Questions tagged [spells]
A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula. Spells appear often in Fantasy literature and RPGs usually employed by Merlin-esque wizards. Use alongside the work tag if asking about spells in a specific work or a more appropriate tag if applicable. Do not use if the question simply mentions spells but is not about them.
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Looking for short horror story about two kids and a spell book
I’ve been looking around for a collection of short stories that contained one in particular. A brother and sister discover a book of magic in their grandparents’ basement. The girl begins using the ...
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Why is Harry unable to crucio Bellatrix after she killed Sirius, but could crucio a Death Eater when he spat at McGonagall [duplicate]
I've always hated that Harry couldn't crucio Bellatrix after she killed Sirius, but could crucio a Death Eater after he spat at McGonagall. Is spitting at a teacher worse than some lady who just ...
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State of repaired object by Reparo spell [Repairing Charm]
Say I have a statue in my garden. It's very old and thus has moss growing on it and certain scratches and chips/pieces missing from over the years.
But now someone ran into it and it fell, completely ...
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How powerful can spells be in Harry Potter?
I've noticed in the Harry Potter series that the most powerful spells ever mentioned never go beyond killing, blowing up a few feet, or knocking someone out. Grindelwald's control of lightning in ...
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Children's fantasy book about a girl traveling to another world
I’ve been searching for this children’s book for literally over 25 years. I was probably about 10 years old when I visited the Orem Library (Utah) 1993 ish. I include the place on the off chance it ...
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Why did Expelliarmus not knock the prophecy out of Harry's hand?
Neville used the disarming charm on Harry in the Department of Mysteries.
Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go ...
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What colour are the rings of Raggadorr?
Seven rings has Raggador
Indigo to Deepest Black,
but Oshtur grant me something more
the Crimson bands of Cyttorak
What colour are the remaining five rings?
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When was obliviation discovered/invented?
According to Harry Potter Wiki
Mnemone Radford was the witch who first developed Memory Modifying Charms. She became the first Ministry of Magic Obliviator, due to her skill with the charm.
When ...
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Are there any creatures resistant to Avada Kedavra?
Throughout the books there are some creatures that are explicitly quoted to be resistant to magic (giants being the one that comes to mind).
Are there any references in canon about creatures not being ...
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What is advanced magic in the Harry Potter Universe?
What is advanced magic in the Harry Potter Universe and what determines advanced magic?
I could find two spells mentioned as advanced:
The Extension Charm (‘Capacious extremis!’) in
wizardingworld....
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How do spells work in Middle-earth?
Here are a few instances where spells (or something similar) appear in the books.
Gandalf's fire spells: "Naur an edraith ammen", "Naur dan i-ngaurhoth".
The spell or password ...
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If the General Counter-Spell exists, why are there specific counter-curses?
If a combined Finite could stop Grindelwald's extremely powerful Protego Diabolica, and various spells like the ones in the Duelling Club orchestrated by Severus Snape and Gilderoy Lockhart, why are ...
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What is the source of this lighting bolt shaped wand movement for Avada Kedavra?
On the Harry Potter wikia's page for Killing Curse, the following lightning bolt shaped icon is displayed as the wand movement.
This icon is stylized like the ones that appeared on the old, pre-2015 ...
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Does a curse need to hit a person in order for it to work?
At first glance, I would think that the curse needs to hit a person for it to work. We see plenty of people dodge spells.
Crabbe wheeled around and screamed, "Avada Kedavra!" again. Ron ...
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Can objects be transfigured into live animals?
I can definitely remember the series showing us animals being transfigured into objects, but what about the reverse? Do the books give us any examples?
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If wizards can conjure better hands than their natural ones, why don't all of them just cut off their hands?
So, we see in GoF that wizards — albeit a very powerful wizard — can conjure better hands out of thin air — or at least, more powerful, and put it onto a handless stump.
Voldemort raised his wand ...
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In HP, how does Stupefy work?
In HP, I don't really understand how Stupefy works. It can't be permanent because then would basically be death, and in my understanding, Stupefy only makes people faint/go unconscious. However, at ...
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How would the bite of a venomous non-magical snake be treated in the Wizarding World?
In an original writing by Rowling on illness and disabilities in the Wizarding World, the author states:
I decided that, broadly speaking, wizards would have the power to correct or override ‘...
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How can Muffliato be used in a crowd?
I haven't any exact citations, but I recall from the seven Harry Potter books the following facts about the muffliato spell:
It causes a buzzing sound to be heard by those around the spellcaster, ...
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Spells that require "special" handling
Most of the spells learned in Hogwarts are a simple flow of:
Choose your spell
Point your wand
Say the words
Magic happens
But there are other spells that specify the need to do more than that.
For ...
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Where did the concept of single-use spell scrolls originate?
It has been a standard rule in Dungeons & Dragons for as long as I can remember that spell scrolls are single-use items. Once a spell is cast from the scroll (or, sometimes, even if an ...
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Is it possible to Vanish humans?
We see in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that McGonagall has her Transfiguration students practice the Vanishing Charm (Evanesco) on mice (and has previously had them do snails):
“As I ...
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Spells hand motions in Harry Potter universe
What is the origin of each hand movement for each spell in the Harry Potter universe?
There is so much information on the Internet about each spell, and for each spell, you can find the way your hand ...
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Would Vipera Evanesca work on a Basilisk?
If someone casted Vipera Evanesca on a Basilisk, would it have worked?
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What’s the difference between Locomotor and Wingardium Leviosa?
