The Complete Idiot's Guide to the World of Harry Potter Page 17

  Skele-Gro

  Skele-Gro, a potion of unknown ingredients given to wizards who need to regrow one or more bones, is an apt wordplay on a Muggle product called HairGro, which, like its wizarding counterpart, encourages a part of the human body to grow at unusual rates. HairGro has the advantage of being a topical product that is applied to the scalp; Skele-Gro is a horrible steaming potion that burns as it goes down and causes the painful regrowing of bones to commence. It is used not to make wizards taller but to regrow limbs that have been severed or otherwise cursed to no longer have working bones in them.

  Scientists at UCLA have isolated a natural molecule that encourages bone growth, but it won’t be available as a Muggle potion (er, drug) for another decade.

  Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion

  This potion (ingredients unknown) makes your hair straight and shiny; that is, sleek. It is not necessarily easy to use, however, as at least one wizard eschews it in favor of a natural, frizzy look. Still, Sleekeazy’s is the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine of the wizarding world. Note the similarity to the 1920s and 1930s slang “speakeasy,” which referred to a place where alcohol could be consumed illegally during Prohibition.

  Veritaserum (Truth Potion)

  Every culture has its truth serum; intelligence agencies and psychiatrists in the Muggle world have been using Sodium Pentothal, a sedative that causes deep relaxation and loss of inhibition, for decades, so it’s no wonder the wizarding world has its own version.

  From the Latin veritas, meaning truth, and the English serum, meaning fluid, this truth-telling potion is so potent that only a few drops lead to spilling your guts. The mere threat of Veritaserum keeps students at Hogwarts in line (see Chapter 8 for more on the wizarding school).

  MAGIC TALE

  The Latin veritas means truth, but with a capital "V” (Veritas), it refers to Jesus Christ. Those Romans didn’t miss a trick, as Jesus told his followers that he was "the way, the truth, and the light.” But one has to wonder why Jesus wasn’t referred to as Via (way) or Lumos (light).

  Wit-Sharpening Potion

  With scarab beetles as the main ingredient (see the “Insects and Other Creatures” section for more information), this potion doesn’t necessarily make you smarter, but it does enhance the intelligence you already have.

  Why the scarab beetle? This tiny creature was worshipped by the Egyptians as a symbol of immortality. Unlike the concept of intelligence today, Egyptians believed intelligence took up residence in the heart, not the brain, so after death, Egyptians would remove the deceased’s heart, replace it with a scarab beetle carved from stone, place the heart separately in the tomb, and thus ensure that the deceased went into the afterlife with his or her intelligence preserved. No self-respecting Wit-Sharpening Potion would ignore this legacy of intelligence-preservation.

  Ginger root is another ingredient of this potion; in the Muggle world, ginger is a major ingredient of teas that are supposed to improve intelligence.

  Wolfsbane Potion

  Wolfsbane Potion may be the most valuable potion available to wizards: it allows a werewolf to lead a normal life by keeping him or her from transfiguring fully into a werewolf at each full moon—the body still transforms, but the mind doesn’t. The potion’s main ingredient is aconite (also called monkshood and wolfsbane), a member of the buttercup family that has long been used in small quantities for medicinal purposes—see Chapter 10.

  Rowling reveals that this potion was invented by “Damocles Belby.” (Belby is a town in East Yorkshire, England.) An earlier Damocles was a Greek royal attendant who upset the ruler at that time, Dionysius, and was repaid by having a sword suspended over his head, held there by a single hair. Thus the term “the sword of Damocles” refers to an impending tragedy, which is exactly how wizards must feel about werewolves. With just one nip, a wizard’s entire life is changed: there is no cure, and even though the illness can be kept under control, wizards are so afraid of werewolves that they do everything in their power to push them out of polite society.

  Chapter 12

  Watch What You Say: Spells, Charms, Hexes, Jinxes, and Curses

  In This Chapter • Explaining the difference among the terms

  • Understanding how spells work

  • Revealing the power of charms

  • Understanding the more powerful jinxes, hexes, and spells

  • Being aware of the three unforgivable curses

  Charms, hexes, jinxes, spells, and curses—along with potions (see Chapter 11)—are a wizard’s bread and butter. If you can’t toss off a simple tickling charm to torture your little brother, what’s the fun in being a wizard? And if you can’t protect yourself in a duel, you may as well be a plain-old Muggle.

  The various charms, hexes, jinxes, spells, and curses used in the wizarding world are defined in this chapter.

  Differentiating Among Charms, Hexes, Jinxes, Spells, and Curses

  One of the first questions wizard fans ask is, “What’s the difference between a charm, jinx, hex, spell, and curse?” The answer: not much. They’re nearly all synonymous.

  Charms

  The word charm is from the Latin carmen, meaning song, verse, or prophecy; thus, a charm is a chant, word, or phrase that has magical power. In the world of Harry Potter, charms tend to be rather benign, helping wizards move objects, clean up rooms, improve their physical appearance, and confuse people, rather than physically harm them. Some charms, however, are quite powerful, as you discover in the “Easing In: A Handbook of Charms” section later in this chapter. The Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus!) and the Memory Charm (Obliviate!) are two good examples.

