The following is a list of known spells employed by the wizarding world.
A
Age Line
- Effect: Prevents people below a certain age from approaching something
- Light: Golden
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Alarte Ascendare
- Incantation: Alarte Ascendare
- Pronunciation: uh-LAR-tay uh-SEN-der-ay
- Effect: Throws target high into the air
- Light: none
- Etymology: Latin alarte, "winged", and ascendare, "to ascend"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Avifors Spell
- Incantation: Avifors
- Pronunciation: AH-vih-fors
- Effect: Transfigures an inanimate object into a bird
- Light: Blue
- Etymology: Latin Avis, meaning "bird" (-fors often used in Transfiguration spells)
- First Seen: Harry Potter Trading Card Game
B
Banishing Charm
- Incantation: Depulso
- Pronunciation: deh-POOL-soh
- Effect: Moves a target object away from the caster
- Light: White
- Etymology: Latin depulsio, meaning "driving away"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Bird-Conjuring Charm
- Incantation: Avis
- Pronunciation: AH-viss
- Effect: Conjures birds
- Light: Blue
- Etymology: Latin Avis, meaning "bird"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Blasting Curse
- Incantation: Confringo
- Pronunciation: con-FRIN-joh
- Effect: Blows things up
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin confringo means "blow up" or "explode"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Boggart-Banishing Spell
- Incantation: Riddikulus
- Pronunciation: ree-DIK-oo-loos
- Effect: Forces a boggart to change its shape, if performed correctly, into something humorous
- Light: None (whip-crack noise)
- Etymology: Latin ridiculum, or English ridiculous
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Bubble-Head Charm
- Effect: Covers target's head with a bubble of breathable air
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
C
Carpe Retractum
- Incantation: Carpe Retractum
- Pronunciation: CAR-pay reh-TRAK-tum
- Effect: Pulls an object toward the caster, or the caster toward a fixed point
- Light: Purple or Orange
- Etymology: Latin carpe meaning "seize," and English retract
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
Confundus Charm
- Incantation: Confundo
- Pronunciation: kon-FUN-doh
- Effect: Confuses target
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin confundo, meaning "to confuse"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Conjunctivitis Curse
- Effect: Causes swelling and irritation in the victim's eyes
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Cruciatus Curse
- Incantation: Crucio
- Pronunciation: CROO-shee-oh
- Effect: Causes intense pain over the victim's entire body, torture
- Light: Red or none
- Etymology: Latin crucio, meaning "I torture"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Curse of the Bogies
- Incantation: Mucus ad Nauseam
- Pronunciation: MEW-cuss add NO-see-um
- Effect: Runny nose
- Light: Green
- Etymology: English mucus, a bodily secretion, and Latin ad nauseam, which translates to "to the point of sickness".
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
D
Disarming Charm
- Incantation: Expelliarmus
- Pronunciation: ex-PELL-ee-ARE-muss
- Effect: Disarms an opponent
- Light: Scarlet
- Inventor: Elizabeth Smudgling
- Etymology: English expel, meaning "remove" and Latin armus, "weapon"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Draconifors
- Incantation: Draconifors
- Pronunciation: drah-KOHN-ih-fors
- Effect: Transfigures an inanimate object into a small dragon
- Light: Red
- Etymology: Latin draco, meaning "dragon" (-fors often used in transfiguration spells)
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
E
Engorgement Charm
- Incantation: Engorgio
- Pronunciation: in-GORE-jee-oh
- Effect: Swelling
- Light: None
- Etymology: English engorge, meaning "swell"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Everte Statum
- Incantation: Everte Statum
- Pronunciation: eh-VER-tay STA-tum
- Effect: Causes a sharp pain in target, causing them to stumble
- Light: Orange
- Etymology: Latin everte, "to throw out", and statua, "image"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
F
Fire-Making Spell
- Incantation: Incendio
- Pronunciation: in-SEN-dee-oh
- Effect: Conjures flames
- Light: Fire
- Etymology: Latin incaendio, meaning "fire"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
Four-Point Spell
- Incantation: Point Me
- Effect: Causes wand to act as a compass, pointing north
- Light: None
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
G
Glacius
- Incantation: Glacius
- Pronunciation: GLAY-see-us
- Effect: Freezes target
- Light: Orange or Blue
- Etymology: Latin glaciēs, meaning "ice"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
Green Sparks
- Effect: Green sparks
- Light: Green
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
H
Herbivicus
- Incantation: Herbivicus
- Pronunciation: her-BEE-vee-cuss
- Effect: Grows plants
- Light: Green
- Etymology: Latin herb, meaning "plant"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
I
Illegibilus
- Incantation: Illegibilus
- Pronunciation: ill-LEDGE-a-BILL-us
- Effect: Renders text illegible
- Etymology: English illegible, meaning "unreadable"
- First Seen: Harry Potter Trading Card Game
Impediment Jinx
- Incantation: Impedimenta
- Effect: Halts forward movement of the target
- Light: Green
- Etymology: Latin impedimentum, meaning "to hinder"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Imperius Curse
- Incantation: Imperio
- Pronunciation: im-PEER-ee-oh
- Effect: Allows caster to control the victim's mind and actions
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin imperio, meaning "to rule"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J
Jelly-Legs Curse
- Incantation: Locomotor Wibbly
- Pronunciation: LOCK-a-motor WIB-lee
- Effect: Collapses legs
- Light: Red
- Etymology: The incantation for the Locomotion Charm.
