Somewhere out there, a bunch of people are still waiting for their Hogwarts acceptance letters to be delivered. That is the kind of impact that J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series has generated. The worldwide phenomenon which centers on a British boy who attends a school for wizards enchanted legions of readers with its unforgettable characters, riveting narrative, engrossing world, and, of course a wondrous system of magic spells.
Every fan has doubtless goofed around by themselves or with friends waving sticks or twigs and reciting those words and expressions derived from Latin and whatever other languages that Rowling could scavenge to create the spells used by Harry and the other inhabitants of her novels that fans all wish were real. The magic spells in Harry Potter cover a multitude of purposes, from completing mundane housework to self-defense to eliminating one’s enemies with extreme prejudice. Among the numerous spells from Harry Potter, some are naturally more powerful than others.
Updated on September 26, 2023, by Ryan Heffernan:
The Harry Potter film series is one of the best and most wondrous to hit screens so far this century. With the wizarding world still front-of-mind as a trending pop-culture series, it’s little surprise that the Harry Potter tale is set to be adapted for the small screen, with a seven-season series reportedly ordered by Max. While it remains to be seen if the series will be able to re-capture the captivating sense of move magic that made the film series thrive, it seems a safe bet that these iconic spells will feature in the show at some point.
20 Arresto Momentum (Slowing Charm)
The slowing charm doesn’t necessarily sound like one of the most important or vital enchantments, but it does effectively save Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) life in The Prisoner of Azkaban. As the incantation would suggest, the charm slows or arrests the momentum of an object’s velocity.
In the Quidditch match, Harry chases the Golden Snitch high into the stormy clouds where he is attacked by Dementers and falls from his broom. Slipping out of consciousness, Harry rapidly falls to the ground and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) casts the spell to slow his descent.
19 Ascendio (Ascending Charm)
Ascendio made its first appearance in The Goblet of Fire when Harry cast it while completing the second task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. Having rescued Ron (Rupert Grint) and Gabrielle Delecour (Angelica Mandy) from the Great Lake, Harry is being dragged down by Grindylows and, with the effects of his Gillyweed wearing off, he casts the ascending charm to propel himself beyond the surface of the water.
Interestingly, the charm was created specifically for the film and, as its name would imply, shoots the caster high into the air. It was also used by Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in the French Ministry of Magic in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
18 Levicorpus (Dangling Jinx)
Levicorpus is a spell which changes quite drastically from the books to how it is used in the film. In the novel of The Goblet of Fire, Harry uses it on Ron which sees his classmate helplessly dangling by his ankles in midair in a humorous moment.
It does appear to work similarly in The Order of the Phoenixin the flashback into Snape’s (Alan Rickman) troubled youth. However, it is shown to have a very different effect when Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) casts it against a Death Eater in the film’s climax, with the spell resulting in the masked assailant being flung back high into the air.
17 Legilimens (Legiminency Spell)
The Legilimency spell is more prolific in the novels than the films, but it still provides the film series with one of its more revealing moments. The spell enabled the sorcerer who cast it to explore the mind of the target, allowing them to witness their memories and see their thoughts and feelings.
Used by Snape in The Order of the Phoenix as a means to train Harry to defend himself against Voldemort, Harry is given insight into Snape’s complicated past when he casts a shield against Snape. The altercation reveals to Harry how Snape was bullied by Harry’s father and his friends when they were students at Hogwarts.
16 Imperio (Imperius Curse)
The first of the three Unforgivable Curses, the Imperius Curse sees the affected target succumb to the complete control of the spell caster. While its mind control effect is unsettling and often used for evil, it is by far the least used of the three Unforgivable Curse by Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
Additionally, it’s never used to devastating effect in the Harry Potter films. Barty Crouch Jr. (David Tennant) uses it in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class when he’s disguised as Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson) in The Goblet of the Fire and Harry uses it on the Gringotts goblin Bogrod in The Deathly Hallows: Part IIwhen he threatens to blow the trio’s cover. Neither example showcased the evil depths the spell could be used for.
15 Bombarda (Exploding Charm)
Bombarda, the Exploding Charm, is unique in the Harry Potter universe as it was actually made up for the films, though it would go on to be mentioned in the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child story. It makes its first appearance in The Prisoner of Azkaban when Hermione (Emma Watson) casts it to break Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) free from his cell.
