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Severus Snape: "Now... you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell? Very well — Miss Granger?"
Hermione Granger: "Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform which gives you a split-second advantage."
Severus Snape: "An answer copied almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six, but correct in essentials."
Severus Snape and Hermione Granger during the sixth-years' first Defence Against the Dark Arts of the 1996–1997 school year[src]
OOTP Umbridge spelling a couple apart

Umbridge breaks up a kissing couple with a nonverbal spell

A nonverbal spell was a spell which was performed without the casting wizard or witch speaking the incantation aloud. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry began teaching nonverbal magic to students in their sixth year in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration; the students were expected to use spells nonverbally from then on.[1]

Performance[]

Performing spells non-verbally was very difficult and required a good deal of practice, as it required concentration and mental discipline alone. Harry Potter noted that several students in his class looked "like they had received an overdose in U-No-Poo", (a product of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes that caused constipation), while attempting nonverbal spells.[1]

Different wand-woods might also affect the performance of casting non-verbal magic. Many wands made from Dogwood were rather noisy, and refused to perform non-verbal magic, whereas wands of Pine were some of the most sensitive to non-verbal magic.[2] Willow wands possessed a well-founded reputation for enabling advanced, non-verbal magic, but of all woods, Alder was known as being the best suited for non-verbal magic.[2]

Effectiveness[]

Some spells, such as Levicorpus, were easier to perform nonverbally than others. Most spells, however, seemed to be less effective than normal when the incantation was not said. For example, according to Hogwarts nurse Poppy Pomfrey, the unnamed curse that critically injured Hermione Granger during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries might have been fatal had Antonin Dolohov not been silenced when he used it.[3]

Known uses[]

