Rictusempra
By Kauton deKere
In the art of charm conjuring the Rictusempra Charm, (also known as the Tickling Charm), is one of the most misunderstood spells. Thought to be only a charm for small amusement in watching a friend, or possibly enemy, be tickled by an invisible force. When it is actually an extremely useful charm for dealing for various reasons on which youll be hearing about later. The manner in which a person is tickled is on the force the person casting the charm uses, at its weakest -the person will feel nothing or just the slightest prickle and at its strongest the person will be laughing like someone thats supposed to be in an asylum. (but you never know, maybe they are supposed to be in an asylum)
One of the most useful techniques used with the Tickling Charm is the defensive maneuver. In a duel or school brawl, the charm can be used to render your opponent quite useless. If hit by a decent Rictusempra charm, you are usually laughing extremely hard. And which, you need a clear voice to cast a spell. So, the Tickling Charm renders your wand useless. And, is not as painful and the Disarming Spell. (This can be quite useful to innocent people under the Imperius Curse, since it does no actual harm.)
Another useful thing with the Tickling Charm is for the small, yet annoying, gnomes that infest many a garden. When on the run, a gnome is very quick and hard to catch. While the Tickling Charm is a simple charm, it can be used easily to disorient the gnome and stop it from diving back into its hole -giving the gnome chaser a chance to rid of the pest. This works with pixies, and other small household pests for people who have slight trouble casting difficult spells quickly. (And have you ever seen a gnome run into a post because it was laughing to hard?)
And for a last example, the Tickling Charm, has been used effectively to brighten someones day considerably. Or, just for the simple amusement of watching someone laugh themselves till they beg for mercy. Namely me when my cousins are in a vengeful mood.
Extraction Charm
By Diene Connors
The extraction charm, or 'extraho extraxi extractum' is a commonly used medical charm in this day and age. It's purposes can range from something as simple as the removal of poisons from wounds to something as complex and delicate as the removal of cancerous tumors.
This, however, was not the original reason for the extraction charm. Wizards and witches in the time of Ancient Egypt were the first known to have used this charm. Their purpose for it was quite different though. Instead of using it to prevent the death of people, they used it after the death.
Mummification was a process done to a dead body, generally only to one of a pharaoh, noble or official as it was quite expensive. One step in the mummification process was the removal of the vital organs; the stomach, the lungs, the intestines, and the liver. The priests responsible for this used the extraction charm, as the organs were kept and buried with the body in special cases called canopic jars, and without the extraction charm this was a very difficult task to complete neatly. The brain was also removed, and were this to have been done using muggle methods it would surely have disfigured the face of the dead person, something which was thought of as bad luck when they continued on to the afterlife. This was why the priests who were responsible for the mummification process had to be of wizarding blood and well-trained before they could be allowed to perform a task as difficult and that required as much care and precision as this one.
There were times when this charm was commonly used, though nowadays it's use is carefully controlled by the ministry of magic as the effects of the charm can be dangerous, even deadly, when the target being extracted is not clear, or the caster of the charm is not concentrating completely. Take, for example, the case of Hector Hardenabble, a wizard in the 1300s who attempted to extract a piece of glass that had been stuck in his chest after the bottle of ale he had been drinking from shattered. The result? He extracted his heart instead, resulting in his death.
This is a good lesson for witches and wizards who think of using this charm without proper training, or when not completely focused. Trying to extract a piece of chewing gum from your hair? Careful, or you might end up extracting all your hair instead.
Accio
By Allegra Rubian
Accio comes from the Latin term, meaning to send for, or summon. Causes an object to fly to the caster, even over quite some distance, though the farther away, the less a responsible wizard would attempt it. Knowing at least the general location of the object Summoned is important, both for a better chance at success and to minimalize the chances of a Muggle seeing Summoned objects flying off around the countryside.
Many witches and wizards find that adding the Latin terms for the objects they would like to summon adds a bit of clarity to the spell, and leaves it less likely to back- or misfire. Still others find that adding the extra bit of concentration to plainly visualize the object to be summoned is preferable. As in so many cases in magic, there is no one true way set in stone, though there is of course a general instruction.
