The Vanishing Spell (Evanesco) is a Transfiguration spell causes things to Vanish.

Contents 1 Nature 2 History of use 3 Etymology 4 Behind the Scenes 5 Appearences

NatureEdit

The spell is practised at O.W.L. level in Transfiguration class and is considered one of the hardest spells to be tested in the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. As stated by Professor McGonagall, the difficulty of the Vanishing Spell increases along with the complexity of the animal to be Vanished. Hence, when taught, the class is first to Vanish snails, then mice, then kittens; snails (being invertebrates) are considered easier to Vanish than the mice, which are vertebrates and mice are considered easier than kittens, the latter of which are "higher mammals" (i.e. more complex) than mice.

History of useEdit

• Bill Weasley used it in 1995 to make several parchments, which looked like plans for a building to Harry Potter, Vanish.
• In 1995, Professor Snape used it to Vanish a potion Harry ruined.
• Hermione Granger also used it later in the year 1995 to Vanish a potion of Harry's that she thought he had finished.

EtymologyEdit

Comes from "evanescence", something that is fleeting or disappears, and the Latin evanesco, "disappear".

Behind the ScenesEdit

• The fictional Babbitty made a hat disappear, probably using this spell.
• Harry Potter may have used this to inadvertantly vanish the glass at the snake tank at the zoo in 1991.
• Whilst Snape used a similar spell to Vanish a snake conjured by Malfoy during Duelling Club, that was not strictly a Vanishing spell; it was a counter-curse with a different incantation yet similar effect.
• In the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Albus Dumbledore used this spell to melt the casket that carried the Goblet of Fire.

AppearencesEdit

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First possible appearence)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game

Transfiguration (class)
Professors: Albus Dumbledore · Minerva McGonagall
Textbooks: A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration · Intermediate Transfiguration · A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration
Known practitoners: Emeric Switch · Circe · Falco Aesalon · Mirabella Plunkett · Thaddeus Thurkell ·
Transfiguration spells studied at Hogwarts: Chair to cat · Match to needle · Snail to Teapot · Teacup to Rat · Switching Spell · Transforming Spell · Avifors · Mice to Snuffboxes · Beetle Buttons · Rabbit Slippers · Teapot to tortoise · Draconifors · Lapifors · Vanishing Spell · Fera Verto · Owl to opera glasses · Guinea fowl to guinea pig · Hedgehog to pincushion · Small Child to Rat · Meddling Man to Monkey ·
Branches of Transfiguration: Transformation · Vanishment · Conjuration · Untransfiguration