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, after Umbridge has dismissed Trelawney, the teachers get her trunks back upstairs by using “Locomotor Trunks!” However, wouldn’t this same thing have been ...
user112267
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How is Accio a safe spell? [closed]
Why couldn’t Newt use ‘Accio’ to retrieve all his beasts?
‘Accio’ only works on inanimate objects. While people or creatures may be indirectly moved by ‘Accio-ing’ objects that they are wearing or ...
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How can Newt cast Accio on a Niffler when it is only supposed to work on inanimate objects? [duplicate]
Accio is not supposed to work on people or creatures as per this source:
Why couldn’t Newt use ‘Accio’ to retrieve all his beasts?
‘Accio’ only works on inanimate objects. While people or creatures ...
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How quickly do objects summoned by Accio fly?
Is there a specific speed that Summoned objects fly at, and if so, what is it? If not, how is speed determined?
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Can this inconsistency in the ability of the Summoning Charm (Accio) to summon animals be explained?
J.K. Rowling has stated on her website that the Summoning Charm only works on inanimate objects, explaining that creatures and humans can only be summoned by summoning objects they are holding or ...
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What is the difference between Diffindo and Sectumsempra?
In the Harry Potter books, Diffindo is called the 'Severing Charm' and it’s most commonly used to cut ropes and the like. However, in the last book Hermione uses it on Ron but misses, creating a '...
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Why do wizards use such ineffective spells during serious situations in Harry Potter?
In Harry Potter, we can see many wizards in many really important situations/fights using very ineffective spells, and so later on they pay the price for that (e.g. somebody uses expelliarmus, but ...
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Can Wingardium Leviosa be used as a weapon?
Can Wingardium Leviosa be used as a weapon, like throwing chairs or something at people?
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What are the nonverbal spells used in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?
What are the nonverbal spells used in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?
For example, when the Auror protects himself ? Or the spell he used to enter within the wall and to appear near ...
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Can spells affect a part of an object/body or only the whole thing?
Inspired by this answer:
(Side note: "Reducto" would be a better counter to AK than Expelliarmus because it takes two less syllables to cast so you have a wider window, but you'd have to make sure ...
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What was the spell Newt cast to find Tina?
In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald we see
What the hell was that?!
First, it seems like a very advanced magic - how many people can perform the spell? Aurors? Dumbledore? Why they never ...
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Need help finding the name of a trilogy [duplicate]
This series is mostly fantasy fiction, till the end bit. I think I read this story in the mid to late 90's possibly early 2000's
There is a man who uses a staff as a focus. He has power of both Water ...
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What can the Age Line stop in Goblet of Fire?
What can the Age Line do in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? Consider the following scenarios, assuming I'm a 16-year-old wizard at Hogwarts:
I crumple up a piece of paper with my name on it and ...
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What are the limits of the Bubblehead charm?
So yes, it creates a bubble of atmosphere around a person's head which also renders them impervious to the material all around them (eq: water). Yes, that's great, but there's so much we don't know ...
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Do eclipses have an effect on the efficacy of potions?
In Harry Potter, when you cook a potion during an eclipse, either lunar or solar, would that affect the strength of a potion like in the Switch game, Breath of the Wild, when a blood moon approaches ...
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Why doesn't Reparo work with certain items?
We all know that Harry couldn't repair his wand with this spell. But why didn't he use it to fix his watch? During the second task of the Triwizard Tournament his watch broke while underwater. He ...
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Will the wizard using shorter spells always win a duel?
In Harry Potter, we all know there are long spells and short spells. Pronouncing long spells takes up more time and the wand movement is often more difficult, so how can they be useful in a duel? ...
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Is it possible to create a new spell in Harry Potter [duplicate]
According to one of the theories, that the name of a spell is derived from the action of the spell, would it be possible to create new spells by saying a descriptive word explaining the desired action?...
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What would happen if I were to cast "Loco-motor me"?
The Locomotor spell is used whenever a wizard needs to carry a large load at about a walking pace. But what would happen if the wizard were to cast "Locomotor me" or "Locomotor [casters name]"?
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What is the spell or charm used to send an object from one place to another?
Is there a known spell or charm from the wizarding world that can accurately allow an item to be sent to a specific destination?
E.g. the charm used for 'interdepartmental memos' within the Ministry ...
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What would happen if one casts Lumos under the Invisibility Cloak?
The books have established that the Invisibility cloak that Harry owned was the real deal (one of the Hallows) and not something you can buy in a shop. From this link we know that even though the ...
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How does one wand win over the other in Priori Incantatem?
"So what happens when a wand meets its brother?" said Sirius.
"They will not work properly against each other," said Dumbledore. "If, however, the owners of the wands force the wands to do battle…...
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Can someone be under the Cruciatus Curse and Imperius Curse at the same time?
Can someone be in severe pain under the Cruciatus Curse, and then have someone else come and successfully use the Imperius Curse on them at the same time? Or can they at least be under the Imperius ...
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What is the counter-curse to Sectumsempra?
I was wondering if anyone knew the counter-curse to Sectumsempra. Just in case after I teach my enemy a lesson, I might want to not kill them.
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Why does the goblet in the cave constantly empty?
“Aguamenti!” he shouted, jabbing the goblet with his wand.
The goblet filled with clear water; Harry dropped to his knees
beside Dumbledore, raised his head, and brought the glass to his
lips — but it ...
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How is the Bombarda spell different from the Reducto spell?
Both are used to blast objects. What's the difference between them?
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