Rarely Wand-Lighting Charm

The Wand-Lighting Charm - The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection (Lumos) was a charm that illuminated the tip of the caster's wand, allowing the caster to see in the dark. The counter-charm for the spell was the Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox), which was used to extinguish the light from the caster's wand. The charm could be used to reveal magically hidden things.
==History==
Despite its apparent simplicity, the Wand-Lighting Charm was not invented until the 18th century. It was first used publicly by its inventor, Levina Monkstanley in the Ministry of Magic in 1772 — to the astonishment of her colleagues — to help her look for a fallen quill in a dusty corner. - see this video
However, Garvin Lügner (a German wizard) claimed to have been the one who invented the spell, while he was developing his Instant Darkness Powder. It later transpired that Lügner had been lying about the invention of the charm and that his Instant Darkness Powder did not do too much more than slightly dim the lights.
This spell was taught in first-year Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was detailed in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, another unidentified spellbook and the Book of Spells. This spell was also used frequently as Hogwarts student skulk about the castle or the Forbidden Forest, often during the night-time or in dark places.
==Effects==
One of the simplest yet most useful light-creation spells, the Wand-Lighting Charm's principal usage was to create a light at the tip of the wand in order to see in the dark. This light was fairly warm, and risked igniting flammable things, including the caster's wand if they were careless enough.
Wand light was also able to repel ghosts and other spectral foes such as Gytrashes, from which they would flee. In addition, the Wand-Lighting Charm was able to illuminate and reveal magically hidden architecture such as doorways.
While the caster, by definition, had to own a wand in order to perform the charm, they did not actually have to be holding it in order to illuminate it. Indeed, if the caster performed the charm without holding their wand, their wand would light up even if it was some distance away.
When the charm was used in The Cave, the illuminated area was less-than-expected, as the darkness within seemed to be denser than normal.
There were three known variations of this charm: Lumos Solem, - Chapter 27 (Through the Trapdoor) Lumos Duo and Lumos Maxima. - Chapter 1 (Under Covers Prologue)
==Known uses==
Caster(s) 	Date 	Notes 	
Filius Flitwick 	2 September 1984 	Demonstrated this charm in a first-year Charms lesson while teaching the charm to his students. 	
Harry Potter 	6 August, 1993 	Used it to light the Magnolia Crescent when he spotted Sirius Black in his Animagus form. 	
Harry Potter 	December, 1993 	Used it to light the passage way leading from the statue of the hump-backed witch to Honeydukes. 	
Harry Potter 	6 June, 1994 	Used it to light the passage way leading from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack. 	
Harry Potter 	24 February, 1995 	Used it to light the Hogwarts Library to seek books about how to survive under water, a few hours before the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament. 	
Harry Potter 	24 June, 1995 	Used it to light the path in maze during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. 	
Harry Potter 	2 August, 1995 	Used it wandlessly to light the Magnolia Crescent when he and Dudley Dursley were attacked by two Dementors. 	
Harry Potter 	30 May, 1996 	Used it to light the Forbidden Forest when he and Hermione Granger followed Rubeus Hagrid to meet Grawp. 	
Harry Potter 	30 June, 1997 	Used it to light the Crystal cave during the search for the Horcrux locket. 	
Harry Potter 	September, 1997 	Used it to examine the Marauder's Map whilst staying in Perkins's tent camping out in the English wilderness, whilst hunting for Horcruxes. 	
Harry Potter 	24 December, 1997 	Used it to light the room in Bathilda Bagshot's house while he and Hermione Granger were searching for the Sword of Gryffindor. 	
Harry Potter 	28 December, 1997 	Used it to light the Forest of Dean while following the silver doe sent by Severus Snape. 	
Harry Potter 	1 May, 1998 	Used it to light the Lestrange Vault to search for the Horcrux cup during the break-in. 	
Harry Potter 	2 May, 1998 	Used it to light the Forbidden Forest in order to use the Resurrection Stone. 	
Harry Potter 	September, 2017 	Used it to light the room while talking to Ginny Potter in their home. 	
Severus Snape 	1993 	Used it to patroll the Hogwarts corridors at night, during which he caught Harry Potter out of bed, but the pair was interrupted by Remus Lupin. - Chapter 17 (Who's There?) 	
Hermione Granger 	6 June, 1994 	Used it to light the passage way leading from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack. 	
Hermione Granger 	30 May, 1996 	Used it to light the Forbidden Forest when she and Harry Potter followed Rubeus Hagrid to meet Grawp. 	
Hermione Granger 	1 May, 1998 	Used it nonverbally to light the Lestrange Vault during the break-in to search for the Horcrux cup. 	
Ron Weasley 	25 August, 1994 	Used it to light the forest in Dartmoor while hiding from the Death Eaters after 422nd Quidditch World Cup final. 	
Ron Weasley 	1 May, 1998 	Used it nonverbally to light the Lestrange Vault during the break-in to search for the Horcrux cup. 	
Albus Dumbledore 	24 May, 1995 	Used it to light the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest while looking for Bartemius Crouch Snr. 	
Peter Pettigrew 	Used it to light his wand in the dark Little Hangleton graveyard.	 	
Arthur Weasley 	18 December, 1995 	Used it to illuminate the Hall of Prophecy at night whilst he served as night watchman. - Chapter 17 (Occlumency) 	
Minerva McGonagall	18 December, 1995 	Used it to help illuminate her dark surroundings as she escorted Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley to Albus Dumbledore's office at night, following Harry's vision of the Attack on Arthur Weasley.	
Neville Longbottom	1 May, 1998 	Used it to illuminate the dark passageway between the Hog's Head Inn and the Room of Requirement whilst taking the trio there. 	
==Known practitioners==
600full-Albus-Dumbledore-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-photo.jpg|Albus Dumbledore
Mcgonagall.jpg|Minerva McGonagall
Filius Flitwick profile.jpg|Filius Flitwick
Severus Snape.jpg|Severus Snape - Chapter 19 (The Yule Ball)
Arthur Weasley profile.jpg|Arthur Weasley
Ginny Weasley.jpg|Ginevra Weasley
Harry Potter.jpg|Harry Potter
Ron Weasley.jpg|Ronald Weasley
Hermione Granger.jpg|Hermione Granger
Wormtail DH1.jpg|Peter Pettigrew
Vincent Crabbe.jpg|Vincent Crabbe
File:Neville Longbottom Promo OOTP.jpg|Neville Longbottom
*Levina Monkstanley
==Etymology==
The incantation Lumos is derived from the Latin word lumen, meaning "light".
==Behind the scenes==
*This is the only spell whose hand motion stayed the same between and . In shows a different movement.
*It is possible this charm was not affected by The Trace, perhaps because of its simplicity or because it resembled torch light so closely.
*In the first three video games, the spell works by being cast on a special Lumos gargoyle, which will enchant the statue and illuminate the wand, revealing concealed secrets and openings in the world, such as hidden doorways.
*If one listens closely in the third and the sixth films, one can hear a very soft humming sound when the spell is cast.
*On any Android phone (on Lollipop or better), if a user types Lumos in the search bar on the Google app, the torch will turn on. Respectively, saying Nox turns it off. On Iphones, Siri can do the same.
*A charity founded by J. K. Rowling is named after this spell.
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
Category:Charms
Category:Concealment
Category:Regular Defence Against on-the Rare Dark Arts
Category:An-The Light-Based Real-Magic
Category:Spells With-An Light
Category:Spells With Incantations of Latin Known Origin