In this chapter, you'll master four essential spells perfect for honing your wand work. Each one will prove invaluable in your magical journey—whether you're levitating objects, unlocking doors, igniting flames, or illuminating the darkness.

Levitation Charm

The Levitation Charm is one of the first spells learnt by any young witch or wizard. With the charm a witch or wizard can make things fly with the flick of a wand. The charm is an excellent test of your magical skill, wand control and above all, patience.

The Levitation Charm was invented in 1544 by warlock Jarleth Hobart, who mistakenly believed that he had at last succeeded in doing what wizardkind had so far failed to do, and learnt to fly.

Hobart invited a large crowd of wizards, including the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, to witness his maiden flight. On the 16th of July 1544, Hobart climbed onto the toof of the local church and, after several speeches and a rousing performance of the national anthem, leapt into mid-air.

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At first, Hobart appeared to have succeeded. He hung in mid-air for nearly three minutes, until the crowd grew impatient to see him move somewhere. In response to their catcalls, Hobart began to perform vigorous swimming movements which had no effect. Mistakenly believing that he was being hampered by his heavy boots and robes, he took them off and tossed them away. Upon removal of these items, Hobart dropped ten feet, and it became painfully clear to those watching from below that, far from weighing him down, they had been helping to keep him airborne.

Infuriated by the increasing laughter of the onlookers, Hobart continued to strip, until finally, on removal of his underpants, he plummeted to the earth completely naked, breaking sixteen bones and earning himself a fine for what the Chief Warlock described as ‘outrageous silliness’.

Humiliated, Hobart returned home and continued his work. He eventually realised that he had invented a spell that would lift objects into the air and could cause them to hover for varying lengths of time, depending on their weight, and the skill of the spellcaster. Small animals and even children might be levitated, but once airborne, they had no control over their direction of movement.

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Hobart consequently made a second announcement, and another, even larger crowd, assembled to watch his new demonstration, hoping for another hearty laugh at his expense.

The new demonstration was initially much more successful than the first. Hobart showed the onlookers how he could lift a variety of objects ranging from small rocks all the way up to fallen trees. Unfortunately, the cheers of the crowd went to Hobart’s head and he decided, for a finale, to Levitate the Chiefs hat. It was only then that he, and indeed the crowd, realised that the Chief wore a wig. Hobart only survived the resulting duel by Levitating the Chiefs robes over his head and running for it.

Incantation

The magic words for the Levitation Charm are ‘Wingardium Leviosa’. Be sure to make the ‘gar’ nice and long.

Gesture

This spell is all in the wrist. Keep your wand hand loose and perform a nice, smooth swish and flick movement (see Fig. A). 

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Notes

There are many variations of this spell — the Hover Charm, the Rocket Charm and the Floating Charm, to name but a few, but this remains the original and best. This charm ought not to be seen as a ‘joke’ spell. It can be most useful in duels and can lift physical obstacles, and can even Levitate small creatures (though this is likely to confuse any poor animal and is certainly not to be encouraged).

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Unlocking Charm

There are many ways to pass through locked doors in the magical world (see the Fire-Making Spell, the Gouging Spell and the Reductor Curse), where you wish to enter or depart discreetly, however, the Unlocking Charm is your best friend.

The famous Unlocking Charm was introduced to Britain in the early 1600s by a wizard thief called Eldon Elsrickle, who had fled from Britain to Africa, hoping to escape punishment for a series of robberies.

Elsrickle sneaked back into the country, heavily disguised and possessed of two treasures. The first was a baby monster called a Nundu, a terrifying leopard-like creature which, when full-grown, could devour whole crowds of men in a single gulp. However, the cub could be subdued with a simple Stunning Spell, and Elsrickle intended to use it to guard his house when he was not there.

Elsrickle’s second treasure was the charm that he had learnt from an ancient African sorcerer: ‘Alohomora’, otherwise known as the Unlocking Charm, ot The Thief’s Friend.

Elsrickle immediately resumed his career of villainy, and no house in London, whether Muggle or wizardowned, was safe. Elsrickle was soon taking home priceless jewels, paintings and antiques to the house which was occupied by his Nundu.

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Soon, the Spectral Thief of Old London Town was making front page news in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. Nobody could understand how the criminal was getting in and out of houses without breaking windows or using ladders.

Once in a while, Elsrickle would be surprised in the home of a fellow wizard. Whenever this happened, the cunning fellow offered to trade his fabulous new charm for his freedom. His deal was accepted so many times that soon there were a great number of so-called ‘Spectral Thieves’ operating in the capital.

Elsrickle was confident that he would never be burgled, however, because he made sure that everyone knew he owned an ever-growing Nundu. He put it to sleep each morning through the keyhole of his door, before entering the house, and woke it up in the same way when he left at night.

