Magic (Harry Potter)
In the fictional Harry Potter universe, magic is what separates Muggles from witches and wizards. With magical ability witches and wizards can use wands to perform magic. People with magical ability also have the power to see things Muggles don't, such as Dementors.
A term used by those who can use magic to refer to those who cannot. The term is usually used innocuously by most wizards and witches, but is also used in a derogatory way by some of the more evil characters: this is how Rowling suggests something analogous to racism. Examples: Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley
An author named Nancy Stouffer sued Rowling for trademark infringement over her use of the term Muggles, but lost her case.
Spells, in the Harry Potter universe, seem to be enacted mostly by speaking a few words, typically in a modified form of Latin, and gesturing with a wand. Potionss are also in heavy use.
External link: Harry Potter Lexicon of Spells
Warning: Spoilers follow
So far, there have been only two uses of the Fidelius Charm in the Harry Potter series. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it is explained that when Harry was an infant, he and his parents, Lily and James, were hidden from Voldemort with Peter Pettigrew as their Secret-keeper; Pettigrew betrayed them. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the charm is used to hide the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix; Albus Dumbledore is the Secret-keeper, and is apparently able to give permission by letter to reveal the information. This implies that a direct, personal act is not required to bring a new person into the secret.
The root fidelis means trusty or faithful.
While most magic is neutral, the Dark Arts are evil in nature. Students learn Defence Against the Dark Arts, to protect themselves from Dark wizards(unless they are being taught by Dolores Umbridge.)
Use of these curses on a fellow human could land you a life sentence in Azkaban. The curses are the Imperius Curse, Cruciatus Curse and Avada Kedavra.
The Imperius Curse starts with the incantation: "Impero" and gives the wizard complete control over his victim. It is possible for the victim to fight the curse. The series protagonist, Harry Potter, is shown to be good at fighting the Imperius Curse.
The Cruciatus Curse is started with incantation "Crucio". It inflicts intense pain upon the victim.
Warning: Spoilers follow
This curse was used to drive Neville Longbottom's parents insane.
When this curse is performed, a green light is emitted from the wand of the curser, killing the victim. Arch-villain Lord Voldemort uses the curse to dispose of his enemies, including Harry Potter's parents.
The term may come from the Arabic Abra Kadabra, meaning 'let the things be destroyed' or from the Aramaic abhadda kedhabhra, meaning 'disappear like this word'. Rather than being used as a curse, the phrase is believed to have been used as a means of treating illness.
Either of the original phrases may have brought into being the term Abracadabra. In common language, the word kedavra has evolved into cadaver, meaning dead body. But note also cadaver may come from Latin cadere, "to fall".
The Mirror of Erised is a mystical mirror that Harry discovers in some of the back corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. On it is inscribed, erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi - I show not your face but your heart's desire, written backwards. When someone gazes into the mirror they see nothing more or nothing less than the deepest most desperate desire of their hearts. Harry sees his parents standing beside him. Ron sees himseld as Head Boy and Quidditch Captain holding the Quidditch Cup. Dumbledore says he sees himself holding a pair of socks.
The Marauder's Map was created by Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail, the map on first appearance is a piece of blank parchment, but when the user says "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" the map appears, showing Hogwarts, and the location of everyone within the grounds. The map also gives information on how to open the secret passageways.
The map was given to Harry by Fred and George Weasley, who found it while unattended in Filch's office. The map made its first appearance in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Warning: Wikipedia contains spoilers
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Snape finds the map in Harry's possession, and tries to force it to reveal its secrets; the map responds by insulting him. Snape suspects dark magic at work, though given that the map's creators, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, detested Snape, they may have added these insults specifically for him.
A Howler is a bright red letter usually signifying displeasure and anger from the sender directed at the recipient. When opened, the Howler begins to yell in the sender's voice at the recipient, eventually dissolving into scraps of paper. If not opened, it will explode and scream even louder.
A Pensieve is a stone basin, covered in mystic runes, with a fluid or gas within. A wizard can place their memories into the basin, when the mind is too flooded with information. One can more easily examine the patterns and interrelations of thoughts while they float in the Pensieve. The Pensieve also allows the user to fully immerse themselves in the memories stored within, much like a magical form of virtual reality. Tom Riddle's diary seems to have this same form of virtual reality.
Like many names in these books, pensieve is a pun: it is a sieve in that it is a device used for sifting out thoughts, and in using it one becomes pensive or thoughtful.
A Pensieve first appears in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and again in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
When you hold a remebrall, it turns red if you've forgotten something. Unfortunately, it does not tell you what you have forgotten.
The DVD of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone contained a software approximation of a remembrall.
