Changes: One-Eyed Witch Spell

Revision as of 01:16, 31 December 2014

"At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person."

— Description^[src]

Dissendium was the incantation of a charm that revealed hidden passageways.

History

Harry potter learned this spell from the Marauder's Map during the 1993-1994 school year. He later used it to venture into Hogsmeade without permission.

Known practitioners

Behind the scenes

Harry uses Dissendium on Slytherin's locket

While initially this appears to be a simple password for the statue, it was used in other media in attempts to open lockets, out of frustration.
It is unknown what may happen if Dissendium is used on something else besides passageways, for example it caused a small explosion when it was used in a failed attempt to destroy the locket.

Appearances

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Seeing how he knew of the passage and where it led, it is more than likely he used it. And as one had to perform this spell, to use it, he thus used the spell.
↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Chapter Fourteen - Snape's Grudge)
↑ Hermione retrieved Harry's cloak from beneath the One-Eyed Witch; she needed to have cast Dissendium to open the passage

[fg-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Seeing how he knew of the passage and where it led, it is more than likely he used it. And as one had to perform this spell, to use it, he thus used the spell.

[PoA14-2] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Chapter Fourteen - Snape's Grudge)

[3] Hermione retrieved Harry's cloak from beneath the One-Eyed Witch; she needed to have cast Dissendium to open the passage

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
-{{Template:Spell infobox
+{{Spell_infobox
-|name=Dissendium
-|incantation=''Dissendium''(dis-EN-dee-um)
+|name=''Dissendium''
+|image=[[File:Dissendium.gif|250px]]
+|incantation=''Dissendium''<br/>(dis-EN-dee-um)
 |type=[[Charm]]
-|hand=
+|hand=Tap target
+|light=None
-*Tap the one-eyed [[Wizards|witch]] three times with your [[wand]].<ref>[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]</ref>
+|effect=Reveals hidden passageways
-*Brandish the wand at the object whilst incanting.<ref>[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]], Harry casts Dissendium at the locket by brandishing his wand</ref>
-|effect=Unclear; opens the secret passage way to Honeydukes behidn the one-eyed witch, cleaves things (possibly).
-|image=[[File:Dissend.jpg|250px]]
 }}
+{{Quote|At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person.|Description|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban}}
-'''Dissendium''' (dis-EN-dee-um) is a [[charm]] that has been known to open the secret passageway behind the statue of the Humpbacked Witch in Hogwarts straight into the cellar of [[Honeydukes]] in [[Hogsmeade]].
+'''''Dissendium''''' was the [[incantation]] of a [[charm]] that revealed hidden passageways.
+== History ==
+[[Harry potter]] learned this spell from the [[Marauder's Map]] during the [[1993-1994 school year]]. He later used it to venture into [[Hogsmeade]] without permission.
 ==Known practitioners==
-*[[Fred Weasley]]
+*[[Fred Weasley]]<ref name="fg"/>
+*[[George Weasley]]<ref name="fg">Seeing how he knew of the passage and where it led, it is more than likely he used it. And as one had to perform this spell, to use it, he thus used the spell.</ref>
-*[[George Weasley]]
+*[[Harry Potter]]<ref name="PoA14">''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' (''Chapter Fourteen - Snape's Grudge'')</ref>
-*[[Harry Potter]]
+*[[Hermione Granger]]<ref> Hermione retrieved [[Harry Potter|Harry's]] cloak from beneath the One-Eyed Witch; she needed to have cast ''Dissendium'' to open the passage</ref>
-*[[Hermione Granger]]
-==Etymology==
-''Dissendium'' is a curious incantation with an shadowy etymology. At first it seems to be a phonetic spelling of the English word "descend" with a common Latin noun ending attached (-ium), however, this is not consistent with its known spell effects.
-The whole word could be derived from the English "Dissemble" which means "to conceal, to disguise the true nature or motives of"<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dissemble Dissemble, definition of]</ref>. This would seem off at first (since the spell seems to do the opposite - expose) but makes more sense when one considers the secretive context in which it was being used.
-It could also come from Latin in three parts: the first part: ''dissocio'', which means to "part, separate, divide'' in its verb form (just like the English verb that is derived from it - to dissociate)<ref name="HPL_Dissendium">http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/spells/spells_d.html#dissendium</ref><ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dissociate Dissociate, definition & etymology of]</ref>; ''en'', meaning "behold, look, here!"<ref name="HPL_Dissendium"/><ref>[http://www.the-orb.net/latwords.html Latin word list]</ref><ref>[http://www.online-dictionary.biz/latin/english/meaning/en En, Latin to English translation]</ref>; and ''Dium'', which could refer to the sun and normally translates as ''day'' (or, more appropriately, ''today'') but can also be used as the command ''now''<ref name="HPL_Dissendium"/><ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dius#Latin Dius, the various Latin noun forms of]</ref>. Altogether, therefore, ''Dissendium'' could hence read roughly as "part/separate here, now" or "part and behold!".
-Finally, it could also be based n the Latin ''discessum'', "departed" (being the neuter perfect passive participle of ''discēdō'')<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/discessus#Latin Discessum, meaning & etymology]</ref>. "To depart" refers to deviation, the movement of something away from something else, including itself<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/depart Depart, definition of]</ref>.
 ==Behind the scenes==
+[[File:Dissend.jpg|thumb|Harry uses Dissendium on Slytherin's locket|left|241x241px]]
-*Whilst this at first seems to be a simple magical password (like "Mimbulus Mimbletonia", once a password for the [[Fat Lady]]); and "Acid Pops", one of the passwords for Dumbledore's office gargoyle in [[1996]]), it does appear to be an actual spell, given its representation throughout the franchise. For example, it is mentioned that Harry has to tap the statue of the crone with his wand while incanting in order for it to open up and the name of the spell is also similar to the way other spells are named. Finally, in the first part of the [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'', Harry Potter casts the spell 'Dissendium' in a fit of frustration at [[Salazar Slytherin's locket|Slytherin's locket]]. This would make sense, considering that if it does actually cleave things (as the name and usage suggest) then this could be considered a valid way to open or even destroying the Locket (which fits with its use in that scenes alongside spells like ''[[Reducto]]'' and ''[[Expulso]]'').
+*While initially this appears to be a simple password for the statue, it was used in other media in attempts to open [[Salazar Slytherin's Locket|lockets]], out of frustration.
-*The name Dissendium is vaguely reminiscent of the word "dissident", meaning to be against the laws, a possible reference to its mischievous use when opening the sceret passage to Honeydukes.
+*It is unknown what may happen if ''Dissendium'' is used on something else besides passageways, for example it caused a small explosion when it was used in a failed attempt to destroy the locket.
 ==Appearances==
@@ Line 34: / Line 29: @@
 *''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)]]''
 *''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]''
-*''[[Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
+*''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
+*''[[Pottermore]]''
 ==Notes and references==
 {{Reflist}}
-{{Stub}}
 [[fr:Dissendium]]
 [[fi:Halkhios]]