  Note that Rowling overlaps the term charm with spell or curse only twice: A Banishing Spell is also called a Banishing Charm, and an Engorgement Curse is also called an Engorgement Charm.

  Hexes

  A hex is a spell that’s meant by the hexer to produce something bad in the hexee. Rowling names only four (Bat-Bogey, Hurling, Stinging, and Twitchy Ears), and all do, indeed, produce ill effects. Hex is derived from the German hexe, meaning hag or witch. Interestingly, the dictionary lists “hex” and “jinx” as synonyms.

  Jinxes

  A jinx is another word for a hex—a spell that produces an ill effect. A jinx is never benign and is used for two reasons:1. To counter the spells or activities of someone else, as is the case with Anti-Disapparition and Anti-intruder jinxes

  2. To incapacitate an enemy, such is the case with Jelly-Legs and Impediment jinxes

  Rowling points out that the word “counterjinx” is a misnomer: because jinxes, by definition, are often used to counter other spells, “counterjinx” and “jinx” are synonymous. Jinxes and curses are even similar enough to share terminology: the Impediment Jinx is also referred to as the Impediment Curse in the novels, making it a serious spell indeed.

  MAGIC TALE

  The origin of the word "jinx” is found in Greek mythology. Iynx, the daughter of Pan and Peitho, tried to use magic to make Zeus fall in love with her (note that there is no such love spell in the wizarding world; see Chapter 11 for love potions). In retribution, Hera turned Inyx into a bird called the iynx (also called the lynx and the wryneck bird). So, in a way, Hera jinxed Inyx!

  Spells

  Spell is the default term that encompasses all charms, hexes, jinxes, and curses. From the Old English spel, meaning story or account, a spell has come to mean any word or phrase with magical power. Note, in fact, the way we use both charm and spell in everyday usage—for example, a charming man can cast a spell on a woman. Both have the sense of magical power, irresistibility, or enchantment. Spells can be benign (like most charms) or severe (like hexes, jinxes, and curses). Only once does Rowling officially call a spell something else, however: the Banishing Spell is also referred to as a Banishing Charm.

  Curses

  In Harry Potter’s world, a curse is a high-level spell that usually produces great discomfort in the victim. By definition, a curse is used to call evil down
on another (it’s from the Old English curs, meaning prayer or malediction), so it makes sense that a curse isn’t used to stir a pot of mashed potatoes or clean your dishes, the way a charm might be. Good wizards do occasionally utilize curses, but almost exclusively in self-defense. Evil wizards, on the other hand, might use a dozen curses before breakfast. See the “Mastering the Minor Curses” section for details on specific curses.

  Three curses are considered Unforgivable, although some of the so-called minor curses can produce results nearly as bad as the Unforgivables. See the “Steering Clear of the Three Unforgivable Curses” section later in this chapter.

  Understanding How Spells Are Named and Produced

  Spells have both a name and an incantation, which is the word or words a wizard speaks to produce the spell. In order for the spell to work, the wizard must speak (or, for really advanced wizards, think) the incantation, often in conjunction with some sort of wand movement. It is possible, however, for some spells to be produced in the absence of a wand. These tend to occur when a very powerful wizard is under extreme stress or is enraged.

  In Rowling’s novels, incantations are given in italics, followed by an exclamation point (incantations must be said with feeling, and the exclamation point communicates this). That same convention is followed in this chapter.

  In some cases, only the name of the spell is mentioned in the Harry Potter novels; in others, Rowling gives only the incantation; and in still other cases, Rowling gives us both the name and the incantation. So you’ll see some inconsistencies—not every spell has an incantation, and vice versa.

  Easing In: A Handbook of Charms

  Most—although not all—charms are fun, harmless ways of using magic. In an ideal world, wizards would use only charms, not the more dangerous hexes, jinxes, spells, and curses. For this reason, Charms is a class taught at Hogwarts (see Chapter 8); the more aggressive spells are not taught at school, although defending against them is taught.

  Hogwarts also offers a Charm Club, which is something on par with a Muggle Debate Club or French Club. Mostly a social club, it is also an opportunity to practice rendering charms.

  Accio! (Summoning Charm)

  This charms fetches whatever you need—even through locked doors, if necessary. Lose your keys? No problem. Do a quick summoning spell, and they’ll come to your hand. Leave your lunch at home? Same deal. As long as you follow Accio! with the name of the object you want, it’ll come to you. Accio, not surprisingly, is Latin for send for or summon.

  Aguamenti Charm

  This charm makes water stream or whoosh from the tip of a wand, which could be pretty handy on a hot, sunny day. Agua is Spanish for water; mentis is Latin for intention.

  Alohomora! (Alohomora Charm)

  This incredibly handy charm opens locks on doors and windows—no more calling AAA to get your keys out of your car; no more climbing in a window when you’re locked out of the house.

  In one of the more clever naming schemes of all charms and spells, aloha is the Hawaiian word for “goodbye” (it also is used to mean “hello”), and mora is Latin for obstacle or hindrance. Goodbye, obstacle; hello, unlocked door!