See also: Personal Digital Assistant.
The Sorting Hat, in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling, is a fictional artifact which magically determines which of the four Hogwarts school houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin - a new student should live in. As the students' names are read out loud alphabetically at the year's opening banquet the hat is placed on each of their heads in turn, and after a few moments' deliberation it announces its choice. The Sorting Hat was originally the hat of Godric Gryffindor. The hat assigned Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley, to Gryffindor in their first year.
Before sorting the students each year the hat recites a new introductory rhyme. These rhymes occasionally warn of danger to come, as in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the hat plays a critical role in the climax of the story by coming to Harry's aid in the Chamber.
In the movie versions of the novels the hat's voice is played by Leslie Phillips.
Floo powder is a green powder used by Wizards to travel and communicate using fire places. The name comes from the word flue meaning the passageway which leads from a fireplace to the chimney so hot gasses can escape.
Warning:Wikipedia uses spoilers
In the second book the Weasley's travel to Diagon Alley using it and Sirius communicates with Harry in the fourth book using it. In the fifth book, the floo network watches every fire place in Hogwarts except for Dolores Umbridge's fire, and Harry used this fire to communicate with Sirius at headquarters, discovering how uncomfortable it is.
There are several enchanted objects needed to play Quidditch, most obvious flying broomsticks. All the balls in the game are enchanted in some way. The Golden Snitch is enchanted to fly around and also to not leave the field. The Bludger is enchanted to fly around and try to knock players off their broomsticks. A Bludger does not focus on one player, unless it has been meddled with, as is the case in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Quaffle may appear an exception, but it is also enchanted to make it easy to grip, and so it falls more slowly than normal.
Witchs and wizard can write words in the air with their wands.
Warning: Spoilers Follow
Tom Riddle does at the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to show that I am Lord Voldemort is an anagram for Tom Marvolo Riddle.
The Dark Mark is Voldemort's symbol, and is sent up in the air when any one of his followers makes a kill. It is also tattooed onto his faithful Death Eater's left forearms. It comprises of a skull with a serpent in its mouth. According to Snape, the Dark Mark can be triggered by Voldemort to glow, causing pain to the Death Eaters, in order to signal them to apparate to meet him.
Veritaserum has properties similar to a truth drug. Three drops has the drinker spelling his/her inermost secrets. The name comes from the Latin veritas ("truth") plus serum.Terms
Muggle
Pure blood
A term for a wizard or witch whose ancestors have possessed magical powers for untold generations. Examples: Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley Half blood
A derogatory term used to describe the offspring of a wizard or witch and a Muggle or aparently a witch or wizard and a Muggle-born. Examples: Harry Potter, Lord VoldemortMudblood
A derogatory term used to describe a wizard or witch born to Muggle parents(the "poilite" term is Muggle-born.) Examples: Hermione Granger, Lily PotterSquib
A derogatory term used to describe an individual of wizard heritage without magical powers. Though Squibs do have the power to see Dementors. Examples: Argus Filch, Arabella FiggBlood traitor
A derogatory term used to describe a wizard with "pure" blood who but refuses to mantain prejudice aganist "impure" peoples. Example: The members of the Weasley family are considered the worst blood traitors in the wizarding world.Magical Schools
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
Durmstrang Institute
Unknown School in Brazil
Unknown School in the United States
Spells
The Fidelius Charm
This charm enables secret information to be hidden within a single living soul, or Secret-keeper. The information is then irretrievable until and unless the Secret-keeper chooses to reveal it; not even those who know the secret can tell it.Levitation
To cause something to levitate, someone points their wand at what they want to levitate and saw "Wingardium Leviosa" and it will rise into the air. When First Years learn this at Hogwarts, they practice with feathers.Alohamora
This spell is used to open a door, window, etc. A person merly points their want at what they want to open and say "Alohamora" and it will open. Doors can be magical sealed so that they can't be opened with this spell.Expecto Patronum
This spell conjures a Patronus, a silvery phantom shape, usually that of an animal, which is the embodiment of the positive thoughts of the caster. A Patronus will drive away Dementors. Harry and his father conjure a stag for their Patronus, while Hermione Granger conjures an otter.The Dark Arts
The Unforgivable Curses
Imperius Curse
Cruciatus Curse
Avada Kedavra
Magical Objects
The Mirror of Erised
The Marauder's Map
Howler
Pensieve
Remembrall
The Sorting Hat
Floo Powder
Quidditch Balls and Equitment
Magical Letters and Signs
Letters
The Dark Mark
Potions
Potions are created from mixing things together in a caldron, to create something that is of some use.Veritaserum
