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Encyclopedia of Spells
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z FILMS/
GAMES
S
Scarpin's Revelaspell - Scourgify - Scouring Charm - sealing spell - Sectumsempra - Serpensortia - Severing Charm - Shield Charm - Shock Spells - Silencing Charm - Silencio - slug-vomiting Charm - snitch jinx - Sonorus - Specialis Revelio - Sponge-Knees Curse - Stealth Sensoring Spells - Stinging Hex - Stunner - Stupefy - Stupefying Charm - Substantive Charm - Summoning Charm - Switching Spells


Scarpin's Revelaspell

See SPECIALIS REVELIO.


Scourgify (SKUR-ji-fy)

from the Latin word 'excoriata' which means 'to be stripped of'. (thanks to Ruth Eyres)

Cleans things.


Scouring Charm

"Scourgify" (?) or possibly "Tergeo" (?)

Cleans things.

  • Hermione taught Neville a Scouring Charm to clean frog guts out from under his fingernails (GF14).

  • A Scouring Charm is required to eradicate an infestation of bundimuns (FB)

  • There is no specific reference that Scourgify and the Scouring Charm are the same thing, but it seems very likely.


sealing spell

No incantation used

Seals a roll of parchment with a touch of the wand.

  • Used by Umbridge to seal the pink parchment note she sent to McGonagall by way of Harry; McGonagall slit it open with her wand when she received it (OP12).


Sectumsempra (sek-tum-SEM-pra)

"sectus" L. past participle of "seco", to cut "sempra" L. always

Cuts the target.

  • A spell invented by the Half-Blood Prince "for enemies" (HBP21)

  • Apparently the nonverbal spell used by Snape on James Potter that resulted in a gash across James' face during their confrontation just after their DADA O.W.L, as seen by Harry in the Pensieve (OP28), judging from Snape's remarks during his departure from Hogwarts

  • Harry used this on Inferi in the cave, but it didn't do much good (HBP26)

  • Harry tried and failed to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts (HBP28).


Serpensortia (ser-pen-SOR-sha)

"serpens" L. serpent + "ortus" L. past participle of "ortir", to come into existence
(or second segment could be derived from "sortir" Old Fr. to go out)
(thanks to Jake Downs for suggesting we look at "ortir")

Causes a large serpent to burst from the end of the caster's wand.


Severing Charm

"Diffindo" (?)

Spell to cut something.

  • Ron used this spell to remove the lace from the neck and sleeves of his used dress robes (GF23).


Shield Charm

See PROTEGO.


Shock Spells

No incantation mentioned

Spells used at St. Mungo's to treat mental illnesses.

  • One reader of The Quibbler wrote Harry after his interview was published and suggested that he needed a course of Shock Spells at St. Mungo's, since he was obviously a nutter (OP26)

  • This is clearly a reference to shock therapy, a technique used in the treatment of mental illness in the Muggle world. Some see it as a bit barbaric, but it does produce results in some cases.


Silencing Charm

See SILENCIO.


Silencio (si-LEN-see-oh)
"Silencing Charm"

"silencio" L. to be quiet

Magically silences the target of the spell.

  • The song of the Fwooper will drive the listener insane and must therefore be sold with a Silencing Charm on it. This charm must be recast on the Fwooper every month (FB).

  • Fifth-years work on this spell in Transfiguration using bullfrogs and ravens (OP18).

  • Hermione cast this spell on a Death Eater during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, which caused the spell he used to attack her to be a lot less damaging. He still knocked her out, though, and did "enough damage to be going on with," according to Pomfrey (OP35, OP38).


slug-vomiting charm

no incantation given (no, it's not "eat slugs")

Causes the victim to belch up slugs.

  • Ron tried to hit Malfoy with this curse after Malfoy had called Hermione a Mudblood. Unfortunately, Ron's wand was damaged and the spell backfired (CS7)

  • Interestingly, Ron had only a short time before, at breakfast, snapped "Eat slugs, Malfoy!" This is not the incantation, however, although the film clearly and incorrectly indicates that it is (CS/f).

  • The name for this spell is mentioned in (OP19).


snitch jinx

no incantation given

A delayed-action jinx which writes the word "sneak" across someone's face in pimples if they break an agreement they sign. This jinx may be an invention of Hermione Granger.

  • Hermione jinxed a piece of parchment with this spell. Each member of the DA signed the parchment when the group started meeting and in so doing put themsleves under its effect. When Marietta Edgecombe told Umbridge about the DA, the word "sneak" broke out on her face instantly. Umbridge tried to remove it but couldn't, which indicates just how talented Hermione is at casting spells (OP16)

  • This jinx was still in effect on Marietta the following September (HBP7)


Sonorus (so-NO-rus)
reverse: Quietus

"sonorus" L. loud

Makes the caster's voice carry over long distances.


Specialis Revelio (spe-see-AH-lis reh-VEL-ee-oh)
Scarpin's Revelaspell

Used to identify the ingredients of the target potion.


Sponge-Knees Curse

no incantation given

Presumably turns the target's knees spongy, making it difficult for him or her to walk


Stealth Sensoring Spells

no incantation given

Spells to detect anyone sneaking past them. Can be placed on physical objects such as doors.

  • After two Nifflers had been placed in her office, Umbridge placed Stealth Sensoring Spells on her door, which detected Harry and Hermione as they broke in to use the fire (OP32)


Stinging Hex

no incantation given

A fairly low-powered hex that causes a stinging pain in the victim.

  • When under assault by Snape's Legilimency, Harry found it almost impossible to resist the intrusion until Snape happened upon the memory of Harry's kiss with Cho Chang. The resistence he felt to Snape viewing this memory translated into a Stinging Hex that broke Snape's spell. Harry had not consciously decided to perform that spell, so it seems unlikely that that he actually spoke any words. It would seem instead that this hex was purely an extension of his intentions to fight Snape off (OP24).


Stunner

See STUPEFY


Stupefy (STOO-puh-fye)
"Stunner" "Stunning Spell" "Stupefying Charm"
reverse: "Ennervate"

"stupefacio" L. to make senseless, from "stupeo" L. stunned

Renders the target of the spell unconscious; this spell hurls a bolt of red light.

  • Used by Ministry Wizards to try to stop whomever cast the Dark Mark during the Quidditch World Cup riot (GF9)

  • Used by dragon keepers (a lot of them at once) to manage dragons (GF19).

  • Flavius Belby tried to use a Stupefying Charm against a Lethifold, but only succeeded in blasting a hole through his bedroom door (FB)

  • effective against Pogrebins (FB)

  • not very effective against Hagrid, who is part giant (OP31)

  • Harry tried to cast this on Snape during Snape's departure from Hogwarts, but missed (HBP28).


Stupefying Charm

See STUPEFY.


Substantive Charm

no incantation given

Effect unknown.


Summoning Charm

See ACCIO.


Switching Spells

various, depending on the transfiguration intended

A category of Transfiguration spells that swap one thing for another.

  • Hermione knew quite a bit about Switching Spells already in her first year, and gained some house points for it from McGonagall (PS9)

  • Neville wasn't particularly adept at these, managing to switch his own ears onto a cactus during Transfiguration class (GF15).

  • Hermione, discussing ways to combat dragons:

    "Well, there are Switching Spells...but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous..." (GF20)
  • The definition of Switching Spells was on the theory portion of the Transfiguration O.W.L. that Harry took in June 1996 [Y16] (OP31)

  • See CROSS-SPECIES SWITCHES

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