Stunning Spell

Stunning Spell
Incantation	Stupefy (STEW-puh-fye)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	Red, Blue
Effect	Renders a victim unconscious Halts moving objects

"Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal. It's sort of a wizard's bread and butter, really."

— Harry Potter on the usefulness of the charm

The Stunning Spell (Stupefy), also known as a Stunner or Stupefying Charm is a charm that renders a victim unconscious and halts moving objects.

This spell is also commonly used in duels; it is quite useful if one's opponent is unconscious and unable to continue the duel, and is a guaranteed victory for the caster. However, many Dark Wizards who are not afraid to kill (including Death Eaters, and especially Voldemort himself) will often prefer to go straight to the Killing Curse, since it is equally quick to cast (if you are willing and hateful enough), cannot be blocked, and results in instant death anyway, saving the duelist the task of finishing off a stunned enemy.

History

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger using the charm during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries

It is unknown who invented the spell, and when. In 1995, Harry Potter learned this spell in preparation for the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. He practised it on Ron Weasley who complained about it not being easy to aim where you fall when you are stunned. Harry also taught this spell to Dumbledore's Army during the 1995-1996 school year, during one of the meetings. The spell was used numerous times during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, by both the D.A. and the Order of the Phoenix; it was also used during many other battles of the Second Wizarding War, such as the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, the Battle of the Seven Potters, the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor, the 1998 Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and the Battle of Hogwarts.

It may be assumed that this spell was also used frequently during the First Wizarding War as well, by the wizarding community at large.

Effect

If this spell is used by multiple wizards aiming at the same target, the damage it causes is increased; for example, Professor McGonagall had to be moved to St Mungo's after being hit with the spell by multiple Ministry of Magic employees in 1996, and Madam Pomfrey expressed surprise that it did not kill her. Dragons are able to shrug off a single Stunning Spell, but if multiple Stunning Spells are aimed at a dragon, they should work. It manifests itself as a jet of scarlet light.

Defence

Shield Charm, defence against the Stunning Spell

The effects of a Stunning Spell may be counteracted by Rennervate, but will also wear off with time. It can also be deflected by a Shield Charm. Species known to be naturally resistant to the spell include dragons, trolls, giants and half-giants. Rubeus Hagrid was unaffected by this spell when, in 1996, several Ministry of Magic employees attempted to remove him from Hogwarts grounds.

It is also possible to bewitch objects to be resistant to the spell. Fred and George Weasley bewitched their fireworks to explode when hit by Stunning Spells.

Known uses

Caster(s)	Victim(s)	Note
Peter Pettigrew	Ron Weasley	Cast non-verbally with the wand of Remus Lupin, in order to make his escape.
	Crookshanks
Twenty Ministry of Magic employees	Winky	During the chaos after Morsmordre was cast following the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.
	Barty Crouch Jr.
8-30 of Charlie Weasley's colleagues	Hungarian Horntail (and possibly three other First Task dragons)	Multiple wizards had to cast the spell at the same time for it to work.
Harry Potter	Ron Weasley	Used numerous times on during practice for the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
	Viktor Krum	During the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament to save Cedric Diggory from the Cruciatus Curse Krum was casting under the influence of the Imperius Curse.
	Unknown Death Eater	During the Battle of the Seven Potters.
	Thorfinn Rowle	During a skirmish at the Luchino Caffe in 1997.
	A Muggle waitress	While aiming for Antonin Dolohov during a skirmish at Tottenham Court Road.
	Dolores Umbridge and Yaxley	While infiltrating the Ministry.
	Lucius Malfoy	During the Battle of Malfoy Manor.
	Fenrir Greyback	During the Battle of Malfoy Manor, using three wands at once.
Barty Crouch Jr (disguised as Alastor Moody)	Fleur Delacour	Used discretely during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament in an effort to ensure that Harry won.
Albus Dumbledore	Bartemius Crouch Jr.	After Harry's return from the Little Hangleton graveyard, Dumbledore used the spell to subdue the disguised Bartemius Crouch Jr. after he had attempted to attack Harry
Molly Weasley	Portraits at 12 Grimmauld Place	After Tonks knocked over an umbrella stand and the portrait of Sirius Black's mother started shouting, Molly abandoned an attempt to close its curtains and began shooting Stunning Spells at other shouting portraits to shut them up.
Dolores Umbridge	Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs firework	At the start of Umbridge's reign as Headmistress at Hogwarts, she attempted to stun the Weasley twins fireworks in order to prevent them from spreading around the school
Five Ministry of Magic employees	Minerva McGonagall	The Ministry employees were trying to remove Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts, but attacked McGonagall when she offered him protection. The concentrated effects were devastating enough to have her hospitalized, and was considered a miracle that she did not die.
Nigel Wolpert	Harry Potter	Used in the Room of Requirement during a D.A. practice.
Hermione Granger	Nott	During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in defence of Harry Potter.
	Mafalda Hopkirk	As part of the Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic in 1997.
	Gregory Goyle	During a skirmish in the Room of Requirement during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Harry Potter	Crabbe Sr. & Rabastan Lestrange	During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Hermione Granger
Unknown Death Eater	Ginny Weasley
	Luna Lovegood
Tonks	Unknown Death Eaters	During the Battle of the Seven Potters.
Ron Weasley
Xenophilius Lovegood	Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger (attempted)	As Death Eaters were arriving at his house, it hit his Erumpent horn instead, causing a colossal explosion.
Bellatrix Lestrange	Scabior and three other Snatchers	After they defied her authority at Malfoy Manor.
Ron Weasley (supposedly, as Dragomir Despard)	A beggar	The beggar lunged at Hermione while she was disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange with Polyjuice Potion.
Harry Potter	Various Goblins at Gringotts	During their escape from the bank after robbing it in 1998.
Hermione Granger
Ron Weasley
Luna Lovegood	Alecto Carrow	While searching for information on Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem with Harry Potter during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Fred Weasley	Unknown Death Eaters	During the Battle of Hogwarts.
Dean Thomas
Parvati Patil		Travers
Aberforth Dumbledore	Augustus Rookwood	During the Battle of Hogwarts