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
K
Killing Curse
- Incantation: Avada Kedavra
- Pronunciation: uh-VAH-dah keh-DAHV-rah
- Effect: Kills victim instantly
- Light: Blinding flash of green
- Etymology: Aramaic avada kedavra, meaning "be destroyed at this word" (the same root as "Abracadabra")
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Knitting charm
- Effect: Knits things
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
Knockback Jinx
- Incantation: Flipendo
- Pronunciation: fli-PEN-do
- Effect: Knocks target over
- Light: Orange or Blue
- Etymology: English flip, meaning "turn over"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
L
Langlock
- Incantation: Langlock
- Pronunciation: LANG-lok
- Effect: Sticks target's tongue to the roof of their mouth
- Light: None
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- Etymology: Langue, the root for "tongue", English lock
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Lapifors
- Incantation: Lapifors
- Pronunciation: LAH-pih-fors
- Effect: Transfigures an inanimate object into a rabbit
- Light: Green
- Etymology: Latin lepus, meaning "hare" (-fors often used in transfiguration spells)
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
Levicorpus
- Incantation: Levicorpus (nonverbal)
- Pronunciation: leh-vih-KOR-puhs
- Effect: Suspends the target upside-down in the air
- Light: Bright flash
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- Etymology: Latin levare, "to raise," and corpus, "body"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Levitation Charm
- Incantation: Wingardium Leviosa
- Pronunciation: win-GAR-dee-um leh-vee-OH-sa
- Effect: Levitates things
- Light: None
- Inventor: Jarleth Hobart
- Etymology: English wing, meaning "fly"; Latin arduus, meaning "high" and levis, meaning "light", which is also of Latin origin
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Liberacorpus
- Incantation: Liberacorpus (nonverbal)
- Effect: Counters the effect of Levicorpus
- Light: None
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- Etymology: Latin liberare, "to free," and corpus, "body"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
M
Mending Charm
- Incantation: Reparo
- Pronunciation: reh-PAH-roh
- Effect: Mends broken objects
- Light: None
- Inventor: Orabella Nuttley
- Etymology: Latin reparo, meaning "fix"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Morsmordre
- Incantation: Morsmordre
- Pronunciation: mors-MOR-druh
- Effect: Summons the Dark Mark
- Light: Green
- Etymology: French mors, "death", and mordre, "to bite"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Muffliato Charm
- Incantation: Muffliato
- Pronunciation: muff-LEE-ah-toe
- Effect: Fills the ears of those nearby with buzzing that prevents them from hearing clearly
- Light: none
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- Etymology: English muffle
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
O
Oculus Reparo
- Incantation: Oculus Reparo
- Pronunciation: OCK-you-liss reh-PAH-roh
- Effect: Mends eyeglasses
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin oculus, meaning "eyes" and Reparo
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
P
Patronus Charm
- Incantation: Expecto Patronum
- Pronunciation: ek-SPEK-toh puh-TROH-num
- Effect: Summons a guardian of light to protect the caster from dark creatures, such as Dementors or Lethifolds.