Well done. This is a solid, albeit brief, essay on the Summoning Charm, Miss Rubian. It is important to note that English or Latin may be used when intoning "Accio," and adding a specific target word. Final Grade: A (Acceptable)
Memory Charm
By Landen O'Nally
There are many events in peoples lives that he or she may wish to forget, though it's very hard to completely erase a memory from a person's subconscious once it has planted itself there. The mind stores images as memories, and these memories have a tendency to resurface every once in a while whether we want them to or not. Unpleasant ones haunt us in dreams turned nightmares, and they turn our hearts somber and dark. Fear clutches at our soul as the mind races back to a time in the past when one has witnessed some ghastly and tortured deed. Some people fear their memories, and many are trapped in their tortured past. Muggles can do nothing but deal with it and hope that these thoughts will lessen in time, but wizards have an escape, and this escape comes in the form of a memory charm.
The incantation for this charm is "Obliviate", and it is routinely used by the Ministry of Magic in order to keep the wizarding world safe from Muggles. Things happen, and from time to time portions of our world is seen by the Muggle eye. No matter how small the glimpse, if the word is quickly spread our world would be in turmoil. This is where Obliviate comes in handy. The Ministry of Magic is almost immediately notified when a Muggle has been exposed to magic. He or she, called an Obliviator, is soon dispatched to the scene and casts the spell which clears the mind of the muggle, completely removing the memory, which can be replaced with another, less magical one. The muggle then forgets what he or she has seen and goes about their merry way as if nothing at all has happened.
Along with clearing the Muggle mind of wizardly doings, this charm is also useful in the wizarding world alone. As previously mentioned, if a witch or wizard is plagued by a lasting memory of their childhood or some other unpleasent event, this charm can be used to rid themselves of that memory, and in turn, rid themselves of their ailments. But, there have also been reported cases that this charm has been abused, and these cases have mostly pretain to discoveries in medicine, science, or of a new and rare breed of magical creature. Some wizards, perhaps on a rampage for instant glory, have been suspected of casting a Memory Charm upon the true adventurers and brilliant minds who have made groundbreaking discoveries only to claim these discoveries as their own.
A memory charm should not be attempted by a wizard or witch who has not perfected the art of casting it, for the results of a badly excuted spell can be devastating. The person who the spell is put upon, if not done correctly, may have permanent mind damage. Memories that may or may not have occured might be planted in the subject's subconscious, and important ones, such as their name, birthday, or whole identity of themself, may be forever lost. In serious cases, one might even pay the dark consequence of death. Memory charms are exceptionally useful and very necessary to keep our world hidden from the Muggle eye, but as with all charms and spells, no mere ameteur should cast this charm upon another person.
An excellent essay on the current uses of the Memory Charm, Mr. O'nally. I am particularly pleased to see how you have clearly illustrated instances of the Charm's abuse and what can happen should an incompetent Witch or Wizard attempt the spell. Do not neglect, as you progress towards your O.W.L.s at the end of the year, to study wand movements along with spell incantations. Final Grade: E (Exceeds Expectations)
Bubble-Head Charm
By Landen O'Nally
Bubbles. A thing of child's play. A memory of a younger time. Little balls of air enclosed with a thin and easily breakable film. What use could such fragile things be? What use besides a source of entertainment that easily wears as thin as the skin of the bubble itself. This is a question that someone in a far and lost past history asked, and it's a question to which he or she founded the answer to.
The Bubble-Head charm is a useful charm indeed and one that can be explained with relative ease. The name itself is explanation. Bubble-Head: A bubble is enclosed around one's head. But one may ask what good would come of that? I take a step outdoors and the slightest breeze will be enough to rupture the delicate shell that surrounds my head. Along with that, there is the absolute silliness that one might feel with such a thing encasing your skull. So the new question that is formulated: Why was the charm made, and what good use does it provide?
Tracing back the origins of charms as old as this one is nearly impossible, and as hard and long as I searched, I found no specific name of just who made this charm, but there are many cases in which it was used. Firstly, the charm is not just your mere and everyday bubble. The effervescence that surrounds the caster's head, although it may look like the same thin and weak object that can be blown from any soapy substance, has a thicker and more lasting quality. The soapy film, though it may look and glisten just like suds, is actually made of a stronger substance that still retains the characteristic of flexibility. The air that surrounds the head is trapped as the charm is used, enabling the caster to delve into underwater depths without the risk of drowning.
This charm, like many other charms, does have its weak points and flaws. Though one may dive into the depths of a sea or other body of deep water, that person is restricted to stay beneath the waters only as long as their air supply lasts. The air that is held within is not replaced, and although the thought of casting a larger bubble that will obviously hold a larger supply of air might come to mind, the caster must keep in mind that the larger the bubble, the more probable that that bubble will become a hindrance and will most likely graze upon a surface and burst. The bubbles are not indestructible and are usually used for exploration purposes. An explorer who cannot delve as far as possible into the site in question, which usually consists of underwater caverns and ridges, isn't much of an explorer at all. The smaller the bubble, the more one can explorer, but unfortunately with a lesser supply of air.
