Fabulous UnLocking Charm

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

The **Unlocking Charm** (*Alohomora*), also known as the **Unlocking Spell** or the **Thief's Friend** was a charm that unlocked objects such as doors or windows. It was also able to open doors locked by the Locking Spell (*Colloportus*), and as such, acted as its counter-charm. The Anti-Alohomora Charm could be used to prevent this charm from working on a locked target.

## Unlocking Charm

### Incantation

*Alohomora*
(ah-LOH-ho-MOR-ah)

### Creator

Ancient African sorcerer (possibly); first brought to Britain by Eldon Elsrickle in the early 1600s

## History

> Welcome, everyone. Today you will learn the Unlocking Charm, *Alohomora*! It's the very best spell when a wizard forgets his keys. Come to think of it, with *Alohomora*, why would a wizard even need keys? A discussion for another day, I suppose. Wands up, everyone!
>
> Professor Flitwick to first-year Charms students, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

 File:AlohomoraHM.png  The Unlocking Charm had its origins in Africa, whereupon it was called the Thief's Friend. The first known person to have mastered the charm was an Ancient African sorcerer, who taught it to thief Eldon Elsrickle during the latter's trip to the continent in the 17th century. Upon returning to his native Britain, Elsrickle used it to terrorise London, stealing from homes of Muggles and wizards alike, until Blagdon Blay invented the Anti-Alohomora Charm. Before he died, Elsrickle gave knowledge of the Unlocking Charm in exchange for his freedom on the infrequent occasions he broke into a magical household, resulting in the spell being widespread in the country.
Before the discovery of *Alohomora*, the most popular unlocking spell was *Portaberto*, which splintered the lock from a door but occasionally left a smoking hole where the key should have gone. Before *Portaberto,* however, the most popular opening spell was *Open Sesame*, which ripped doors from their hinges and tore them into firewood. All of these were more rudimentary and by far less subtle than *Alohomora*.
Descriptions of this spell were written in numerous books, including the first volume of the Standard Book of Spells series, where it was described in chapter seven. and a spellbook that could be found in the Hogwarts Library. This spell was also taught in Charms class in the first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was one of the first spells students learnt.
In the summer of 1992, Harry Potter considered using this charm to unlock the cage of his pet owl Hedwig at 4 Privet Drive, but did not, since he knew that underage wizards and witches were not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.
The door guarding the Philosopher's Stone was protected against the Unlocking Charm; a winged key was necessary to open it. A single door in the Department of Mysteries was impervious to this spell as well; it may be presumed that it opens in the room where the British Ministry of Magic studies the power of love in the Department of Mysteries.

## Counter-charm

There was a spell called the Anti-Alohomora Charm which was used to counteract this spell. Magical locks also existed and were placed on several doors, but could be unlocked with this charm.

## Known uses

### Successful

> Oh, move over,” Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry’s wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, “Alohomora!” The lock clicked and the door swung open —
>
> Hermione using this charm to unlock a door on the Third-Floor corridor, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

### Unsuccessful

> They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn’t budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm.
>
> Hermione Granger's unsuccessful use of this charm in the Underground Chambers, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

## Known practitioners

Filius Flitwick profile.jpgFilius FlitwickHermione Granger.jpgHermione GrangerRon Weasley.jpgRon WeasleyHarry Potter.jpgHarry PotterLord Voldemort.jpgTom Riddle
## See also

* *Annihilare*
* *Aberto*
* *Dunamis*
* *Liberare*
* *Emancipare*
* *Open Sesame*
* *Portaberto*

## Etymology

J. K. Rowling stated that the word was from the West African Sikidy figures used in geomancy and has the literal meaning "*Friendly to thieves*".

## Behind the scenes

 File:Alohomora-0.gif   File:AlohomoraPAS.png   File:AlohomoraGesture.png
* *Alohomora Duo* is a stronger version of this spell; however, this spell was ultimately cut from the final release of the *Goblet of Fire* video game.
* Although Dolores Umbridge's office at Hogwarts was (assumed) impervious to this spell in the novel, Harry Potter uses this spell to open it before attempting to use the Floo Network in Template:OOTP.
* As it was described in a textbook, this may be learned in Hogwarts Charms classes in the first year.
* This may be the spell that Remus Lupin used to open a wardrobe containing a Boggart and the spell that Harry Potter used wandlessly to open his cupboard to retrieve his school supplies.
* In Template:POA, instead of using the Unlocking Charm to help Sirius Black escape, Hermione used *Bombarda* to blast open his cell door.
* In the *Chamber of Secrets* video game for GameCube, Xbox, and PS2 it's specified that the Unlocking Charm is for use on mechanical locks. In most other sources, it's used on magical locks and the Locking Spell as well.
	+ Also in the manuals for the video games, it lampshades the fact that not everything can be unlocked with the charm (such as certain doors and inaccessible areas), and thus tells the player to not get frustrated over this fact.
		- It is only in *Chamber of Secrets*, that only chests can be opened with the charm, while in the previous game, almost anything can be unlocked as long as it had to symbol for the charm's use. This was mainly that in the second game, the charm was to be optionally brought at Fred and George Weasley's Shop in the video games, and thus it would have little impact on locations that involve the story of the game outside of side quests and hidden locations.
* In Template:LEGO and Template:LEGO, the Reductor Curse is used to blast open most locks, instead of the Unlocking Charm.
* According to *Book of Spells*, the spell *Portaberto* was the most popular unlocking spell before this, and before that, *Open Sesame* was.
* While the spell usually just unlocks, Newt Scamander was showing using it to both unlock and open a safe in Template:FB.
* In Template:PS, Ron Weasley tried to use this spell on the door of the flying key chamber instead of Hermione Granger.

## Appearances

Template:Imagecat

* Template:PS Template:1st
* Template:COS Template:Possible Template:Mention
* Template:POA
* Template:OOTP
* Template:DH
* Template:FB
* Template:FB
* Template:SOD
* Template:LEGO Template:C
* Template:HPS
* Template:TCG
* Template:PM
* Template:WBS
* Template:FBC
* Template:HM
* Template:WU
* Template:PAS
* Template:MA Template:Mention
* Template:HL

## Notes and references

Template:Reflist

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Template:WBS
2. ↑ Template:HM
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bloomsbury Glossary: A
4. ↑ COG - *Fantastic Beasts: A Cinematic Yearbook*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Template:PS - Chapter 17 (*Three-headed Sentinel*)
6. ↑ See this video
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Template:PS
8. ↑ Template:HM
9. ↑ Template:COS
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Template:PS
11. ↑ Template:OOTP
12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `PSG`
13. ↑ Template:COS
14. ↑ Template:POA
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Template:PS - Chapter 8 (*The Boy Who Lived*)
16. ↑ Template:CC
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Template:PS
18. ↑ Rowling, J. K. (2008-04-14). Statement of J.K. Rowling in testimony during the WB and JKR vs. RDR Books. Archived on 2008-04-16 from http://web.archive.org/web/20080423072217/www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2008/4/15/first-day-of-jkr-wb-vs-rdr-books-trial

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