Wand Lighting Spell
Incantation	Lumos (LOO-mos or LOO-mohs)
Type	Charm
Hand Movement
Light	Yellow
Effect	Causes the tip of the wand to glow

[Source]

The Wand-Lighting Charm^[1] (Lumos) is a charm that causes the tip of the caster's wand to emit a warm glow^[2]. Its counter-spell is the Wand-Extinguishing Charm. It is taught in first year Defence Against the Dark Arts classes^[3] and is detailed in both the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 ^[4] and the Lumos spellbook.

UsageEdit

Lumos is simultaneously one of the simplest and most useful spells of all, rivalled only in its pragmatism by Flipendo. Not only can the light produced from produced illuminate dark areas like a lantern (which is in itself very useful) but is is the only known spell effective at repelling spectral foes, such as Gytrashes and malevolent spirits^[5].

Known practitionersEdit

• Albus Dumbledore
• Arthur Weasley
• Barty Crouch Jr.
• Cedric Diggory
• Harry Potter
• Hermione Granger
• 
  Katie Bell
• Lavender Brown
• Luna Lovegood
• Minerva McGonagall
• Nymphadora Tonks
• Quirinus Quirrell
• Ron Weasley
• Severus Snape

EtymologyEdit

The incantation Lumos is derived from the Latin lumen meaning "light."

Behind the scenesEdit

• It is possible this charm is not affected by The Trace, perhaps because it is incredibly simple and looks like torch light, so this spell could be used outside Hogwarts.^[6]
• In the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Bonnie Wright, Rupert Grint and James and Oliver Phelps tried to use Lumos to illuminate Hogwarts Castle. However, they did not succeed and they tried a stronger version of this spell, Lumos Maxima.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, if one listens closely, the Lumos charm appears to make a very soft humming sound.
• Lumos is perhaps the most consistently portrayed spell in the movies and games in terms of appearance; almost always appearing as a bright blue (or yellow) light with faint pulses emanating slowly from the wand tip, occasionally precipitating smoke.
• Other versions of the spell were used in the movies and games:
  • Lumos Solem was used by Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, creating a beam of sunlight.
  • Lumos Maxima was performed by Harry Potter at the Dursleys' house in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and was also used in the Horcrux cave in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. It creates an extremely large ball of light at the end of the wand, which can even be cast off to hover and light a greater area.
  • In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ron Weasley has a version called Lumos Duo, which shines an intense ray of light upon an object or creature.
  • In the PS2, XBox, Gamecube, and PC/MAC versions of the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Lumos can also be cast on gargoyles, causing them to summon platforms of light tangible enough for a person to stand on. The is probably not an inherent spell effect on Lumos but the result of a spell (or series of spells) cast over those gargoyles to make them react in such a way at the use of the Lumos spell.

AppearancesEdit

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• 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 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 2
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (possibly)^[7]
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Pottermore (Spells / Duels)

Notes and referencesEdit

Defence Against the Dark Arts (D.A.D.A.)
Professors: Galatea Merrythought · Quirinus Quirrell · Gilderoy Lockhart · Remus Lupin · Barty Crouch Jr. (as Alastor Moody) · Dolores Umbridge · Severus Snape · Amycus Carrow
Textbooks: The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection · Break with a Banshee · Gadding with Ghouls · Holidays with Hags · Travels with Trolls · Voyages with Vampires · Wanderings with Werewolves · Year with the Yeti · Defensive Magical Theory · Confronting the Faceless
D.A.D.A. at Hogwarts: Classroom 3C · Temporary Classroom · Tower · Professor's Office · Storeroom · Staircase · Lesson Cup · Race Cup · Dumbledore's Army
Spells covered under the subject: Curse of the Bogies · Knockback Jinx · Verdimillious (uno, duo & tria) · Wand-Lighting Charm · Glacius · Patronus Charm · Killing Curse · Cruciatus Curse · Imperius Curse · Impediment Jinx · Reductor Curse · Stunning Spell · Shield Charm · Nonverbal spells · Inferius
Creatures covered under the subject: Vampire bats · Iguanas · Cornish Pixies · Werewolves · Vampires · Hinkypunks · Boggarts · Red Caps · Kappas · Grindylows