Wand-Extinguishing Charm

Wand-Extinguishing Charm
Incantation	Nox (NOCK-ss)
Type	Countercharm
Hand movement
Effect	Counters the Wand-Lighting Charm

"He groped behind him and she forced the bundle of slippery cloth into his free hand. With difficulty he dragged it over himself, murmured, 'Nox,' extinguishing his wand light, and continued on his hands and knees, as silently as possible, all his senses straining, expecting every second to be discovered, to hear a cold clear voice, see a flash of green light."

— Harry uses this, invisible, whilst crawling through the tunnel into the Whomping Willow.

The Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox). This spell causes the light at the end of the caster's wand to be extinguished. The counter-charm for the Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos).

History

It can be assumed this spell was invented by the same person who invented the Wand-lighting Charm, Levina Monkstanley. She invented the Wand-lighting charm in 18th century and most likely the Wand-Extinguishing Charm around that time to.

This spell is taught in first year defence classes and is detailed in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, another spellbook, and Book of Spells.

Known uses

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Harry Potter	6 June, 1994	He used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack unobserved. Also used when Harry was in the passage beneath the Whomping Willow which leads to the Shrieking Shack.
Hermione Granger	6 June, 1994	She used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack unobserved. Also used when Harry was in the passage beneath the Whomping Willow which leads to the Shrieking Shack.
Harry Potter	August, 1997	Harry used this spell while the Trio was hiding in Grimmauld Place during August after the fall of the ministry.
Harry Potter	September, 1997	Harry used this in the forest while the Trio was on their hunt for Horcruxs, after infiltrating the ministry.

Known practitioners

• Severus Snape
• Harry Potter
• Hermione Granger
• Ron Weasley (possibly)

Etymology

In Latin, "nox" means "night." Nox is also the name of the Roman Goddess of night derived from Nyx (Greek goddess of darkness and night).

Behind the scenes

• In most of the video games, the Lumos Charm is extinguished by itself after some time, not requiring this spell.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Cut from final edit)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Pottermore (First identified as Wand-Extinguishing Charm)