In the book she used the “Alohamora” charm, but the explosive charm gave the moment a more dramatic punch. Additionally, the spell can be cast with varying levels of explosive impact, as evidenced in The Order of the Phoenix when Professor Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) casts “Bombarda Maxima” to burst in on Dumbledore’s Army in the Room of Requirement.
14 Reparo (Mending Charm)
A spell used to mend broken things, Reparo would be an incredibly useful charm to have in real life. From putting together broken windows to making whole a shattered teacup, this straightforward and memorable spell has likely helped numerous Hogwarts students cover up accidents in the classroom. A variant of it – Oculus Reparo – is also famously used by Hermione to repair Harry’s glasses more than once.
That said, the simple spell has clear limits, as Draco (Tom Felton) learns when he tries to repair a broken Vanishing Cabinet for an entire school year. It doesn’t work on things imbued with complex and powerful magic – some objects are meant to stay broken, even in a Wizarding World full of powerful characters.
13 Alohomora (Unlocking Charm)
Every locksmith’s worst nightmare, Alohomora can be used to unlock doors, vaults, and other objects that have been sealed away. Precision and concentration are both requirements for casters who want to use this spell, and it has been used a lot in the film series.
The major Harry Potter villain Voldemort famously uses Alohomora to break into Harry Potter’s house and murder his parents, using the simple movement to unlock their front door. Hermione has also used this charm several times in the movies to gain access to forbidden areas like the entrance on the third-floor corridor of Hogwarts and Regulus Black’s bedroom.
12 Crucio (Torture Curse)
The Cruciatus Curse, otherwise known as the Torture Curse, is one of the three Unforgivable Curses in the Harry Potter world. Inflicting excruciating pain on the target, it is surprisingly one of the most used incantations throughout the films and is used by some unexpected wizards, including Harry Potter himself.
While a confronting spell, the films never showcase it being used for too long, as the ramifications of the curse can be incredibly horrific. The most tragic tale of the spell was how it was used by several Death Eaters on Neville Longbottom’s (Matthew Lewis) parents for such a prolonged period of time that they descended into madness.
11 Stupefy (Stunning Charm)
While there are plenty of spells that are used regularly throughout the films, it’s the Stunning Charm – Stupefy – that is the most prolific. Cast almost thirty times throughout the films, it temporarily stuns its target, rendering them unconscious at worst without dealing any serious or lasting damage.
The non-lethal but effective nature of the spell made it a favorite among the members of Dumbledore’s Army in The Order of the Phoenix. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all use it multiple times in the film’s climactic battle against the Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic.
10 Expelliarmus (Disarming Charm)
No Harry Potter spells list is complete without the Disarming Charm, which, as the name implies, enables the user to disarm another wizard or witch in a duel by forcing their wand out of their hand. With enough power behind it, the spell could also knock an opponent off their feet and send them flying.
This charm was first demonstrated by Hogwarts professor Severus Snape during a mock duel. It has since become the signature spell of Harry’s (known among some fans as the Harry Potter mantra), used by him multiple times across the books and movies, most famously as his main dueling move against his archenemy, Lord Voldemort.
9 Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse)
As silly as the incantation sounds, this spell is no laughing matter. One of the three Unforgivable Curses of the Wizarding World, the aptly designated Killing Curse causes instantaneous death to its target and is easily recognized by its distinctive green light. There is no way to counter or defend against it, except through the magic generated by sacrificial love, which protected Harry Potter from the curse as an infant.
This spell is the favored one of Lord Voldemort. With it, he has claimed the lives of countless victims in the Harry Potter universe over the course of his long and infamous career as the most dangerous and villainous Dark Wizard who ever lived.
8 Expecto Patronum (Patronus Charm)
In the magical realm of Harry Potter, there exist wraithlike creatures called Dementors that feed off the positive emotions of humans and, at worst, can siphon their very souls. The only known defense against them is the Patronus Charm, which conjures a protective spirit-like entity that, at its strongest, takes the form of an animal meant to be reflective of the caster’s innermost self and deepest feelings. The spell draws strength from the user’s happiest memories and is extremely difficult to perform, with some particularly rare Patronus Charms appearing only to the most special casters.
A major plot thread in The Prisoner of Azkaban involved Harry Potter learning to master this advanced spell. Once he did, it served as an early indicator of his prodigious magical talent, and he would go on to teach his friends and fellow students how to cast the charm to prepare them for the dangers that lay ahead.