Also, one must keep in mind how deeply they intend to explore. Too much pressure of the water above will be enough for the Bubble Charm to collapse and fail, leaving the caster with only the air that he or she has reserved in his or her lungs to make it to the surface.
Even though the main use of this charm is to have air in places where air is nowhere to be found, it can also be used in more practical situations. Any offensive odors, such as those caused by Dungbombs and Stinkpellets, are held at bay if this charm is used in an area of clean air. As stated above, that fresh air is held within the bubble, and the bubble's lining keeps the foul air away. It's in these everyday situations that one must either decide to keep his or her pride and reputation and venture forth without a protective bubble, or to keep his or her lungs and go on with one. This is the Bubble Head charm.
In red ink are the following remarks: A very-well written essay, Mr. O'nally, but I will caution you to mind your grammar, especially in the first paragraph. More to the point, it is important to know that the Bubble-Head Charm does refresh one's air supply for a limited amount of time - at least one hour. If it did not, it would make the spell relatively useless for exploring under the depths of the water for any length of time (though some scholars argue that in comparison to the usage of Gillyweed, the Bubble-Head Charm is far inferior). Final grade: Acceptable.
Flame Freezing Charm
By Charisma Glass
Roaring fires. Innocents damned. Furious witch hunts. While all of these are frightening, these three factors played a large part in wizard and witch history. These were the medieval times before muggles were separated from the magical folk, and any trace of spells or charms was instantly assumed to be evil. The only chance a wizard or witch had was to go into hiding, live a muggle life, or be incredibly secretive with their magic use. No matter now many precautions were taken, however, sometimes they were not enough.
It was in this era when it became a common practice to burn people at the stake- even though most of the accused were muggle themselves. Because of this raging and terrifying problem, wizards and witches had to find a way to protect themselves. While memory charms were always an option, this proved to be too much of a hassle to manage and only caused more suspicions to rise. It was when all hope seemed lost that one witch discovered a relatively simple solution. Her name was Madeline Colline, and she alone is credited with developing the Flame Freezing Charm.
This simple charm allows a witch or wizard to cause any flames to freeze- thus neutralizing their effects. To any muggle, the flames appear to be burning, while all a witch has to do is simulate screaming and the illusion of burning. Witches would stand before a crowd, amongst the flames, and give the performance of their lives or perhaps more appropriately described, their deaths.
While the concept of the charm remains relatively simple, the actual use of it can prove to be difficult in various situations. It is one thing to use it to cease the flicker of a candle, and quite another when stilling the heat and roar of a growing fire that threatens to engulf your body. The larger the flame, the harder it is to manage. Even the strongest witch cannot freeze the fire for too long, as seen with several unfortunate cases during the first few years after the charm was created, and little was known about it.
One thing that -was- realized, however, was the importance of the wand movement while casting the charm. Just one erroneous flick or swish and the complete charm would be ruined, leaving the witch to burn to death or at least face severe injuries. When casting, the wand should be held loosely although securely and confidently. There can be absolutely no doubt or hesitation, or else that weakness will travel through to the spell. The movement is simple, although very precise. The wrist should give a clockwise roll, a downward flick, and then a sharp snap upwards. The charm works instantaneously.
Whether needed to freeze the flicker of a candle, or battle the strength of a forest fire, this miraculous charm has saved countless lives. With such a rich history, it is no wonder that this spell is held in such high regard. Because of Madeline Colline's wonderful contribution of the Flame Freezing Charm, generations of witches and wizards have been saved. To show her the honor that is rightly deserved, her picture can be seen hung among various other prominent witches and wizards within the Town Hall of Hogsemeade.
In red ink is the following note: Wonderful essay, Miss Glass! The Flame-Freezing Charm is indeed one of the more famous Charms throughout history. Who can forget the legends of Wendelin the Weird? Excellent indeed, but be mindful of those fractured sentences in your first paragraph which are grammatically incorrect. Final grade: Exceeds Expectations.
Space Charm
By Cain Blackroot
Have you ever been inside a room that was just too small, or perhaps the last time you went camping, the tent in which you stayed was unbearably claustrophobic? If this is the case, you may want to put some research into space that increase the area of a container, namely Wizard Space spells. They can be a bit complicated and pose a difficult challenge to wizards young and old, but when they are finally mastered, they prove a useful tool to make everyday life more bearable.
