Changes: Periculum

Revision as of 16:36, 6 September 2012

Warning!

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in the latest update of Pottermore. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. Please take care when reading this article if you have not yet been through the latest update.

Red Sparks (Periculum)^[1] was a charm that allowed the caster to send out red sparks from their wand. The sparks were firework-like in appearance,^[1] and had a vast range, shooting up to a great height, then hovering in the spot where the caster aimed.^[2] Much like a Muggle flare gun, the spell was used to signal that one was in danger, and thus in need of help. It is covered in the book The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. ^[3]

This spell may be related to Vermillious, a spell featured in the Trading Card Game which seems to also produce red sparks. Red Sparks may also be a variation of Green Sparks and Verdillious (another Trading Card Game spell that produces green sparks).

Known uses

In 1992, while searching for an injured unicorn Rubeus Hagrid instructed Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy to send red sparks in the air if they were in trouble and green sparks if they found the wounded animal.
Minerva McGonagall instructed the four champions to send red sparks into the air if they needed to be rescued prior to the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament in 1995. Harry used this spell when Fleur Delacour was being dragged into the maze. Later on, at the urging of Harry Potter, Cedric Diggory used this spell to send red sparks into the sky to call the Hogwarts professors to rescue Viktor Krum, who had been Stunned by Harry after he attacked Cedric whilst under the Imperius Curse set upon him by Barty Crouch Jr. (when he was impersonating Alastor Moody).^[2]
The Order of the Phoenix may have used this spell in 1995 as the signal for the Advance Guard escorting Harry to 12 Grimmauld Place.

Periculum2222 — Harry Potter casting *Periculum* as seen in *LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4*.

Etymology

Periculum is Latin for "danger".

Appearances

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Identified as Periculum)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Possible appearance)
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Pottermore (Spells/Duels) (First identified as Periculum)

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) - Chapter 23
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31
↑ "The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection" under the "Spells" menu on Pottermore

[goffilm-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) - Chapter 23

[gof31-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31

[3] "The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection" under the "Spells" menu on Pottermore

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Known uses==
 *In [[1992]], while searching for an injured [[unicorn]] [[Rubeus Hagrid]] instructed [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], [[Neville Longbottom]], and [[Draco Malfoy]] to send red sparks in the air if they were in trouble and green sparks if they found the wounded animal.
-*[[Minerva McGonagall]] instructed the four [[Triwizard Champions|champions]] to send red sparks into the air if they needed to be rescued prior to the [[Third Task]] of the [[Triwizard Tournament]] in [[1995]]. Harry used this spell when [[Fleur Delacour]] was being dragged into the maze. Later on, at the urging of [[Harry Potter]], [[Cedric Diggory]] used this spell to send red sparks into the sky to call the [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]] [[professor]]s to rescue [[Viktor Krum]], who had been [[Stunning Spell|Stunned]] by Harry after he attacked Cedric whilst under the [[Imperius Curse]] set upon him by [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Barty Crouch Jr.]] (while impersonating [[Alastor Moody]]).<ref name="gof31" />
+*[[Minerva McGonagall]] instructed the four [[Triwizard Champions|champions]] to send red sparks into the air if they needed to be rescued prior to the [[Third Task]] of the [[Triwizard Tournament]] in [[1995]]. Harry used this spell when [[Fleur Delacour]] was being dragged into the maze. Later on, at the urging of [[Harry Potter]], [[Cedric Diggory]] used this spell to send red sparks into the sky to call the [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]] [[professor]]s to rescue [[Viktor Krum]], who had been [[Stunning Spell|Stunned]] by Harry after he attacked Cedric whilst under the [[Imperius Curse]] set upon him by [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Barty Crouch Jr.]] (when he was impersonating [[Alastor Moody]]).<ref name="gof31" />
 *The [[Order of the Phoenix]] may have used this spell in [[1995]] as the signal for the [[Advance Guard]] escorting Harry to [[12 Grimmauld Place]].