of Latin Origin]]
 
[[Category:Spells with Incantations of Latin Origin]]
 
[[Category:Mental spells]]
 
[[Category:Mental spells]]
[[Category:Spells from the Trading Card Game]]
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[[Category:Spells]]

Revision as of 11:01, 1 November 2014

" [...] each of the guards gave a little start as the spells hit them. The guard was confused. He stared down at the thin, golden Probe and then at his companion, who said in a slightly dazed voice, 'Yeah, you've just checked them, Marius."
— The Gringotts guards, confunded by Harry Potter[src]

The Confundus Charm[2] (Confundo[1]) is a charm which causes confusion in a person[1] or bewitches an object.[2] It appears that there are varying degrees of confusion caused by the spell, from simply tricking a person or thing about a specific incident[3] to confusing a person to the point at which they endanger themselves.[4]

Casting

The spell seems to be rather difficult to cast, as Severus Snape, a very powerful wizard who could flawlessly perform Nonverbal spellcasting and Wandless spells, had such trouble with it that he had to "frown in concentration". To cast it, one must point their wand directly at the person or thing that must be confused and incant, "Confundo". If one is casting the charm on multiple targets, they must point their wand at each individual target in turn and incant once for every individual target.

Effects

Although the spell carries no light or sound, one can detect if another person has been Confunded (someone who has had this spell cast on them has been "Confunded") only immediately after the spell has been cast; the person will shudder when the spell hits them. It will cause any of varying degrees of confusion, from a simple trick[3] to making a person believe that they have come up with a complex plan when said plan was given to them by the caster.[5] It can also be used on inanimate objects that have a level of sentience, as Barty Crouch Jr. did with the Goblet of Fire, though this was noted to be a difficult task, as the Goblet itself was a powerful magical artefact.[2]

Known practitioners

Tumblr m012sxcnm01rpm9hyo2 250

Hermione casting the Confundus Charm

Etymology

Confundus, as well as the incantation Confundo, are derived from the Latin verb confundo (confundo-confudi-confusum-confundere), meaning "to confuse, to perplex."

Behind the scenes

  • In the films and video games, the incantation for this charm is Confundus, and not Confundo as it should be.
  • Professor Severus Snape repeatedly insisted that Sirius Black had cursed Harry Potter and Hermione Granger with this spell; however, this was false, as Black was actually telling the truth. This, however, could merely have been a cover-up to attempt to protect Harry due to his lasting love for his mother, and the reason he did the same for Hermione and Ron may have been would seem odd if only Harry was supposedly confunded when all three of them attacked him.
  • Ronald Weasley used this spell to trick his Driving Examiner into letting him pass his driving test. This clearly constitutes a breach of the International Statute of Secrecy, but it is unknown if Ron faced any repercussions about it

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapter 17 (The Four Champions)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 11 (Hermione's Helping Hand)
  4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapter 35 (Veritaserum)
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Epilogue (Nineteen Years Later)