Caster(s) Spell Date Notes
Morfin Gaunt Pus Squirting Hex Around 1926 Used it on Bob Ogden.[1]
Newt Scamander Summoning Charm 6 December 1926 Used it to summon an Occamy egg held in Jacob Kowalski's hand, which also caused Jacob to be summoned along with it.[4]
Mending Charm Used it to repair Jacob Kowalski's apartment.[4]
Gellert Grindelwald Unknown 7 December 1926 Summoned Newt Scamander's wand and suitcase over to him, both with a silent wave of his hand.[4]
Lifted Newt Scamander from the ground from across the room and then made him, Tina Goldstein and Jacob Kowalski simultaneously drop to their knees with their arms locked behind against their backs, all with a silent hand gesture.[4]
Summoned the protective orb containing an Obscurus by silently gesturing it forth.[4]
Healed the cuts on Credence's hand.[4]
Grindelwald heals Credence's hand
Hurled Credence Barebone sideways off the tracks with a wave of his wand-free hand before an oncoming train would kill the young man.[4]
Shield Charm 8 December 1926 Used it multiple times to fend off former Auror Tina Goldstein and Magizoologist Newt Scamander. After a confrontation with President Seraphina Picquery of MACUSA, Grindelwald used massive in size Shield Charms to counter various spells fired at him by the MACUSA Aurors present.[4]
Snake Summons Spell (possibly) 30 May 1927 Used this spell to conjure a snake with multiple heads during his escape.[5]
Unknown Used to conjure a new tongue for Abernathy.[5]
September 1927 Used it to fend off Leta Lestrange in the Lestrange Mausoleum.[5]
Albus Dumbledore Used it on McClaggan during teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts in his classroom.
Fire-Making Spell 1938 He may have used this spell combined with a Flame-Freezing Charm, to demonstrate his magical ability to eleven-year-old Tom Riddle in a Muggle orphanage. Both were used non-verbally.
Unknown 1 September 1993 Extinguished and re-lit a candle during the opening feast. He also did this wandlessly.[6]
30 June 1997 Conjured a crystal goblet in order to drink the potion inside the basin in the seaside cave.
Full Body-Bind Curse Immobilised Harry Potter while he was under his Invisibility cloak right before being disarmed by Draco Malfoy. This allowed Harry to witness Severus Snape kill Albus Dumbledore.[1]
Gellert Grindelwald's acolytes Killing Curse September, 1927 Used to kill an Unidentified Non-Magique mother and father.[5]
Carrow Used to kill Unidentified Non-Magique toddler.[5]
Cassius Bell Used to kill a red-haired young witch.[5]
Gunnar Grimmson Used to kill Irma Dugard.[5]
Shield Charm Used to create a shield between himself and Credence Barebone in his Obscurus form.[5]
Leta Lestrange Stunning Spell Used it on Vinda Rosier during Grindelwald's rally in the Lestrange Mausoleum in 1927.[5]
Rubeus Hagrid Fire-Making Spell 31 July 1991 Conjured fire using his umbrella.[7]
Human to pig Gave Dudley a pig's tail, using his umbrella.[7]
Unknown Used to tap the boat to make it speed towards land.[7]
Quirinus Quirrell November 1991 Caused Harry Potter's broomstick to buck violently during a Quidditch match.[7]
4 June 1992 Used it to conjured ropes to bind and gag Harry Potter. He also did wandlessly.[7]
Arthur Weasley Summer 1992 Repaired Harry Potter's glasses with a nonverbal spell in Diagon Alley.[8]
Minerva McGonagall Fire-Making Spell 1 September, 1992 Used it to light a grate in Severus Snape's office before Dumbledore arrived when Harry and Ron smashed a Flying Ford Anglia into the Whomping Willow.[8]
Endless Sandwiches Used it to conjure sandwiches, two silver cups and a pitcher of frozen pumpkin juice for Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.[8]
Fan conjuring spell 18 December, 1992 Used it to conjure a fan to "waft" petrified Nearly Headless Nick to the Hospital Wing.[8]
Mending Charm May, 1993 Used it to repair the leg of Neville Longbottom's desk, which he had accidentally vanished.[8]
Unknown 2 May, 1998 She used it to duel with Severus Snape in 1997, sending fire from several torches flying at him.[9]
Patronus Charm Conjured three Patronuses to alert the other Heads of Houses to the upcoming battle in 1998.[9]
The memory of Tom Marvolo Riddle Flagrate spell[10] 29 May, 1993 In the Chamber of Secrets.[8]
Harry Potter Inflatus 1993 He inflated Marjorie Dursley after she insulted his parents, both without a wand and nonverbally.[11]
Levicorpus 1996 Though Harry found nonverbal magic very difficult to do, he was eventually able to cast this spell, which is meant for nonverbal use.[1]
Liberacorpus Harry used this spell nonverbally to counter act the Levicorpus spell he used on Ron Weasley in 1996.[1]
Unknown 2020 He straightened his work-space with the simple wave of his wand.[12]
Fire-Making Spell Duel with Delphini, the two were mercilessly firing spells at each other.[13]
Remus Lupin Magical fire 1 September, 1993 On his way to Hogwarts in 1993. He also did this wandlessly.[11]
Patronus Charm Used it to fend off the Dementor on Hogwarts Express.[6]
Door-opening spell 3 September, 1993 Opened the cupboard containing the Boggart during the Gryffindor's first defence lesson.[11]
Unknown 1993–1994 school year Relit the candles in his office during Harry's Patronus lessons. He also did this without using his wand.[6]
