DUELLING & DESTRUCTIVE CHARMS
Today's lesson will cover charms used during duels, or whenever else one wishes to cause damage and destruction. As this is the class before the exam, I know many students won't be willing to listen to much explanation of charms, and as we have an entire class dedicated to the art of Wizard Duelling here at Hogwarts, I'm not too worried that you will face the world unprepared. As such, today's lesson will be in a list format, with brief descriptions of the charm, it's incantation, and it's purpose.
Again, we have not covered all of the offensive and duelling spells, nor have we gone to their depths. If you are interested in the subject, there is a specialized course for it.
I wish you all luck on your upcoming exam. I understand it is a busy time, but please don't forget that there is still an assignment due as well. I will do my best to go easy on you with the assignment.
- Aguamenti, the Water-Conjuring Charm, can be used offensively if a witch/wizard is proficient enough with transfiguration and charm-work. They are able to control the amount of water being ejected and the force with which it shoots from the wand tip, so this charm is capable of producing small jets of water or massive columns of water.
- Baubillious is one of the more popular Lightning-Conjuring Charms. Again, it requires some skill in both transfiguration and charms to get correct. The result is a flash of yellow lightning, which can shock the target. There is some speculation that this can also be conjured harmlessly.
- The Bird-Conjuring Charm, avis, is used to emit a burst of small birds from one's wand, which will mindlessly follow orders (most often to attack). Eventually the birds will disappear in a puff of feathers.
- Bombarda and bombarda maxima are incantations used to create small to large explosions wherever the wand is pointed. Deprimo is another explosion-type spell, typically used on very hard surfaces such as floors. Portaberto will splinter a lock from the door it was in - this charm was popular before alohomora was invented. However, it may still come in handy today, if you just can't seem to unlock a certain door. It does, however, leave a smoking hole where the key should've gone. So make sure you don't care if someone knows you were breaking in to whatever you were breaking in to before you cast this charm.
- When faced with a magically locked chest or container, one may find alohomora to be insufficient. In this case, if needed, the chest or container can be blasted open with the incantation cistem aperio. The exact reason this charm is more effective against magical locks is debated; some say it is because the spell was created for a specific type of lock (i.e. chest or container), making it more powerful as it is focused. Others believe the destructive power is needed to weaken the anti-unlocking spell.
- The Confundus Charm is used to cause confusion and chaos in the mind of the target. It can also be used to "confuse" objects or other charms cast on objects, such as the Flying Charm on brooms. The incantation is confundo. The target person or object will shudder if the charm is cast correctly. This is a very advanced level charm, and effects can be very simple or incredibly complex.
- The Dancing Feet Charm causes the target to dance passionately and uncontrollably. The incantation is tarantallegra.
- The Eradication Charm deletrius causes the target to disintegrate. It also erases the shadow of the previous spell cast by a wand. It will not work on people or most living things.
- The Fire-Making Charm incendio, well... makes fire. Use this for cozy fireplaces, not on your fellow students, please.
- The Gouging Charm allows magical folk to carve out large chunks of earth and rock. Its incantation is defodio. Perfect for gardening and treasure-hunting.
- The Hot-Air Charm produces a jet of hot air from the tip of the caster's wand. It is a relatively simple charm and is thus one of the first charms many magical folk can cast wordlessly.
- Obscuro is another transfiguration/charm combination spell. It conjures a black blindfold over the eyes of the victim, which is very difficult to remove, and this blocks their vision.
- The Severing Charm is used to precisely and accurate cut something. The incantation is diffindo. It is very commonly used in robe-making. However, it can be cast on other people, and this can easily lead to severe injury or death.
- The Silencing Charm silencio will render the target unable to make noise. It is also cast on Fwoopers before they are sold as pets, and must be renewed once a month. This is very useful against many wizards and witches; even if they are able to perform wordless magic, it will likely be much less powerful than if they were able to use the incantation.
- The Stunning Charm, stupefy, is used to render the target unconscious. This is one of the quickest ways to end a duel, if the spell connects.
- The Tickling Charm rictusempra causes a victim to laugh uncontrollably. It also causes the person to fall over shortly after the laughter begins, and they will develop hiccups after a minute or two.
- Waddiwasi is a general-use charm that shoots or pushes whatever the caster desires toward the target. For example, Remus Lupin used this spell on a wad of gum stuck in a keyhole to get rid of Peeves the Hogwarts Poltergeist.
Again, we have not covered all of the offensive and duelling spells, nor have we gone to their depths. If you are interested in the subject, there is a specialized course for it.
I wish you all luck on your upcoming exam. I understand it is a busy time, but please don't forget that there is still an assignment due as well. I will do my best to go easy on you with the assignment.