- Light: Silvery-White
- Etymology: Latin Expecto, "I await", and Patronus, "guardian"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Periculum
- Incantation: Periculum
- Pronunciation: per-IK-yoo-lum
- Effect: Shoots a red firework
- Light: Red
- Etymology: Latin periculum, meaning "danger"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Protean Charm
- Effect: Causes copies of something to mimic the original
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Purple Firecrackers
- Effect: Shoots several purple firecrackers
- Light: Purple
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Q
Quietus
- Incantation: Quietus
- Pronunciation: QUIET-us
- Effect: Quiets something
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin quietus, meaning "quiet"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
R
Red Sparks
- Effect: Red Sparks
- Light: Red
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Reductor Curse
- Incantation: Reducto
- Pronunciation: ree-DUK-toh
- Effect: Blasts solid objects to pieces
- Light: Blue
- Etymology: English reduce, meaning "to bring down"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Revealing Charm
- Incantation: Aparecium
- Pronunciation: AH-pah-REE-see-um
- Effect: Reveals hidden writing
- Light: Purple
- Etymology: Latin appareo, meaning "lay bare"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Revulsion Jinx
- Incantation: Relashio
- Pronunciation: re-LASH-ee-oh
- Effect: Releases the target's grip, sometimes painfully
- Light: Purple
- Etymology: French relâcher, meaning "to release"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
S
Scouring Charm
- Incantation: Scourgify
- Effect: Cleans target object
- Light: None
- Etymology: English scour, "to clean," and -ify, "to make"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Sectumsempra
- Incantation: Sectumsempra
- Pronunciation: sek-TUM-semp-ruh
- Effect: Slashes victim, as if with a sword
- Light: Bright flash
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- Etymology: Latin sectum, "having been cut", and sempra, "always"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Severing Charm
- Incantation: Diffindo
- Pronunciation: deef-IN-doe
- Effect: Cuts things
- Light: White
- Inventor: Delfina Crimp
- Etymology: The incantation is Latin for "split"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
Shrinking Charm
- Incantation: Reducio
- Pronunciation: reh-DOO-see-oh
- Effect: Shrinks objects, counters the Engorgement Charm
- Light: Purple
- Etymology: English reduce, meaning "to bring down"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Skurge
- Incantation: Skurge
- Pronunciation: skurj
- Effect: Clears ectoplasm
- Light: White, Green, or Blue
- Etymology: English scour, meaning "to clean"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
Snake Summons Spell
- Incantation: Serpensortia
- Pronunciation: ser-pen-SOR-tee-uh
- Effect: Conjures a large, black snake
- Light: none
- Etymology: Latin serpens, "serpent", and oriri, "to be created"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Softening Charm
- Incantation: Spongify
- Pronunciation: SPUNJ-ih-fie
- Effect: Softens the target object, or makes the target springy
- Light: Pink
- Etymology: English sponge, and -ify, "to make"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
Stunning Spell
- Incantation: Stupefy
- Pronunciation: STOO-peh-fie
- Effect: Renders victim unconscious
- Light: Red
- Etymology: English, meaning "to be stunned"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Summoning Charm
- Incantation: Accio
- Pronunciation: AHK-see-oh
- Effect: Pulls things
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin accio, meaning "call" or "summon"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
T
Tickling Charm
- Incantation: Rictusempra
- Pronunciation: RICK-too-SEM-prah
- Effect: Tickles the victim
- Light: Silver
- Etymology: Latin rictus and sempra; meaning "forever open-mouthed"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Tickling Hex
- Incantation: Titillando
- Pronunciation: TI-til-lan-do
- Effect: Tickles the victim
- Light: Purple
- First Seen: Harry Potter Trading Card Game
Toenail-growing hex
- Effect: Causes victim's toenails to grow at an alarming rate
- Inventor: Severus Snape
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Tongue-Tying Curse
- Incantation: Mimble Wimble
- Pronunciation: MIM-bul WIM-bul
- Effect: Binds target's tongue to prevent them casting their next spell
- Light: Blue
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
U
Unbreakable Charm
- Effect: Renders an object unbreakable
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Undetectable Extension Charm
- Effect: Makes a container larger within, while magically disguising the effect.
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Unlocking Charm
- Incantation: Alohomora
- Pronunciation: ah-LOH-huh-MOR-uh
- Effect: Unlocks most locks
- Light: Blue, Yellow, or none
- Etymology: West African Sidiki word, meaning "friendly to thieves"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
V
Verdillious
- Incantation: Verdillious
- Pronunciation: ver-DILL-ee-us
- Effect: Green sparks
- Light: Green
- Etymology: Latin verdis, meaning "green"
- First Seen: Harry Potter Trading Card Game
Verdimillious
- Incantation: Verdimillious
- Pronunciation: ver-dih-MILL-ee-us
- Effect: Green sparks
- Light: Green
- Etymology: Latin verdis, meaning "green"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Vermillious
- Incantation: Vermillious
- Pronunciation: ver-MILL-ee-us
- Effect: Red sparks
- Light: Red
- Etymology: English vermillion, a shade of red
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Vipera Evanesca
- Incantation: Vipera Evanesca
- Pronunciation: Vee-PARE-uh eh-vuh-NES-kuh
- Effect: Vanishes conjured snakes
- Light: none
- Etymology: Latin evanesco, meaning "disappear." Vipera is the genus of venomous vipers
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Vulnera Sanentur
- Incantation: Vulnera Sanentur
- Pronunciation: VULL-ner-uh sa-NEN-tur
- Effect: Stitches and heals cut flesh (for major wounds)
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin vulnus, "wound", and sanare, "to heal"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
W
Wand-Lighting Charm
- Incantation: Lumos
- Pronunciation: LOO-mohs
- Effect: End of the caster's wand emits a beam of light
- Light: White
- Etymology: Latin lumen, meaning "light"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Wand-Extinguishing Charm
- Incantation: Nox
- Pronunciation: NOHKS
- Effect: Reverses effect of the wand-lighting charm
- Light: None
- Etymology: Latin nox, meaning "night"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Water-Making Spell
- Incantation: Aguamenti
- Pronunciation: AH-gwah-MEN-tee
- Effect: Conjures water
- Light: Blue
- Etymology: Latin aqua, meaning "water" and mentis, meaning "mind"
- First Seen: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince