Changes: Scouring Charm

Revision as of 16:44, 24 August 2013

"She pointed her wand at Hedwig's cage. 'Scourgify.' A few feathers and droppings vanished."

— Nymphadora Tonks's use on Hedwig's cage^[src]

The Scouring Charm is a household charm, possibly a cleaning spell, used to clean an object. The incantation for this charm is Scourgify. Another similar spell for such a purpose is Tergeo.

The Scouring Charm was used by Nymphadora Tonks when attempting to clean Hedwig's cage during their liberation of Harry Potter from 4 Privet Drive in 1995. It can also be used on humans. James Potter used it on Severus Snape in the grounds, causing soap to fill his mouth. Many wizarding families use this spell, both for cleaning and punishing people who swear.

Known users

Etymology

Perhaps related to English scour, "clean". -ify is a common English suffix meaning "to make ...". Therefore scourgify could mean "to make clean".

Behind the scenes

This charm has a curiously similar incantation to the Cleaning Charm.
Skurge may be a variant of this spell.
In Wonderbook: Book of Spells, the hand gesture is "a smooth, sinuous motion, like a letter 'S".
The Scholastic Official Site lists this as the Vanishing Spell.

Appearances

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Wonderbook: Book of Spells

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 |incantation=''Scourgify''
 |type=Charm
+|hand=[[File:Scourgify movement.png|70px]]
-|hand=
-|light=
+|light=None
 |effect=Cleans target object
 }}
+{{quote|She pointed her wand at Hedwig's cage. 'Scourgify.' A few feathers and droppings vanished.|Nymphadora Tonks's use on Hedwig's cage|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
-The '''Scouring Charm''' is a household [[charm]] used to clean an object. The incantation for this charm is ''Scourgify''. Another similar spell for such a purpose is ''[[Tergeo]]''.
+The '''Scouring Charm''' is a household [[charm]], possibly a [[cleaning spell]], used to clean an object. The incantation for this charm is ''Scourgify''. Another similar spell for such a purpose is ''[[Tergeo]]''.
-The Scouring Charm was first used by [[Nymphadora Tonks]] when attempting to clean [[Hedwig]]'s cage during their liberation of [[Harry Potter]] from [[4 Privet Drive]] in [[1995]]. It can also be used on humans. [[James Potter I|James Potter]] used it on [[Severus Snape]] in the grounds, causing soap to fill his mouth. Many wizarding families use this spell, both for cleaning and punishing people who swear.
+The Scouring Charm was used by [[Nymphadora Tonks]] when attempting to clean [[Hedwig]]'s cage during their liberation of [[Harry Potter]] from [[4 Privet Drive]] in [[1995]]. It can also be used on humans. [[James Potter I|James Potter]] used it on [[Severus Snape]] in the grounds, causing soap to fill his mouth. Many wizarding families use this spell, both for cleaning and punishing people who swear.
+==Known users==
+* [[Hermione Granger]]
+* [[James Potter I|James Potter]]
+* [[Neville Longbottom]]
+* [[Nymphadora Tonks]]
+* [[Ginny Weasley]]
+* [[Andromeda Tonks]] (possibly)
+==Etymology==
+Perhaps related to English ''scour'', "clean". ''-ify'' is a common English suffix meaning "to make ...". Therefore ''scourgify'' could mean "to make clean".
+==Behind the scenes==
+*This charm has a curiously similar incantation to the [[Cleaning Charm]].
+*[[Skurge]] may be a variant of this spell.
+*In ''[[Wonderbook: Book of Spells]]'', the hand gesture is "''[[:File:ScourgifySymbol.png|a smooth, sinuous motion, like a letter 'S]]".''
+*The [http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/glossary/ Scholastic Official Site] lists this as the [[Vanishing Spell]].
 ==Appearances==
+*''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' {{1st}}
 *''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
+*''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (real)|Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]''
+*''[[Wonderbook: Book of Spells]]''
+[[fr:Sortilège de Récurage]]
+[[fr:Récurvite]]
+[[fi:Kuuraannu]]
 [[Category:Charms]]