Animagus reversal spell 6 June, 1994 Used to force Peter Pettigrew out of his Animagus form in the Shrieking Shack.[11]
Incarcerous Spell Used to conjure ropes to bind and gag Peter Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack.[11]
Pack Charm 7 June, 1994 Used to pack his possessions while clearing out his office.[6]
Knockback Jinx August, 1997 Used it on Harry Potter during their argument in 12 Grimmauld Place.[9]
Severus Snape Revealing Charm (possibly) 12 February, 1994 Used it to force the Marauder's Map to display its content.[11]
Incarcerous Spell 6 June, 1994 Used it to conjure a ropes to bind and gag Remus Lupin.[11]
Stretcher conjuring spell Used it to conjure a strechers for Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Sirius Black.[11]
Unknown, a spell that opened the main gates of Hogwarts, which had recently been fortified by enhanced protective enchantments. 1 September, 1996 Used to open the Hogwarts gates. It is unlikely that this was the Unlocking Charm since Harry had tried this before, although he had been outside the gates instead of inside like Snape was.[1]
Summoning Charm 1997 Used it nonverbally to summon the 25 essays on countering Dementors from his students in Defence Against the Dark Arts class.[1]
Unknown 30 June, 1997 Deflected several curses cast at him by Harry Potter.[1]
Sirius Black Animagus reversal spell 6 June, 1994 Used to force Peter Pettigrew out of his Animagus form in the Shrieking Shack.[11]
Manacle conjuring spell Used it to conjure manacles to chain Peter Pettigrew to Remus Lupin and Ron Weasley.[11]
Rita Skeeter Unknown 1994 While interviewing Harry Potter in the broom cupboard she took out some candles from her bag and lit them with her wand without saying anything.[14]
Fleur Delacour Water-Making Spell 24 November, 1994 Conjured water during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.[14]
Madam Pomfrey Unidentified healing spell 1994 Used by Madam Pomfrey to heal Harry Potter's injuries after the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.[14]
Barty Crouch Jnr Unknown 1995 While disguised as Alastor Moody, he pushed the students' desks to the classroom walls, only by waving his wand.[14]
Peter Pettigrew Fire-Making Spell 24 June, 1995 Used this to light a fire under Voldemort's cauldron in the Little Hangleton Graveyard.[14]
Incarcerous Spell Used it to conjure ropes in 1995.[14]
Alastor Moody Fire-Making Spell 6 August, 1995 He used this spell to burn a piece of parchment used to reveal the location of 12 Grimmauld Place to Harry.[3]
Marietta Edgecombe Water-Making Spell 1995 Conjured water during the first DA meeting.[3]
Unidentified female Hufflepuff student Unknown 1995–1996 school year Performed during a DA meeting after assistance from Harry Potter. Sent a male student hurling backwards.[15]
Madam Pince She jinxed Harry's belongings to chase him and Ginny out of the library during the 1995–1996 school year, repeatedly beating them.[3]
Kingsley Shacklebolt Memory Charm April, 1996 Altered Marietta Edgecombe's memory of the DA meetings.[3]
Antonin Dolohov Dark curse 18 June, 1996 Against Hermione Granger during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries after she silenced him.
likely Fulgari 1997 Used it against Ronald Weasley during the confrontation at Luchino Caffe.[6]
Bellatrix Lestrange Killing Curse Summer 1996 In 1996, she used a nonverbal Curse with a green jet of light to kill a fox.
Fred Weasley Knife to paper aeroplane spell[1] Ron Weasley threw the knife at him, and Fred transfigured it "with one lazy flick of his wand" without speaking any sort of incantation.[1]
Nymphadora Tonks Patronus Charm 1 September 1996 Conjured her werewolf Patronus without saying the incantation in 1996.
Ron Weasley Snowflake-Making Spell 1997 Unknowingly made it snow while sitting down in the Great Hall.[1]
Lord Voldemort Mobilicorpus July 1997 Used it to move Charity Burbage's body.[9]
Summoning Charm 2 May 1998 Used it to summon the Sorting Hat from the Headmaster's office; it flew through a shattered window.[9]
Hermione Granger Shield Charm 1996–1997 school year The first one in her Defence Against the Dark Arts class to perform nonverbal magic successfully. She continually used nonverbal spells in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration.[1]
Stunning Spell 2 September 1997 Used it on Mafalda Hopkirk as part of the infiltration of the Ministry of Magic.[9]
Orchideous (most likely) 24 December 1997 Hermione nonverbally conjured a wreath of Christmas roses for Harry Potter to place on his parents's graves in Godric's Hollow when they visited the village.[9]
Stinging Jinx March 1998 Jinxed Harry Potter's face in an attempt to hide his identity when she, Harry, and Ron were caught by Snatchers.[9]
Unknown 2 May 1998 With a "deafening blast from her wand" but no incantation, Hermione repelled Fenrir Greyback from an injured Lavender Brown during the Battle of Hogwarts.[9]
Ron Weasley Stunning Spell 1 May 1998 Used it on a man who attempted to attack Hermione disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange on Diagon Alley in 1998.[9]
Luna Lovegood 2 May 1998 Used it on Alecto Carrow in the Ravenclaw common room, shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts.[9]