  Confundus Charm

  From the Latin confunudi, meaning to confuse or bewilder, this charm is meant to confuse someone temporarily. If a wizard runs into an old classmate on the street and doesn’t have time to chat, a Confundus Charm that lasts for thirty seconds would be just enough time to make a clean getaway.

  Expelliarmus! (Disarming Charm)

  From the Latin expello, meaning to expel or reject, this charm is used mostly to de-wand another wizard. Without a wand, a wizard’s powers are greatly inhibited, so separating a wizard from his wand is like getting a gun away from an opponent.

  Homorphus Charm

  From the Latin homo (man) and the English morph (to change from one thing into another), this powerful charm is supposed to force a werewolf to turn back into a human. Given how dangerous werewolves are and how useful a charm like this would be, this charm probably does not actually work; the wizard describing its existence in the novels has not proven to be a reliable source.

  Imperturbable Charm

  Need to have a private conversation without anyone eavesdropping? A wizard would use an Imperturbable Charm, which Imperturbs an object to create a privacy barrier. (The English imperturbable means calm, undisturbed, and not easily distressed.) Doors are the primary targets, but entire walls could be Imperturbed.

  Impervius!

  From the Latin (and English) impervious, meaning impermeable, this incantation does not allow one substance to penetrate another. For example, a wizard can charm an object to repel water. Perhaps Dockers stain-resistant pants were designed with the Impervius! incantation.

  Locomotor!

  The verb locomote, from which we get the word locomotive (train), means to move under your own power. Not surprisingly, this incantation is used to move objects, like a heavy suitcase. Like Accio!, the incantation must be followed by the name of the object.

  Lumos!

  From the Latin lumen, meaning light, this incantation produces light at the end of the wand, helping one to see in the dark.

  Nox!

  From the Latin nox, meaning darkness, this incantation causes the light at the end of the wand to go out. It is used as a countercharm to Lumos!

  Obliteration Charm

  The Obliteration Charm (“to obliterate” means to erase completely, leaving no trace) is used to make the traces of anything disappear, including footsteps in the snow.

  Obliviate! (Memory Charm)

  This incantation is from the Latin oblivio, meaning forgetfulness, with is the root of the English oblivious (unaware and/or forgetful) and oblivion (the state of having been forgotten). The Memory Charm is used most often on Muggles, forcing them to forget the wizard activities they may have accidentally seen; it modifies a person’s memory. It can also be used wizard-to-wizard to make someone forget something damaging or embarrassing. A wizard could, conceivably, even forget a painful breakup like in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind by using this charm.

  Protean Charm

  The Protean Charm is one of the coolest—and most difficult—charms a wizard can perform, and it requires great skill. From the word protean, which means continually changing in appearance or behavior, this charm allows a wizard to make a change to one base item, and then any items associated with that item will change in the same way. For example, a group of everyday items, such as quills, are bewitched to change color, shape, or some other characteristic when the wizard changes the main quill. In this way, clandestine messages can be given to a group of wizards. The Dark Mark that Lord Voldemort gives to each of his followers is likely powered by the Protean Charm.

  MAGIC TALE

  Proteus was a Greek sea god who could foretell the future, but only to those who could catch him. Because he was a shapeshifter, catching him was no easy task. Proteus could take the forms of many animals and several bodies of water (streams, lakes, seas).

  Protego! (Shield Charm)

  From the Latin protego, meaning protect and defend, the Shield Charm deflects minor spells and rebounds them on the attacker. The charm creates a temporary force field around the wizard issuing this incantation.

  Relashio!

  Probably from the Latin relatio, meaning motion, this charm sends something—perhaps sparks—out of the end of a wand and slightly wounds the person at whom the wand is aimed.

  Reparo!

  From the Latin reparo, meaning repair, this charm repairs something broken: a mug; a pair of glasses; the iPod you dropped on the sidewalk; the large dent in your car.

  Silencio! (Silencing Charm)

  From the Latin silens, meaning silent, this charm forces someone to quiet down. It’s the wizard equivalent of using your “indoor voice” when in kindergarten. The charm may require a sharp poke from the wand, but that’s probably just to get the attention of the loud talker.

  Son
orus!

  From the Latin (and English) sonorous, meaning a loud, deep, clear sound, this useful charm, evoked by pointing a wand at one’s own throat, turns a normal voice into a megaphone voice.

  Tergeo!

  From the Latin tergeo, meaning to clean or polish, this charm is used to clean dirt, blood, or any other goo off one’s body or clothing.

  Rictusempra! (Tickling Charm)

  The is the ultimate charm in a sibling’s toolkit, because it allows a wizard to tickle someone without even having to get his or her fingers near another person’s tummy. The Latin rictus means open mouth or jaw, semper means always; hence, always laughing.

  Waddiwasi!

  This charm shoots a “wad” of gum (and, presumably, other objects) up someone’s nose. Perhaps that’s where the incantation originates; if not, the origin of this incantation is difficult to pin down:• Waddi is a rare tree in the Australian Outback that grows right alongside the gum tree.