Wizard space is usually summoned by one incantation, 'Cedoamplus, deinde.' Which translates to English as "Spatious from that place" Meaning, litterally that the place which you are in, becomes a more spatious version. The wand motions are decidedly more intricate, involving two quick vertical flicks of the wand, a countercockwise spin and a flick, all executed very quickly and rhythmically. If the spell is cast correctly, the effects become obvious immediately, and the room which you are in should appear to expand in size. The spell can be quite draining if cast by a witch or wizard with little spellcasting experience. It is suggested you take advantage of the newly created space to rest for a while after you've cast a Wizarding Space Spell.
If applied to a container of sorts, the spell effects it in a very similar way, increasing the capacity of the onject, but not increasing the size. 'Amplus Arca Archa', or spatious little box, is the incantation, with the same wand motions as aboxe. This becomes useful, as you can now fit entire collections of books inside your backpack, or perhaps a few exrta people in that carridge. It is also rumored that this spell is used to sneak Wizards into the quidditch world cup without a paid ticket. Ministry officials are looking into a way to place a ward on this spell into world cup gates.
These spells have proved useful for centuries, actually introduced by crafty witches who expanded their muggle jail cells' size during the middle ages, while being held for witch trials. These days, it is far more likely that you will use this spell to increase the space of your guest rooms, tents or even the capacity of a little box of your own. A word of warning, however; When practicing this spell, don't speak the words with much volume. A poor wizard from New York City in America once botched the spell so badly that the room he was in shrunk into nothingness, as opposed to grew. His parents' apartment now contains a door to nowhere, which is never easy to explain to your landlord.
Spells:
cedoamplus deinde - spatious from that place
amplus arca archa - spatious little box
reverto amplitudo - revert size
In red ink are the following notes: Very well done, Mr. Blackroot. I'm always pleased to see students solidly grasping the theories of more advanced spells. Be very careful with your spelling, however, as this can cost you when taking your OWLs. Final grade: Exceeds Expectations.
Scouring Charm
By Xell Metaiu
While many Charms are more well-known and popular amongst young witches and wizards, particularly as the subjects of extra-credit essays, one rather underappreciated one is Scourgify. Also known as the Scouring Charm, this particular spell has many uses both in and out of the home. Unfortunately, especially for mothers of teenagers, amongst those of school-age it is not commonly practiced outside of the Hearth and Home classroom.
The incantation is derived from the Latin 'excoriata,' which means 'to be stripped of.' As the root and name itself imply, this Charm's main use is that of cleaning. With the correct wand movements (one broad horizontal slash at the subject), inflection, and of course, force of will, the spell can be used to tidy up even the worst of spills and messes.
While the magical community started out using Muggle means of cleaning, they soon tired of the time and effort these menial tasks took. This was not an easily created Charm; it took three years of careful research and testing and cost Josie Triplellin, the witch credited with Scourgify's invention, many ruined dishes during her experimentation process.
Nowadays, when there are dirty owl cages to change and messy dinner dishes to wash, those homes not lucky enough to possess a House-Elf have this Charm to fall back on. Waving a wand and casting a simple spell is far preferable over scraping out owl droppings (disgusting) and slaving over a sink full of dishes as Muggles do (murder on the back).
Another popular use is to clear out infestations of Bundimuns. These fungi can easily rot away the foundations of a house with their secretions. Without Scourgify, these nasty little creatures are nearly impossible to be rid of.
As with any Charm, care must be taken in Scourgify's use. One over-zealous but underpracticed wizard, intent upon removing a stain from the carpet before his wife returned home, removed the floor from under his feet completely. There have also been cases of mothers foolishly attempting this Charm on their young children when they were too short of time for a proper bath. The end results, in worst case scenarios, were fingers and noses which went completely missing!
Scourgify saves time and allows for less physical strain on those who are not as capable or who have no House-Elves, thusly making it more efficient than Muggle cleaning. And of course, it's far easier. These factors are just a few of those that make Scourgify popular within the magical community the world over.
In red ink, in a strangely harried hand, is Concord's remarks: Excellent work, Mr. Metaiu! It's not often I see a young Wizard who has such thorough knowledge of the Scouring Charm. Do you take Hearth and Home classes? If so, then I salute you for your courage. Final grade: Exceeds Expectations.
