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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Spells - A

Accio (Summoning Charm)

Pronunciation: Various suggestions have been made, including:

['ɑkkio] (AK-ee-o) - classical Latin (film, video game)
['ɑksio] (AK-see-o) - (audio book)
['æsio] (AH-see-o) - (Scholastic) English

Description: This charm summons an object to the caster, potentially over a significant distance.[2]
Seen/Mentioned: First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when it was briefly used by Molly Weasley on the Weasley twins to confiscate their Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' products from their pockets, before they left for the Quidditch World Cup. Later on in the same book, Harry summons his broom to complete the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[GF Ch.20] Near the end of the book, Harry summons a Portkey he can't reach to escape from the Battle in the Graveyard. Also seen in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows to try to summon Horcruxes, and Harry even tries to summon a falling Rubeus Hagrid.
Suggested Etymology: The Latin word accio means "I call" or "I summon".[3]In the Hungarian translation, the spell is called "Invito", possibly from the word "to invite".

Aguamenti (Aguamenti Charm)

Pronunciation: AH-gwa-MEN-tee (IPA: /a.gwə.'mɛn.ti/)
Description: Produces a jet of water from the caster's wand.
Seen/Mentioned: First named in Half-Blood Prince, when Harry is being taught how to perform this specific charm in professor Flitwick's class. Later Harry casts this spell in an attempt to create water for Dumbledore to drink after taking Voldemort's potion[HBP Ch.26]and then to douse Hagrid's hut after it is set on fire later.[HBP Ch.28] Then in Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger uses it to put out Mundungus' searing eyebrows after Harry accidentally set them on fire.[DH Ch.11] Later on, Harry uses it in a failed attempt to douse Vincent Crabbe's Fiendfyre curse in the Room of Requirement.[DH Ch.31]
Suggested Etymology: The Latin word aqua which has morphed into modern languages like Portuguese as água which means "water", combined with a form of the Latin verb mentio which means to "speak, mention, or proclaim".

Alohomora

Pronunciation: ah-LOH-huh-MOR-ah (IPA: /ə'lo.həˌmo.ɹə/)

Description: Used to open and unlock doors,[5] but doors may be bewitched so that this spell has no effect.
Seen/Mentioned: Used throughout the series, first use by Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Later unsuccessfully cast by Ron, on the door from the room with the winged keys in Hogwarts.[PS Ch.16] Loses use gradually in the series as the characters discover more and more doors, chests etc. with counter-charms on them (e.g. The doors into Professor Snape's and Professor Umbridge's offices are mentioned as being Alohomora-proof.)
Etymology: From the West African Sidiki dialect used in geomancy meaning: Friendly to thieves as stated by J.K. Rowling in testimony during the WB and JKR vs. RDR Books

Anapneo

Pronunciation: ah-NAP-nee-oh (IPA: /ə.'næp.ni.əʊ/)

Description: Clears the target's airway, if blocked.
Seen/Mentioned: Shown in Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn casts this spell on Marcus Belby when the latter begins to choke.[HBP Ch.7]
Suggested Etymology: The Greek word anapneo which means "to draw breath or to revive"

Aparecium

Pronunciation: AH-par-EE-see-um (IPA: /æ.pə'ɹi.si.ʌm/)

Description: This spell makes invisible ink appear.
Seen/Mentioned: First seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Hermione tries to make hidden writing appear in Tom Marvolo Riddle's diary.[CS Ch.13]
Notes: See also Specialis Revelio.
Suggested Etymology: The Latin word appareo which means "to become visible or to appear".

Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse)

Pronunciation: ah-VAH-dah kuh-DAHV-rah (IPA: /ə.'væ.də kə.'dæv.ɹə/)

Description: causes a bright green flash and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another spell midflight, negating both), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the green jet, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. Harry twice countered this spell by casting Expelliarmus. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being renders a life sentence in Azkaban.
The magical conditions have also been documented to defeat the curse, even on a direct hit:

* Harry Potter was given magical protection against Lord Voldemort's use of the curse, when his mother sacrificed herself to save him.
* Harry is saved by the twin cores effect between his wand and Voldemort's during a duel, as well as during a battle. During this battle, Harry's phoenix feather wand snaps the wand Voldemort borrowed from one of his servants, Lucius Malfoy. The reason for this is unknown. Dumbledore believes this feat to be due to the unique connections and relationships between the two duellists, which are complex and are "realms of magic hitherto unknown".
* In Deathly Hallows, Harry is saved twice. The first time because when Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby, a piece of Voldemort's soul flaked off and was trapped within Harry himself (giving Harry a connection to, and many of the powers of, Voldemort). When the killing curse hit Harry in the Forbidden Forest, it killed the piece of Voldemort's soul trapped in Harry, and sent Harry to a nether region where Voldemort's use of Harry's blood gave Harry a lifeline back to the world of the living, should he choose to use it, and he decided to return to life. The second time, Harry was able to deflect the curse back at Voldemort (who died from it) because of a special condition involving the Elder Wand. This had been 'won' by Draco when he disarmed Dumbledore of his wand, but none understood this at the time, and Draco did not use the Elder Wand. Harry had won Draco's wand in a life-or-death duel, thereby proving to the Elder Wand that Harry should be the wand's true master. Therefore, when Harry used Draco's wand to cast Expelliarmus against Voldemort's killing curse, the killing curse rebounded on Voldemort leaving Harry unharmed.

Seen/Mentioned: First said (not by name) at the beginning of the first book when Harry arrives to the Dursley's home. First seen in Goblet of Fire against Muggle Frank Bryce, and in every book following.
Suggested Etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."

Avis

Pronunciation: AH-vis (IPA: /a'vɪs/)

Description: This charm creates a flock of birds that pour forth from the caster's wand. When coupled with Oppugno, it can be used offensively.
Seen/Mentioned: Shown in Goblet of Fire, cast by Mr Ollivander to test Viktor Krum's wand.[GF Ch.18] In Half-blood Prince, it is cast by Hermione, followed by Oppugno which causes the birds to attack Ron Weasley.[HBP Ch.14]
Suggested Etymology: The Latin word avis which means, "bird"

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