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{{Wonderbookold}}
 
{{Spell infobox
  
{{Spell infobox
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|image=[[File:Serpensortia (Harry Potter Trading Card).jpg|250px]]
  
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|incantation=''Serpensortia'' (ser-pen-SOR-shah, SER-pehn-SOR-tee-ah)
  
 
|name=Snake Summons Spell
  
|name=Snake Summons Spell
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|image=[[File:Tumblr lvhoo3Ag1Z1qgt0vro3 250.gif|250px]]
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|incantation=''Serpensortia''<ref name="COS11">{{COS}} - Chapter 11 (''The Duelling Club'')</ref><br/>(ser-pen-SOR-tee-uh)<ref name="COSf">{{COSF}}</ref>
 
|type=[[Transfiguration]]
  
|type=[[Transfiguration]]
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|hand=Raise [[wand]]<ref name="COS11"/>
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|hand=
  
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|light=White<ref name="COSf"/>
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|effect=Conjures a snake
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|effect=Conjures a [[snake]]<ref name="COS11"/>
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|creator=
 
}}
  
}}
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{{Quote|The "Snake Summons" spell originated in India and is often illicitly used today by wizards who are called by the Muggle moniker, "Snake Charmers".|Description<ref name="Cast-a-Spell"/>}}
  
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The '''Snake Summons Spell'''<ref name="Cast-a-Spell">[http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/hogwarts/library/castaspell.html ''Serpensortia'' entry on the Cast-a-Spell kit found in the Library section of the Harry Potter Official Site.]</ref> (''Serpensortia'') is a [[Transfiguration]] [[spell]] that can be used to [[Conjuration|conjure]] a [[snake]]. It is illegally used by [[India]]n [[Snake Charmer]]s. It is taught to 6th years at Hogwarts.
  
   
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{{Quote|The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike.|Description|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets}}
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==History==
  
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===Creation===
  
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The Snake Summons Spell originated from [[India]], where it is often illegally used by [[wizards]] who are called "[[Snake Charmer]]s" by the [[Muggle]] society.<ref name="Cast-a-Spell"/>
  
   
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The '''Snake Summons Spell'''<ref name="cas">[http://harrypotter.warnerbros.co.uk/hogwarts/library/castaspell.html Harry Potter Official Site]</ref>, also known as the '''Serpensortia Spell'''<ref name="cas"/> (''Serpensortia''<ref name="COS11"/>) is a [[transfiguration]] [[spell]] that [[Conjuration|conjures]] a snake from the tip of the [[wand]]<ref name="COS11"/>.
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===1992===
  
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[[File:Cobra.png|thumb|The cobra used by Draco.]]
  
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It was used by [[Draco Malfoy]] while engaging in a practice [[duel]] against [[Harry Potter]] in [[1992]] in the [[Duelling Club]], after [[Severus Snape]] whispered the advice to Draco. This prompted Harry to speak to the snake, discovering for the [[File:Serpensortia.gif|thumb|Serpensortia from Draco Malfoy]]first time that he was a [[Parseltongue|Parselmouth]] and causing some other students to suspect that he was the [[Tom Riddle|Heir of Slytherin]]. It is very strange that Malfoy is able to cast this spell in his second year as it summons a live creature, a very advanced form of magic not taught at Hogwarts until sixth year, however, this may have been because it seems to be a sort of curse.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''</ref>
  
   
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==Etymology==
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==History==
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The Serpensortia Spell was first created, sometime prior to [[1992]], in [[India]], and nowadays is used worldwide (although usually in its homeland) by [[Wizardkind|wizards]] known to [[Muggle]]s as "[[Snake Charmer]]s"<ref name="cas"/>.
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''Serpens'' is Latin for "serpent". ''Ortus'' is the past participle of the Latin verb ''oriri'' "to be created".<ref>[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/spells/spells_s.html#serpensortia HP Lexicon: Serpensortia]</ref>
  
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This spell was utilized by Draco Malfoy during the first [[Duelling Club]] meeting in [[1992]] at the advice of [[Snape]], summoning forth a black serpent in an attempt to attack [[Harry Potter]]. After a [[Alarte Ascendare|failed attempt]] by [[Gilderoy Lockhart]] to dispose of it, the snake was [[Vipera Evanesca|obliterated]] by [[Severus Snape]], vanishing in a cloud of black smoke<ref name="COS11"/>.
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
  
==Behind the scenes==
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*The Snake Summons Spell and [[Bird-Conjuring Charm]] are the easiest living creatures to conjure.<ref>''[[Wonderbook: Book of Spells]]'' - Chapter 2, Part 1</ref>.
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*In the [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'', the counter-spell of ''Serpensortia'' is shown to be ''[[Vipera Evanesca]]''. [[Severus Snape|Professor Snape]] used it to vanish the snake Draco conjured. It should also be interesting to note that, while the book says the ''Serpensortia'' snake is long and black, the film version's is a [[Cobra|cobra]]. However, althrough it is not mentioned, it is possible that the book version also is a cobra as black coloured cobras also exist. It is also funny to note the counter-spells incantation is '''''Vipera''' Evanesca'' as the [[Latin]] name of the [[Common adder|common adder]] used in ''[[Harry Potter: Spells]]'' is '''''Vipera''' berus''.
  