7 Wingardium Leviosa (Levitation Charm)
Making things float is a standard magical power in any fantasy universe. Harry Potter is no exception, with Harry and his friends having to learn the Levitation Charm as one of their most basic Hogwarts spells.
A simple spell, but also one of great significance in the series due to its role in establishing the close and enduring friendship between the main characters. In the beginning, Ron is frustrated by his difficulty in grasping the charm, while the young genius Hermione breezes through the lesson and haughtily tries to tutor Ron, much to his further annoyance. Later, when Hermione is attacked by a mountain troll, Harry and Ron rush to help her, with the latter ultimately defeating the monster using the spell and Hermione’s advice.
6 Petrificus Totalus (Full Body-Bind Curse)
Also known as the Full Body-Bind Curse, this spell causes temporary paralysis in whoever should fall prey to it. Under its effects, the victim’s arms and legs snap together, and their petrified body collapses, completely frozen stiff for an unspecified period of time while still retaining consciousness and certain sensory functions like eye movement.
This is a fairly basic form of combat magic that wizards and witches could use to immobilize opponents in battle, but it has nevertheless been shown to be a generally effective spell for many of the heroes and villains in the epic fantasy franchise.
5 Obliviate (Memory Charm)
The magical community of Harry Potter relies on secrecy to protect themselves from the non-magical society of Muggles and to maintain peace between both worlds. As such, the Memory or Forgetfulness Charm is an invaluable asset that allows wizards and witches to erase memories of things, people, and events that they do not want to remain known.
However, this powerful spell could also just as easily be used for sinister intent. A notable example of this is how the narcissistic Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh) abused his skill with memory charms to fraudulently paint himself as an immensely powerful wizard worthy of fame and praise. Unfortunately for him, his final attempt at cowardly deception ended with the accidental erasure of all of his own memories while using Ron’s broken wand.
4 Riddikulus (Boggart-Banishing Spell)
As far as pests that creep around homes go, ordinary people usually just have to deal with spiders, cockroaches, and the occasional stray animal. Wizardkind has unique creatures called Boggarts to worry about. These beings are shape-shifters that transform into a person’s worst fear when confronted. You cannot get rid of them with pesticides or brooms. Instead, you need a wand, some humorous imagination, and the magic word “Riddikulus
The Boggart-Banishing Spell forces a Boggart to morph into something that is amusing to the user, thus depriving it of its frightening power over them. It is an ingenious concept that Harry Potter has embraced: To vanquish fear using laughter.
3 Accio (Summoning Charm)
Ever needed something desperately at a particular moment, but it was just out of reach? Of course, you have. Well, the wizards and witches of Harry Potter have an elegant solution to that problem with the Summoning Charm. This enables one to call upon objects from virtually anywhere and have them brought to the caster’s current location.
Harry Potter himself was saved by this charm at key points The Goblet of Fire, and he continued to make good use of it in later exploits. Several other characters, from Hogwarts students to famed figures in the Wizarding World, have also benefited from this incredibly useful spell.
2 Sectumsempra
In the sixth film, The Half-Blood Prince, Harry acquires a secondhand textbook that contains extra notes written by someone known only as the “Half-Blood Prince.” Among the scribblings is the spell “Sectumsempra,” which is marked as being reserved for enemies, but no details of its actual effects are given. When Harry engages in a fight with his rival, Draco Malfoy, he casts Sectumsempra on him, and discovers that it causes severe bleeding and lacerations on Draco’s body.
During the novel’s climax, it is revealed that Severus Snape is the Half-Blood Prince and originator of this malicious curse. Although not a frequently used spell, it is hauntingly unforgettable due to the mystery surrounding it, the shocking payoff, and the peek it offered into the psyche of the enigmatic Snape.
1 Lumos (Wand-Lighting Charm)
Who needs a flashlight when you have a magic wand that lights up? Maybe it is not that much different from a regular torch, but a wand is still cooler and does not need batteries. The Wand-Lighting Charm is an ever-handy spell that turns the tip of a wizard or witch’s greatest tool into a robust source of illumination for seeing in the dark, revealing that which is hidden and driving away threats that cower before the light.
Certainly not as awe-inspiring as other Harry Potter spells, but this charm and its incantation are firmly set in the franchise’s iconography, serving as a ubiquitous part of the wizard’s bag of tricks and as a symbol of even the tiniest light’s ability to overcome the vast darkness.