Imperturbable Charm
By Enrique Buendia
Picture the scene, you and your wizarding family have just gotten in trouble with a 8th Century wild band of angry muggles marching over to your door because they somehow think you cursed little jimmy to lose his tooth or some foolish nonesuch of the sort. Now even though you are a wizard there is strength in numbers and every second you buy could help save your family. However soon the wooden door is filled with arrows and thrown axes and collapses leaving your children in danger. In such a hostile world even wizards must take defenses of their property since it could one day save them. Lucky for all wizard kind in the 10th century Gerwit Frendeldon, a wizard lording over a manner in what is now York Shire found himself in a remarkably similar situation but where others panicked he used his head, heart and wand and gave us one of the most useful charms for privacy and protection to date, the imperturbable charm. Now this charm is a strange one since its purpose is simply to protect things from crossing so
as such it has many practical uses. For one is the above mentioned, when used on a door or even robe it can prevent most non-enchanted object from causing it damage and the amount of magical damage it can sustain is determined by the skill of the caster. For example while the most one of my level could prevent is a first years Diffindo spell someone of Headmaster Dubledore's level could possibly even resist a top notch curse if he is wearing impervious robes. Furthermore it can be used to prevent eavesdropping and sounds from crossing and has found strong use to create impromptu defense against the mandrake plant when found in the wild since if you cast it on a scrap of your clothing and tie it around your head you will be unable to hear the sound, thus also making it essential in all enchanted earmuffs. For our more paranoid friends the curse can keep others from hearing conversations and can create soundproof rooms for those wishing to hide something from others. The impervious spell has also found use i
n the clothing lines to stop stains from occurring and keep clothing fresh and new without excessive use of scourgify which my mum says can wear out the colors if overused. The form of the charm is a simple incantation while weaving your wand in 2 double 8 like patterns staring from top left to bottom right then a brisk flick forward at the target you would like to use the spell on with milder. One final warning is that this spell should never be used on human beings as it has a wide range of possible effects none of them
And in red ink: A good and solid essay, Mr. Buendia. However, do be careful with your spelling, punctuation and grammar. These will cost you points, especially when you take your OWLs and NEWTs. Your final sentence, in particular, was rather confusing.
Patronus Charm
By Isaac Nosfertum
One of the more difficult Defense Charms, the Patronus is nevertheless a very vital one indeed. It is particularly useful against Dark Creatures and constructs. The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum,' from the Latin 'expecto,' which translates to 'expect or look for,' and 'patronus,' roughly referring to a patron saint or assistant.
This charm dates back to times immeasurable, although it has become increasingly popular in recent years due to You-Know-Who's alliances with Dark Creatures great and small. Due to the nature of the spell, it is also debateable as to whether or not it was an incantation derived through years of experimentation, or more of a fluke born from need which was then passed on from one wizard to another.
Casting the spell itself conjures a Patronus. The Patronus takes a silvery shape that appears to lack much substance, and usually is in the form of an animal. It embodies the positive thoughts of the caster - those learning the Patronus are in fact instructed to select one specific memory which calls up a feeling of powerful happiness in order to base their spell off of. The animal shape is unique to each and every spellcaster. Also, despite the ghostlike appearance of a Patronus, it will soon prove to be very solid if it is large enough to start hurling things about.
Producing a good, solid Patronus requires a lot of concentration, skill, and practice. If cast improperly, backfiring spells are uncommon although they do occur. A more likely product is a half-formed Patronus with little to no true physical presence. These are generally useless, albeit against some creatures, such as Dementors, they at least buy a few spare seconds of time. Whether the effort needed to cast the Patronus is worth those few seconds when it could be more plausible to fire off something far more efficient and effective is debateable.
Dementors are frequently mentioned due to the fact that the Patronus Charm is one of the only spells truly capable of fending one off. These creatures suck all the positive emotions out of a witch or wizard, making it even harder than usual to cast a successful Patronus - after all, they're pulling the happy thoughts right out of your head and it's hard to focus on what is no longer there. They are, of course, not the only Dark Creatures against which this spell is useful, although there are often easier and simpler ways of driving off other dark creatures (Riddikulus against Boggarts, silver against werewolves, and words from the Bible against Red Caps for example).
Because this spell is so complex it is typically not taught to students until their sixth or seventh years of schooling, in NEWT-level classes. Some mastery of the Patronus Charm is required in order to be accepted into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as well.
Despite the inherent challenge presented in learning and utilising this spell, it is very much worth learning. Once mastered, it is one of the most powerful defensive Charms available.
In Concord's hand is the following note: Wonderful, wonderful work, Mr. Nosfertum! I am impressed to see that a second-year student has such a firm and solid grasp of this defensive and difficult Charm. Final grade: Outstanding.