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*The [[counter-charm]] is ''[[Vipera Evanesca]]''<ref name="COSf"/>
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[[File:The Opheodrys.JPG|thumb|right|The Opheodrys]]
  
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*Although the book states that the snake is conjured (brought forth into existence from nothingness), the Harry Potter Official Website states, when a user attempts to cast the spell at the farthest edges of the room, that:<br/>"''It appears the snake did not hear you. Try to cast your spell in the centre of the room''", suggesting that the serpent is brought forth from elsewhere.
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[[File:Blue Racer facing Harry Potter.JPG|thumb|left|The Blue Racer]]
  
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However in the [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)|PS1, PS2, XBox and GameCube video game adaption]] of ''Chamber of Secrets'' the snake is a ''Blue Racer'', and in the PC it is an ''Opheodrys''.
  
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*In ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]'', during the [[Skirmish at Malfoy Manor]] in [[1998]] [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] may have used this spell to choke [[Fenrir Greyback]].
  
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*It is possible that this spell or a variant of it can also be used to transform objects into snakes. [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] transformed a fiery rope into a serpent in 1996, and [[Severus Snape]] did the same two years later. Both serpents were described as black, matching the Serpensortia snake´s colour.
  
   
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==External links==
  
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==Etymology==
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*''[http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/ Harry Potter.com]'' {{Mention}}
  
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''Serpens'' is Latin for "serpent"; ''ortus'' is the past participle of the Latin verb ''oriri'' "to be created".<ref>[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/spells/spells_s.html#serpensortia HP Lexicon: Serpensortia]</ref>
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)]]''
  
*''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)]]''
  
*''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)]]''
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]'' {{comment|Possible use}}
  
 
*''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
  
*''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4]]''
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*''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7]]'' {{C|DS version}}
 
*''[[Harry Potter: Spells]]''
  
*''[[Harry Potter: Spells]]''
 
*''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
  
*''[[Harry Potter Trading Card Game]]''
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*''[[Wonderbook: Book of Spells]]'' {{Indirect}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
  
==Notes and references==
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[[fr:Serpensortia]]
  
[[fr:Serpensortia]]
 
[[fi:Kärmestulios]]
  
[[fi:Kärmestulios]]
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[[Category:Conjurations]]
  
[[Category:Conjurations]]
 
[[Category:Transfiguration Spells]]
  
[[Category:Transfiguration Spells]]
 
[[Category:Spells with Incantations of Latin Origin]]
  
[[Category:Spells with Incantations of Latin Origin]]
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[[Category:Snakes]]

Revision as of 02:40, 30 December 2014

"The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike."
— Description[src]

The Snake Summons Spell[3], also known as the Serpensortia Spell[3] (Serpensortia[1]) is a transfiguration spell that conjures a snake from the tip of the wand[1].

History

The Serpensortia Spell was first created, sometime prior to 1992, in India, and nowadays is used worldwide (although usually in its homeland) by wizards known to Muggles as "Snake Charmers"[3].

This spell was utilized by Draco Malfoy during the first Duelling Club meeting in 1992 at the advice of Snape, summoning forth a black serpent in an attempt to attack Harry Potter. After a failed attempt by Gilderoy Lockhart to dispose of it, the snake was obliterated by Severus Snape, vanishing in a cloud of black smoke[1].

Behind the scenes

  • The Snake Summons Spell and Bird-Conjuring Charm are the easiest living creatures to conjure.[4].
  • The counter-charm is Vipera Evanesca[2]
  • Although the book states that the snake is conjured (brought forth into existence from nothingness), the Harry Potter Official Website states, when a user attempts to cast the spell at the farthest edges of the room, that:
    "It appears the snake did not hear you. Try to cast your spell in the centre of the room", suggesting that the serpent is brought forth from elsewhere.


Etymology

Serpens is Latin for "serpent"; ortus is the past participle of the Latin verb oriri "to be created".[5]

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Chapter 11 (The Duelling Club)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Harry Potter Official Site
  4. ↑ Wonderbook: Book of Spells - Chapter 2, Part 1
  5. ↑ HP Lexicon: Serpensortia
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