An Known-Petrification(-Harry Potter)

> Dark Magic of the most advanced kind.
>
> Albus Dumbledore regarding Petrification, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

**Petrification** was a malign magical state in which a living creature was rendered immobile and unresponsive, as if they had been turned to stone. It was a phenomenon of the most advanced Dark Magic, affecting ***beasts***, beings and even spirits such as ghosts. Petrification could be inflicted by the statue curse, along with the gazes of the ***Gorgon*** and the Basilisk. In the case of the Basilisk, its gaze ordinarily killed living creatures, but when seen indirectly, or by a ghost (who was already dead and couldn't die again), it caused Petrification instead.

## History

During the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Chamber of Secrets was opened twice, and in both cases the Serpent of Slytherin was released and attacked the ***Muggle-born*** student body. The first opening in 1943 resulted in the Petrification of three Muggle-born students, and the death of one, Myrtle Warren. The second opening in 1992 led to the Petrification of students Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hermione Granger, along with the cat Mrs Norris and the ghost Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington.

## Effects

Victims of Petrification were completely paralysed and unresponsive. It may have taken careful examination to discern if a victim was Petrified. A Petrified ghost would turn a dark smoky grey and could only be moved using air currents. The antidote to Petrification was the ***Mandrake Restorative Draught***, a highly potent healing potion made from ***Stewed Mandrakes***.

Petrification should not be confused with the Full Body-Bind Curse or the Hardening Charm. The Full Body-Bind Curse was only temporary and could be lifted easily, while the Hardening Charm turned an object to literal stone. Gilderoy Lockhart once confused the effects of Petrification with those of the ***Transmogrifian Torture***; however, the truth of his claims were extremely dubious.

## Known victims

### Basilisk attacks

> The Basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died — because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The Basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin... Justin must've seen the Basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again... and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realised the monster was a Basilisk.
>
> The known victims of Petrification, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

## Etymology

The Latin verb *petrificare* means "to make into stone", from the Latin word for "rock", *petra*.

## Behind the scenes

* It is unknown how Nearly Headless Nick was revived from being Petrified, because, as a ghost, he presumably would not have been able to consume the antidote. (However, as Petrified humans couldn't consume potions either, being unconscious, it is possible that the potion may have been administered in a form that could affect ghosts such as via a spray bottle.
* In mythology, petrification is associated with Medusa the ***Gorgon*** and the ***cockatrice*** as well as the basilisk. In Cornish folklore, petrification legends explain the origin of prehistoric megalithic monuments, such as the Merry Maidens stone circle.

## Notes and references

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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Template:COS
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Template:COS
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Template:COS
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Template:COS
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Template:COS
6. ↑ Template:COS
7. ↑ Template:Wikilink