Possible uses[]

Caster(s) Spell Notes
Fred Weasley Disarming Charm Cast it nonverbally when they were surreptitiously disarming Zacharias Smith at the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army.[3]
George Weasley
Harry Potter Summoning Charm Attempted to use the it nonverbally and wandlessly to retrieve his fallen wand when he was paralysed by Draco Malfoy, but to no avail.[1]
Levicorpus Attempted to use the it nonverbally on Severus Snape during their duel, but Snape saw through it and stopped it.[1]
Patronus Charm Performed nonverbal magic when he cast his Patronus during the Battle of Hogwarts.[16]
Molly Weasley Unidentified deadly curse Killed Bellatrix Lestrange with a nonverbal deadly curse during the Battle of Hogwarts.[9]

Known practitioners[]

The following is a list of wizards and witches known to have nonverbally performed spells that are usually performed with an incantation.

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  2. 2.0 2.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Wand Woods" at Wizarding World
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  10. Given the fact Riddle was not technically alive at this point, only a sentient memory, is can be argued that he wasn't actually casting a spell.
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  12. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Five
  13. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Four, Scene Eleven
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
  16. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 32 (The Elder Wand), Harry casts his Patronus at Luna Lovegood's urging and with great effort. No incantation is mentioned, but Harry's perception of sound at the time was severely distorted by the presence of many Dementors, and there is also no mention of the others who also cast the Patronus speaking the incantation. It is also not specifically stated to be a nonverbal or silent use. See this article's talk page for more information.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 2
  18. 18.0 18.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
  19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
  20. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  21. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 14 (The Spider's Lair) - Private Transfiguration Lesson "Arania Exumai"
  22. J.K. Rowling Web Chat Transcript on the-leaky-cauldron.org
Charms (class)
PS Wingardium Leviosa feather
Charm-book writers and developers
Blagdon Blay · Daisy Pennifold · Delfina Crimp · Miranda Goshawk · Jarleth Hobart · Basil Horton · Helixa Hyslop · Syna Hyslop · Randolph Keitch · Levina Monkstanley · Orabella Nuttley · Mnemone Radford · Scarpin · Elliot Smethwyck · Felix Summerbee · Violeta Stitch
Professors Fortinbras · Filius Flitwick · Abraham Ronen · Unidentified male professor · Unidentified medieval professor
Textbooks Achievements in Charming · Extreme Incantations · Quintessence: A Quest · The Standard Book of Spells
Charms studied at Hogwarts
Anti-Alohomora Charm · Ascension Charm (Ascendio) · Banishing Charm (Depulso) · Blackboard Writing Spell · Blue sparks · Bombardment Spell (Bombarda) · Box Blasting Charm (Cistem Aperio) · Bubble-Head Charm · Cheering Charm · Cleaning Charm · Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Confundus Charm (Confundo) · Counter-charm for hiccoughs · Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Descendo · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Disillusionment Charm · Drought Charm · Entrancing Enchantments (theoretically) · Eradication Spell (Deletrius) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Extinguishing Spell · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Gouging Spell (Defodio) · Growth Charm · Ice Jinx · Impervius Charm (Impervius) · Knitting Charm · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Leg-Locker Curse (Locomotor Mortis) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Locomotion Charm (Locomotor) · Lumos Solem Spell (Lumos Solem) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Muffliato Charm (Muffliato) · Nonverbal spells · Pack Charm (Pack) · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Scouring Charm (Scourgify) · Seize and pull charm (Carpe Retractum) · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Shrinking Charm (Reducio) · Silencing Charm (Silencio) · Slowing Charm (Arresto Momentum) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Spell for growing legs · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Vinegar to wine spell · Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) · Lumos Maxima · Water-Making Spell (Aguamenti)
