Fidelius Charm
From Harry Potter Wiki
| Fidelius | |
|---|---|
| Incantation: |
fih-DAY-lee-us |
| Type: |
Protective Charm |
| Effect: |
Allows someone or something to be hidden |
The Fidelius Charm is a complex and powerful spell that allows someone or something to be hidden from the sight of anyone besides specific individuals for an indefinite period of time. Those specific people are the Secret-Keeper and the individuals the Secret-Keeper reveals the information to.
The secret being hidden is stored within the very soul of the Secret-Keeper. Only they have the power to reveal the secret; not even those who have been told the secret can reveal what they know. The information may be passed on through words or writing. If someone has not been given the information, they will be unable to locate the hidden secret, even if they have an idea of where it can be found. When the Secret-Keeper dies, everyone who has been told the secret becomes a Secret-Keeper. If the Secret-Keeper dies without having revealed the secret to anyone, then the secret dies with them, forever. The information will be hidden for all time (unless, of course, there were multiple secret-keepers before the death).
The Fidelius Charm was used to protect James, Lily and Harry Potter from Lord Voldemort at their home in Godric's Hollow. They designated their Secret-Keeper as Sirius Black, but then switched to Peter Pettigrew as they thought it would be less obvious. Pettigrew betrayed them to Lord Voldemort, who found and murdered the Potters. Only Harry survived the attack.
In 1997 when Albus Dumbledore was killed, the members of the Order of the Phoenix automatically became Secret-Keepers for their headquarters at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Unfortunately, this included Severus Snape, whose allegiance was doubtful at the time. As such, the Order was forced to abandon their headquarters.
Soon afterwards, the Death Eaters evidently became aware of Grimmauld Place's approximate location, as they took to watching the gap between houses 11 and 13 when on the lookout for Harry Potter. The house remained invisible to them until Yaxley grabbed onto Hermione Granger's arm while she, Harry and Ron Weasley Disapparated away from the Ministry of Magic to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, where they had been hiding. Because Hermione had been rendered a Secret-Keeper by Dumbledore's death, she inadvertently took Yaxley past the protections of the Fidelius Charm. The trio subsequently abandoned the house as a hideout.
Arthur and Bill Weasley used this charm on their households in 1997 when they went into hiding.
[edit] Etymology
"Fidelis" is Latin, meaning trusty and faithful.
