Harry Potter's Spells Explained

Crucio

Background: One of the three unforgivable curses also known as the Torture Curse What It Does: Causes severe pain and if cast for a long time it can make a person go crazy. Etymology: From Latin meaning causing torture or agony.

Stars pattern

Wingardium Leviosa

Background: Jarleth Hobart invented this spell. What It Does: This spell only makes objects go up, but not people. If people do levitate it is because the spell was cast on their clothes. When the spell is taken off, the object falls down.&nbsp; Etymology: The &nbsp;&lt;levi&gt; in Leviosa is borrowed from the Latin word for ‘levitate’ which is levitatem, but the rest of the spell is made up by J.K. Rowling probably because Wingardium has &lt;wing&gt; in it

Mason was seven years old at the time of publishing this book. He is interested in many scientific topics and loves to read fiction and non-fiction. He lives in the Bay Area with his younger brother, his parents, and his two dogs. 

This book was made in collaboration with Maya Sissoko, founder of Whole Child Education - a highly personalized and collaborative education platform for creative and motivated young people. Creativity, curiosity, and community are the values at the core of all of our work. To learn more about us, please visit:

<a href="https://www.wholechildedu.com/">https://www.wholechildedu.com/</a>

Background: Open Sesame was the most popular unlocking spell before Portoberto and Alohomora. It ripped doors by their hinges and turned them into firewood. What It Does: It broke apart the lock from the door to let the caster get through the locked door. Etymology: The word “porta” means door in Latin and Portuguese and “aberto” means open in Spanish.

Expelliarmus

Background: Otherwise known as the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus was Harry’s signature spell.&nbsp; What It Does: It knocks something out of someone’s hand, most of the time a wand. Etymology:Expellere means to reject or expel in Latin. J.K. Rowling added the suffix &lt;iarmus&gt;.

Background: Avada kedavra was used before abracadabra. What It Does: It kills you. Etymology: From Aramaic→ Greek→Latin→English. In some sources, it is translated as “I create as I speak,” (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abracadabra">Wikipedia</a>) and others as, “I destroy as I speak” (<a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Muggles%27_Guide_to_Harry_Potter/Magic/Avada_Kedavra#:~:text=Avada%20Kedavra%20is%20an%20Aramaic,is%20uncertain%2C%20but%20seems%20likely.">wikibooks</a>)

Reducto

What It Does: This spell can break anything down into nothing. Background: Harry Potter taught this curse to Dumbldore’s army during the 1995-1996 school year according to https://harrypotter.fandom.com/. Etymology: Reduco means bring back, reduce, or restore in Latin. J.K. Rowling added a &lt;t&gt; to the word.

Table of Contents Spells and Charms

Dedicated to Maya for helping me make this book

Wingardium Leviosa		4-5 Reducto					6-7 Expelliarmus			8-9 Crucio					10-11 Avada Kedavera			12-13 Portaberto				14-15