Then came the fateful day when Blagdon Blay, a wizard who had been burgled 19 times in two weeks, succeeded in inventing an Anti-Alohomora Charm. In a single night, the wizarding doors of London were sealed shut, and task-forces were dispatched to protect Muggle houses, too. 

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On the last day of his life, Elsrickle returned home after being unable to commit a single burglary all night. Tired, frustrated and angry, he completely forgot about putting his Nundu to sleep through the keyhole before he entered the house. The last word he ever spoke, before being pounced upon and eaten was ‘Alohomora’.

Incantation

To unlock doors with just a wave of the wand, speak the incantation ‘Alohomora’.

Gesture

The spell requires a nice, sharp wand movement. Start at the bottom and go up, then diagonally down and then across (see Fig. C).

Notes

Prior to the discovery of the Unlocking Charm, the most popular charm for the purpose was ‘Portaberto!’ which usually splintered the lock from the door, and occasionally left a smoking hole where the key should have been. Even this was a substantial improvement over ‘Open Sesame!’, the previous most-popular spell, which saw doors wrenched from their hinges and torn into firewood.

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Fire-Making Spell

From lighting a warm hearth to igniting a Christmas pudding, the Fire-Making Spell is always useful around the wizarding household.

Spectacular though it is, students are warned that irresponsible use of the Fire-Making Spell can have serious consequences.

Take one ill-fated performance of Malecrit’s classic wizarding play ‘Alas, I have Transfigured my Feet’. History does not record the names of the actors, which is perhaps for the best, since by halfway through the first act the audience had taken to throwing pumpkins.

Undeterred, the actor playing Crapaud began the famous foot-transfiguration scene. By this time, the special effects wizard hidden under the stage was apparently as bored as the audience, and decided to replace the traditional puff of yellow smoke with a huge eruption of fire. The audience were suitably impressed, and their cheering only increased when the curtains caught alight, and the effects wizard began vainly trying to put out the flames, while dodging hexes from the play’s Director.

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With the rest of the cast fleeing in panic, the actor playing Crapaud took this as his moment to shine. Casting a Flame-Freezing Charm, he began the play’s rousing final speech, protected from the fire now engulfing the stage. Unfortunately, his no doubt stirring delivery was lost in the confusion as the audience abandoned the theatre, and the ill-prepared effects wizard tried desperately to remember the Flame-Freezing Charm for himself.

Show-off young students should take heed: cast your Fire-Making Spell with care.

Incantation

The incantation to produce fire from your wand is ‘Incendio’.

Gesture

The Fire-Making Spell uses three movements: A straight line to the right, then diagonally down and left, then right again (see Fig. E).

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Wand-Lighting Charm

This charm will light the end of your wand, providing illumination in darkness. The Wand-Lighting Charm is simple, but requires concentration. Take great care not to accidentally set your wand alight, as damage of this kind can be permanent. If in any doubt about your abilities you would do better to buy yourself a magic lantern.

Incantation

The incantation to light one’s wand is “Lumos’.

Gesture

The gesture for Lumos is a nice, smooth upwards loop (see Fig. D).

Notes

The discovery that wands themselves could be lit occurred relatively recently in wizarding history, at the end of the 18th century. Among those who claimed to have invented this revolutionary spell was the German watlock Garvin Ligner, who insisted that he had invented it as a side-effect of his discovery of Instant Darkness Powder. It transpired, however, that not only was Lugner lying about Lumos, his powder was only useful for slightly dimming the lights.

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The Wand-Lighting Charm was actually invented in 1772 by Levina Monkstanley. An accomplished witch working in the Department of Mysteries, Levina astonished her colleagues one day by lighting the tip of her wand to search for a dropped quill in a dusty corner. Prior to Levina’s discovery, all manner of magical lanterns, candles and light-creation spells had been used with varying degrees of success, to penetrate darkness both natural and curse-related.

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Conundrum 1

The Tale of a Lazy Little Witch

When little Isadora Rose (A sweet young witch — that button nose!)

Was bought a wand, she thought it grand; It shone so brightly in her hand!

‘Now here’s an end to all my woes!’ The charming girl told friends and foes.

I'll never, ever need to work’

(In truth, she'd abvays liked to shirk).

If anybody makes me cross, My wand will show them who is boss,

And if they go and treat me worse I'll fix them with a single curse!

And everything I want I'll get With this, my darling little pet’

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With that, she waved her brand new wand And turned her black hair brassy blonde.

But as the days and weeks went by That lazy girl refused to try

To master new spells; truth to tell She didn’t do the old ones well:

Her hair turned blonde but then fell out Her curses never had much clout

Her wand began to wilt, poor thing, As boredom took away its zing.

And naturally she blamed the wand And threw it in the old duck pond

But you know better, you can see What caused her mediocrity.

What must you do, which she did noté What must you do, and do a lot?

Answer this, and do it loads Or I will turn you all to toads.

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