The Locking Spell (Colloportus) is a charm that is used to lock or seal doors so that they cannot be opened manually; however, it is unknown whether a key could be used to unlock them. If it is true that a key would be ineffective against a door sealed with this spell, it would prove quite useful against Muggles because there is a well-known counter charm, Alohomora.

Uses

• The charm is featured in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1.^[2]
• Hermione Granger and Harry Potter both used this spell in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, although the latter's attempts were mostly unsuccessful.^[1]
• Severus Snape may have used this spell to close and lock the door behind his bookshelf in order to prevent Peter Pettigrew overhearing his conversation with Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange in 1996.^[3]

Etymology

Colloportus is composed of the prefix "collo-" deriving from Latin colligo meaning to bind together or possibly Greek κολλάω, κολλώ (collo) which means "to glue, stick" and Latin portus meaning door.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (possibly)
• Pottermore

Notes and references