Etymology

"Stupefy" comes from the English stupefy, which means "to stun" or "to amaze". It may also come from the Latin stupere, meaning "to be stunned".

Behind the scenes

The DA using the Stunning Spell against Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic.

• Another variation of the spell is Stupefy Duo.
• The Stunning Spell has been identified as a jet, a flash or a burst of red, blue, white or green light in the film adaptions.
• In the books, it is described as a "jet of red light," and appears as such at the beginning of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Ministry of Magic Officials apparate near the trio and attempt to stun them after the destruction of the Quidditch World Cup fair grounds. However, from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on, it is shown as blue light that often just knocks people off their feet.
• Harry counters unidentified green curses cast by Death Eaters with the Stunning Spell, causing the spells to collide and explode in midair. If these green curses were Killing Curses, then this would indicate that Killing Curse can be parried if it collides with another spell.
• In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Stupefy is shown as a ball of red light, but when cast by opponents, it is green, like the Killing Curse. Also at the end after Harry defeats Bellatrix Lestrange outside Hagrid's hut he casts Stupefy but instead of the red light it came out as a green ball of light.

Yaxley being hit by the Stunning Spell.

• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione attempts to use a Stunning Spell on one of the enemy giants, but is prevented from doing so by Ron as it would "crush half the castle." However, it was Hermione herself who pointed out in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that Stunning Spells are almost completely ineffective against Giants, even when cast by multiple wizards.
• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, it can be bought at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley.
• Flavius Belby tried to use this spell against a lethifold, however it had no effect as lethifolds can only be repelled by the Patronus Charm like with Dementors.
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Hermione casts Stupefy at Blaise in the Room of Requirement instead of Gregory Goyle. This is due to Crabbe's part being replaced by Blaise and thus is Goyle is the one to conjure the Fiendfyre.
• It has been implied that Dobby does this to Wormtail in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. However, when Harry does this to Umbridge and Mafalda, they are instantly knocked out, while Wormtail stands for a few seconds, says "Ow" (hinting that the spell was quite painful) and collapses. This, as well as his unintended non-reappearance in Part 2, suggests that he may be dead, or that Dobby used a different spell to knock him out.
• Also in Deathly Hallows: Part 1, When Ron (disguised as Reginald Cattermole) hits Yaxley with a non-verbal Stunning Spell, it seems to strike his chest rather hard, causing him to groan in pain and leaving him incapacitated for several minutes before he catches up with the trio and attempts to stop their escape.
• In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Voldemort casts Stupefy at Neville Longbottom out of anger, after Harry Potter seemingly came back to life. Neville was blown backward into the Great Hall, and remained unconscious until he woke to slay Nagini.
• In Harry Potter for Kinect Harry and Voldemort can use this spell against each other in the final battle during Voldemort's Last Stand as they engage in a normal duel.

Stupefy in different languages

Language	Incantation
Bulgarian (Български)	Вцепени се (literally - "be numb")
Lithuanian	Sustink
Catalan	Animo Linqui
Croatian	Omami
German	Stupor
Dutch	Paralitis
Hungarian	Stupor
Icelandic	Rænulaus
Italian	Stupeficium
Spanish	Desmaius / Desmaio
Swedish	Lamslå
Finnish	Tainnutu
Danish	Lammer (Stunner)
French	Stupéfix
Romanian	Stupefy
Norwegian	Lamstivosløvus
Polish	Drętwota
Greek	Αποχαυνώσιους - (Apochavnosius)
Hebrew	שתק
Hindi	जर्व्तम (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1) or बिसमित भव (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film))
Turkish	Sersemlet
Estonian	Juhmista
Portuguese (Portugal)	Atordoar/Stupefy (Books); Estupidificar (VideoGames)
Portuguese (Brasil)	Estupefaça; Estupore (in the movie of Goblet of Fire)
Serbian	Ošamuti
Thai	สตูเปฟาย
Russian	Окаменей (in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire); Остолбеней (in later books)
Ukrainian	Закляктус
Czech	Mdloby na tebe!
Slovak	Nehýb sa!
Slovenian	Hromi!
Vietnamese	Điểm huyệt!
Japanese	Suchu-pifai! 「麻痺せよ!」, pronounced "Mahi seyo!!" literally means, "Be paralysed!" in Japanese.

Appearances

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Harry casts Stupefy in the Duelling Club.

Aurors casting Stupefy

Albus Dumbledore using the Stunning Spell against Voldemort

Arthur Weasley using the Stunning Spell against a Death Eater

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape (Possibly)
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Wonderbook: Book of Potions
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Pottermore