Defence Against the Dark Arts (D.A.D.A.)
Subjectsdada
D.A.D.A. at Hogwarts
Classroom 3C · Classroom 3C backrooms · Temporary Classroom · Hogwarts Turris Magnus · Teacher's Office · Storeroom · Staircase · Storage room · Lesson Cup · Race Cup · Duelling Club · Dumbledore's Army
Professors
Isidora Morganach · Dinah Hecat · Arsenius Jigger · Albus Dumbledore · Galatea Merrythought · 1984–1985 professor · 1985–1986 professor · 1986–1987 professor · 1987–1988 professor · Patricia Rakepick · 1989–1990 professor · First 1990–1991 professor · Olivia Green · Quirinus Quirrell · Gilderoy Lockhart · Remus Lupin · Bartemius Crouch Junior (as Alastor Moody) · Dolores Umbridge · Severus Snape · Amycus Carrow (as Dark Arts teacher) · Unidentified professor · Brindlemore
Textbooks
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection · Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts · Break with a Banshee · Gadding with Ghouls · Holidays with Hags · Travels with Trolls · Voyages with Vampires · Wanderings with Werewolves · Year with the Yeti · The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts · Defensive Magical Theory · Dark Arts Defence – Basics for Beginners · Confronting the Faceless · Defence Against the Dark Arts
Spells studied at Hogwarts under D.A.D.A.
Aqua Eructo · Boggart-Banishing Spell (Riddikulus) · Bombarda Maxima · Cave inimicum · Concealment Charms · Counter-curses · Counter-jinxes · Cruciatus Curse (Crucio) · Curse of the Bogies (Mucus ad Nauseam) · Cursed barrier spell · Densaugeo · Deprimo Spell (Deprimo) · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Ear-Shrivelling Curse · Everte Statum · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · Fumos Duo · Green Sparks · Hex-Breaker· Hex-deflection · Hex Zapper · Homorphus Charm · Human-presence-revealing Spell (Homenum Revelio) · Impediment Jinx (Impedimenta) · Imperius Curse (Imperio) · Imperturbable Charm · Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Lacarnum Inflamari · Langlock · Levitation Spell (Levioso) · Limbo Mist anticharm · Nonverbal spells · Patronus Charm (Expecto Patronum) · Pimple Jinx (Furnunculus) · Protective enchantments · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Salvio hexia · Sea Urchin Jinx · Seize and pull charm (Carpe Retractum) · Shield Charm (Protego) · Smokescreen Spell (Fumos) · Snake-Vanishing Spell (Vipera Evanesca) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Stretching Jinx · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Tongue-Tying Curse (Mimblewimble) · Trip Jinx · Twitchy-Ears Hex · Verdimillious Charm (Verdimillious) · Verdimillious Duo Spell (Verdimillious) · Verdimillious Tria · Vermillious Duo · Vermillious Tria · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos)
Creatures studied at Hogwarts under D.A.D.A.
Banshee · Boggart · Chameleon Ghoul · Charmed skeleton · Cornish Pixie · Dementor · Dugbog · Erkling · Flesh-Eating Slug · Ghost · Ghoul · Gnome · Grindylow · Gytrash · Hag · Hinkypunk · Iguana · Imp · Inferius · Kappa · Manticore · Nocturnal beasts · Nogtail · Poltergeist · Red Cap · Snake · Troll · Vampire · Vampire bat · Werewolf · Yeti · Zombie
The Standard Book of Spells
Book of Spells 1
Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6 · Grade 7
Charms included in the series: Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Nonverbal spell · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos)
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