Basic Level
Expelliarmus
Disarming Spell
Pronunciation: ex-pel-ee-AR-mus
Description: This spell is used to disarm another wizard, typically by causing the victim's wand to fly out of reach. It can also throw the target backwards when enough power is put into it. As demonstrated in 1994, simultaneous use of this spell by multiple witches or wizards on a single person can throw the wizard back with much greater force.
Etymology: Possibly a combined form of the Latin expello, "expel", and arma, "weapons" or "tools"; thus, "expel the weapon". Expellamus means "let us expel".
Please see the homework in the next post.
Disarming Spell
Pronunciation: ex-pel-ee-AR-mus
Description: This spell is used to disarm another wizard, typically by causing the victim's wand to fly out of reach. It can also throw the target backwards when enough power is put into it. As demonstrated in 1994, simultaneous use of this spell by multiple witches or wizards on a single person can throw the wizard back with much greater force.
Etymology: Possibly a combined form of the Latin expello, "expel", and arma, "weapons" or "tools"; thus, "expel the weapon". Expellamus means "let us expel".
Please see the homework in the next post.
Intermediate Level
Levicorpus
Pronunciation: levi-COR-pus
Description: The victim is dangled upside-down by their ankles, sometimes accompanied by a flash of light (this may be a variant of the spell).
Etymology: Latin levare, "raise" and corpus, "body".
Liberacorpus
Pronounciation: LIB-er-ah-cor-pus
Description: Counteracts Levicorpus.
Etymology: Latin liberare, "to free", and corpus, "body".
Notes: It is not clear why Levicorpus has a specific counter-spell, and is not neutralized by simply using Finite Incantatem, although this could be due to the fact that Snape invented the spell and therefore made it irreversible except by its specific counter-curse.
Refer to the homework in the next post.
Pronunciation: levi-COR-pus
Description: The victim is dangled upside-down by their ankles, sometimes accompanied by a flash of light (this may be a variant of the spell).
Etymology: Latin levare, "raise" and corpus, "body".
Liberacorpus
Pronounciation: LIB-er-ah-cor-pus
Description: Counteracts Levicorpus.
Etymology: Latin liberare, "to free", and corpus, "body".
Notes: It is not clear why Levicorpus has a specific counter-spell, and is not neutralized by simply using Finite Incantatem, although this could be due to the fact that Snape invented the spell and therefore made it irreversible except by its specific counter-curse.
Refer to the homework in the next post.
Advanced Level
Avada Kedavra
Killing Curse (One of the 3 unforgivable curses)
Pronunciation: ah-VAH-dah ked-AHV-rah (IPA: /ə.'væ.də kə.'dæv.ɹə/)
Description: Causes a bright green flash and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another spell midflight, negating both), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the green jet, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. Harry twice countered this spell by casting Expelliarmus. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being gives you a one-way ticket to Azkaban.
These magical conditions have also been documented to defeat the curse, even on a direct hit:
* Harry Potter was given magical protection against Lord Voldemort's use of the curse, when his mother sacrificed herself to save him.
* Harry is the only person in the history of the magical world to have ever survived a direct hit to the killing curse.
* Harry is saved by the twin cores effect between his wand and Voldemort's during a duel, as well as during a battle. During this battle, Harry's phoenix feather wand snaps the wand Voldemort borrowed from one of his servants, Lucius Malfoy. The reason for this is unknown. Dumbledore believes this feat to be due to the unique connections and relationships between the two duellists, which are complex and are "realms of magic hitherto unknown".
* In Deathly Hallows, Harry is saved twice. The first time because when Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby, a piece of Voldemort's soul flaked off and was trapped within Harry himself (giving Harry a connection to, and many of the powers of, Voldemort). When the killing curse hit Harry in the Forbidden Forest, it killed the piece of Voldemort's soul trapped in Harry, and sent Harry to a nether region where Voldemort's use of Harry's blood gave Harry a lifeline back to the world of the living, should he choose to use it, and he decided to return to life. The second time, Harry was able to deflect the curse back at Voldemort (who died from it) because of a special condition involving the Elder Wand. This had been 'won' by Draco when he disarmed Dumbledore of his wand, but none understood this at the time, and Draco did not use the Elder Wand. Harry had won Draco's wand in a life-or-death duel, thereby proving to the Elder Wand that Harry should be the wand's true master. Therefore, when Harry used Draco's wand to cast Expelliarmus against Voldemort's killing curse, the killing curse rebounded on Voldemort leaving Harry unharmed.
