Animation Charm

Animation Charm

left

Piertotum Locomotor
Incantation	Piertotum Locomotor
Type	Transfiguration
Light	None
Effect	Animates statues and suits of armour

"And all along the corridor the statues and suits of armour jumped down from their plinths, and from the echoing crashes from the floors above and below, Harry knew that their fellows throughout the castle had done the same... Cheering and yelling, the horde of moving statues stampeded past Harry; some of them smaller, others larger than life. There were animals too, and the clanking suits of armour brandished swords and spiked balls on chains."

— The decor, animated by this spell.

Piertotum Locomotor is a spell used to animate previously inanimate suits of armour to do the caster's bidding.

Known uses

Hogwarts suits of armour and statues participating in the Battle of Hogwarts.

"I've always wanted to use that spell."

— Minerva McGonagall

• Professor Minerva McGonagall used this spell to animate the suits of armour and statues within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and ordered them to defend the castle against the oncoming Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998.

Possible uses

• It may have been used by Albus Dumbledore to enchant the Fountain of Magical Brethren in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic in 1996 during his duel against Lord Voldemort.
• It may have been used nonverbally by Filius Flitwick to animate a suit of armour during his attempt to expel Severus Snape from Hogwarts. After Snape used the suit to shield himself from Professor McGonagall's daggers, Professor Flitwick tried to capture him within the grip of the animated suit of armour.
• This also may be the spell used by Professor McGonagall to shepherd the desks through the corridor later in the battle.

Etymology

Pier could come from the French word pierre "rock", totum refers to "the whole" or "total", and locomotor means "the movement of". If so, the spell probably only applies to stone-made objects. Another possible etymology for Piertotum is a combination of the Latin words piē "dutifully" and tōtum "all, the whole thing".

Behind the scenes

• In the video game adaption of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when McGonagall used the spell and gave the suits orders her voice made an echo into the night.
• Professor Quirrell possibly used this spell in the PS1 Version of Philosopher's Stone to make four suits of armour attack Harry Potter. He didn't use wand or incantation, he only used his hands to create green fireballs to shoot at the suits. Likewise he may have enchanted the Gargoyle hog at the Gargoyle Gate to attack Harry.
• In the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Peter Pettigrew animates a Reaper statue located at the Little Hangleton graveyard to restrain Harry Potter.
• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, McGonagall did not bring the suits of armour to life.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (First identified as Animation Charm)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)