Imago Dei

**Imago Dei** is a spell found in the Anathema Codex. It is a spell of Wild Magic that can literally re-write reality to the casters wishes. It's literal translation in English is 'Image of God'.

## Creation & Banning

No-one knows who created the Imago Dei spell but due to its usage of Wild Magic, it was banned by the original Ancient and Noble Houses when they created the Anathema Codex and otherwise erased the knowledge of the spells within, including Imago Dei.

Likened by Regulus Black to the Muggle "Legend of the Monkey Paw", where every wish the user makes with the paw is twisted into a dark form of itself, Regulus explained to Team Mysterioso what would happen if every wizard had the knowledge needed to cast Imago Dei; constant usage would tear reality apart. Hence, the reason why even knowing how to cast it would result in getting thrown through the Veil of Death.

## Procedure

According to Regulus Black, in Imago Dei, the caster describes as clearly as they want, and articulate the sacrifice the caster is willing to make. A significant part of the spell is chanting the phrase 'so mote it be', which is repeated regularly. If Magic judges the sacrifice worthy of the demand, then reality itself is reordered according to the specified outcome. Otherwise, the spell fails, or takes a different sacrifice and grants the request.

## Pandora Lovegood's Casting

Pandora Lovegood cast Imago Dei in an attempt to hide away the existence of Heliopaths so her daughter, Luna Lovegood, wouldn't be taken away by the Unspeakables. She etched runes into the wooden floor in her basement with a strange curved blade and, upon completion, started chanted the following:

*"As I will it, so mote it be.* *As I will it, so mote it be.* *As I will it, so mote it be... Let Heliopathy be forgotten. So mote it be. Let the*word *Heliopath be forgotten*. *So mote it be. Let all who knew of the powers of the Heliopath*forget. *So mote it be. Let all evidence of the Heliopaths be stricken and erased. So mote it be... Let the Unspeakables forget about Heliopathy and about my Luna's gifts. So mote it be. Let the Ministry forget about Heliopathy and my Luna's gifts. So mote it be. Let my Luna grow up free from those who would fear her and use her. So mote it be... Give me what I ask for, and in return, take my magic! Every drop! And if that is not enough ...*then take what you will! *So mote it be... Let our bargain be struck! So mote it be. So mote it be. SO MOTE IT BE!... **IMAGO DEI!!**"*

After the last 'so mote it be', teardrops of blood began to pour from Pandora's eyes. Upon completion of the incantation, she began to scream in agony. It is assumed that her life was taken as sacrifice for the spell.

Years later, her casting of Imago Dei was viewed by a group of Hogwarts students, Team Mysterioso, through the lens of Luna Lovegood's memories. However, when the spell was complete, they were forced to evacuate the memory as the memory attempted to change the modern world, causing massive damage to the room the memory was being viewed in and breaking the Pensieve being used to view it. The Hogwarts students were then bound to secret oaths to prevent discussion on the memory or the knowledge they now possessed.

Penelope Clearwater, one of the students who witnessed the memory, recognized some of the carved runes as Elder Futhark, random repetitions of Ansuz, Naudiz, Sowlio, and Ear, alongside other symbols from entirely different languages thrown in. Penelope guessed that the Futhark runes were meant to invoke the concepts of World, Need, Power, and Death. According to Harry Potter, during the casting of the spell, he felt something *alien,* *taboo* and *wrong* coming in response to the spell, with power beyond Harry's understanding.

## Trivia

* Imago Dei is the first spell from the Anathema Codex seen being performed "on-screen".
	+ The second is the Rune of Singular Hate, which was used during the attack on Hogsmeade.
	+ Although Horcruxes have been seen in the series, the spell required to form them is yet to be seen "on-screen".

## References

Book 2 - HP&TSE - Ch. 70 - Investigations into Dark Matters,

"Lockhart" explains the effects of *that spell* to Team Mysterioso.

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Book 2 - HP&TSE - Ch. 70 - Investigations into Dark Matters,

Team Mysterioso watch Pandora Lovegood casting of *that spell* and subsequent death via Pensieve.

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Book 2 - HP&TSE - Ch. 70 - Investigations into Dark Matters,

A past casting of *that spell* attempts to change the modern day.
Book 2 - HP&TSE - Ch. 70 - Investigations into Dark Matters,

Team Mysterioso discuss the required set-up for which *that spell* is cast.