Suggested Etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."
Point your wand towards the target for this spell.
Please refer to the homework in the next post.
Killing Curse (One of the 3 unforgivable curses)
Pronunciation: ah-VAH-dah ked-AHV-rah (IPA: /ə.'væ.də kə.'dæv.ɹə/)
Description: Causes a bright green flash and a rushing noise; the curse causes instant death to the victim. There is no known counter-curse or blocking spell (with the exception of the curse striking another spell midflight, negating both), although the caster can be interrupted, the victim can dodge the green jet, hide behind solid objects (which burst into flame when hit by it), or, if the casting wizard is not sufficiently competent, the curse may be completely ineffective as described by Barty Crouch Jr (acting as Alastor Moody) in Goblet of Fire. Harry twice countered this spell by casting Expelliarmus. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; the use of this spell on another human being gives you a one-way ticket to Azkaban.
These magical conditions have also been documented to defeat the curse, even on a direct hit:
* Harry Potter was given magical protection against Lord Voldemort's use of the curse, when his mother sacrificed herself to save him.
* Harry is the only person in the history of the magical world to have ever survived a direct hit to the killing curse.
* Harry is saved by the twin cores effect between his wand and Voldemort's during a duel, as well as during a battle. During this battle, Harry's phoenix feather wand snaps the wand Voldemort borrowed from one of his servants, Lucius Malfoy. The reason for this is unknown. Dumbledore believes this feat to be due to the unique connections and relationships between the two duellists, which are complex and are "realms of magic hitherto unknown".
* In Deathly Hallows, Harry is saved twice. The first time because when Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby, a piece of Voldemort's soul flaked off and was trapped within Harry himself (giving Harry a connection to, and many of the powers of, Voldemort). When the killing curse hit Harry in the Forbidden Forest, it killed the piece of Voldemort's soul trapped in Harry, and sent Harry to a nether region where Voldemort's use of Harry's blood gave Harry a lifeline back to the world of the living, should he choose to use it, and he decided to return to life. The second time, Harry was able to deflect the curse back at Voldemort (who died from it) because of a special condition involving the Elder Wand. This had been 'won' by Draco when he disarmed Dumbledore of his wand, but none understood this at the time, and Draco did not use the Elder Wand. Harry had won Draco's wand in a life-or-death duel, thereby proving to the Elder Wand that Harry should be the wand's true master. Therefore, when Harry used Draco's wand to cast Expelliarmus against Voldemort's killing curse, the killing curse rebounded on Voldemort leaving Harry unharmed.
Suggested Etymology: During an audience interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival (15 April 2004) Rowling said: "Does anyone know where avada kedavra came from? It is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the original of abracadabra, which means 'let the thing be destroyed.' Originally, it was used to cure illness and the 'thing' was the illness, but I decided to make it the 'thing' as in the person standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties with things like that. I twist them round and make them mine."
Point your wand towards the target for this spell.
Please refer to the homework in the next post.
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Basic Level
1. What is this spell used for?
2. When would you need to use this spell? Give me an example.
3. Name one witch or wizard who has used this spell and why they used it.
4. Where does the root of this spell originate?
5. Please practice this spell in class.
Intermediate Level
1. Why would you use Levicorpus? In what situation? (Be realistic please)
2. What does Liberacorpus do?
3. Why does Levicorpus have a specific counter spell, what is the possible explanation?
4. Give me an example of how this spell may be used for both good and bad.
5. Practice this spell in class, but please don't get carried away. I would request you do not leave your fellow classmate hanging for longer than 30 seconds to avoid the disarray that happened with last weeks in class practicum.
Advanced Level
1. Where did this spell come from?
2. List some conditions in which a witch or wizard has defeated this curse. In your own words please.
3. Name one witch or wizard who has used this spell and why they used it.
4. What happens when this spell is cast, before it hits the victim?
5. Name some ways in which one might be able to avoid being killed by this curse, in your own words. [Extra points may be given for any suggestions you have that are not given in the lesson]
6. What results from using this curse on another human being? (There are 3 answers I am looking for, one being an obvious answer, another is found in the lesson, and extra points will be given if you can figure out the third possible result)
7. There will be no practicum for this lesson, it being an unforgivable curse. But tell me how you would feel if you were faced with this curse (either by witnessing it being used on someone, being face to face with someone about to use it on you, or you using the curse - please do not attempt this.)
8. For your in class homework, since you are more experienced students, please assist the level one and 2 students with their in class practices if needed. If not, you are classwork free this week. (yay!)
