Incantation

> And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest.
>
> Filius Flitwick on the importance of enunciating incantations correctly, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

An **incantation** was the magic word or words spoken to cast a spell.

## Description

Spells could be cast without saying the incantation out loud by a skilled witch or wizard, but the incantation still needed to be in one's mind while casting. Most known incantations derived from the Latin language but there were a few which were English. Foreign wizards might have incantations that were quite different from the ones used by English people, as even ***Madam Villanelle***, a skilled linguist, couldn't comprehend the incantations used by the ***Japanese*** ***white-robed wizard*** when duelling, though it isn't known whether the incantations were in a different language or were the same ones with a heavy accent.

Spells cast using an incorrect incantation might fail in various ways, such as ***setting things on fire***, an undesired outcome, or absolutely nothing at all. In certain cases, the side effects could be quite severe, and Professor ***Filius Flitwick*** urged his first-year ***Charms*** students to remember the example of Wizard ***Baruffio*** who once said 's' instead of 'f' and ***conjured*** a ***buffalo*** on top of his chest.

An incantation would not work without conscious effort, intent or magical prowess of the caster. For example, ***Bartemius Crouch Jnr***, in disguise as ***Alastor Moody*** stated regarding the Killing Curse (incantation - *Avada Kedavra*) to his ***fourth-year*** students that they could "get your wands out and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed." Similarly, a ***Muggle*** or ***Squib*** would never be able to perform magic, no matter how many incantations they might shout.

There was also a wizarding record label named "Incantation Records".

## History

When introducing his ***class*** to his first-year students in 1991, Severus Snape stated that there would be "no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations" in the class. This however, was likely something of an exaggeration, as it was necessary to channel magic at some point in order to make a ***potion***, and in the case of more complicated potions, the use of a spell might be needed for the identification of ingredients, among other reasons.

## Known incantations

* *Accio*
* ***Aguamenti***
* *Alarte Ascendare*
* *Alohomora*
* *Amato Animo Animato Animagus*
* ***Anapneo***
* ***Annihilare***
* ***Anteoculatia***
* ***Aparecium***
* ***Appare Vestigium***
* ***Aqua Eructo***
* ***Arania Exumai***
* ***Arresto Momentum***
* ***Ascendio***
* *Avada Kedavra*
* ***Avenseguim***
* ***Aviatus***
* ***Avifors***
* ***Avis***
* ***Baubillious***
* *Bombarda*
* ***Bombarda Maxima***
* ***Brachiabindo***
* *Brackium Emendo*
* ***Calvorio***
* **Cantis**
* *Capacious Extremis*
* ***Carpe Retractum***
* ***Cave inimicum***
* ***Celescere***
* ***Circumrota***
* *Cistem Aperio*
* *Colloportus*
* ***Colloshoo***
* ***Colovaria***
* *Confringo*
* ***Confundo***
* ***Crinus Muto***
* ***Crucio***
* ***Defodio***
* ***Deletrius***
* ***Densaugeo***
* ***Depulso***
* ***Descendo***
* ***Deprimo***
* ***Diffindo***
* ***Diminuendo***
* ***Dissendium***
* ***Draconifors***
* ***Ducklifors***
* ***Dunamis***
* ***Duro***
* *Ectomatic*
* *Emancipare*
* *Engorgio*
* *Engorgio Skullus*
* *Entomorphis*
* *Episkey*
* *Epoximise*
* *Erecto*
* *Evanesco*
* *Everte Statum*
* *Ex Cappa*
* *Expecto Patronum*
* *Expelliarmus*
* ***Expulso***
* ***Felifors***
* ***Felixempra***
* *Ferula*
* ***Fianto Duri***
* ***Finestra***
* *Finite*
* *Finite Incantatem*
* *Flagrate*
* ***Flintifors***
* *Flipendo*
* ***Fracto Strata***
* ***Fulgari***
* ***Fumos***
* ***Furnunculus***
* ***Geminio***
* *Glacius*
* ***Glisseo***
* ***Harmonia Nectere Passus***
* ***Herbifors***
* ***Herbivicus***
* ***Homenum Revelio***
* ***Hystrifors***
* ***Illegibilus***
* ***Immobulus***
* ***Impedimenta***
* *Imperio*
* ***Impervius***
* ***Inanimatus Conjurus***
* ***Incacerata***
* ***Incarcerous***
* ***Incarcifors***
* *Incendio*
* *Inflamare*
* ***Inflatus***
* ***Informous***
* *Lacarnum Inflamari*
* **Langlock**
* *Legilimens*
* *Levicorpus*
* *Leviosa*
* *Levioso*
* ***Liberacorpus***
* ***Liberare***
* ***Locomotor***
* ***Locomotor Wibbly***
* *Locomotor Mortis*
* *Lumos*
* ***Lumos Maxima***
* *Lumos Solem*
* ***Magicus Extremos***
* *Melofors*
* ***Metelojinx***
* ***Meteolojinx Recanto***
* ***Mimblewimble***
* ***Mobiliarbus***
* ***Mobilicorpus***
* ***Molliare***
* ***Morsmordre***
* ***Mucus ad Nauseam***
* ***Mucus Projectum***
* ***Muffliato***
* ***Multicorfors***
* ***Nebulus***
* ***Nox***
* *Oculus Reparo*
* *Obliviate*
* ***Obscuro***
* ***Offero***
* ***Open Sesame***
* ***Oppugno***
* ***Orbis***
* *Orchideous*
* ***Oscausi***
* ***Ossio Dispersimus***
* ***Pack***
* ***Papyrus Reparo***
* ***Pario Vestigius***
* ***Partis Temporus***
* ***Periculum***
* ***Peskipiksi Pesternomi***
* *Petrificus Totalus*
* ***Piertotum Locomotor***
* ***Piscifors***
* ***Point Me***
* *Portaberto*
* ***Portus***
* *Prior Incantato*
* ***Protego Diabolica***
* ***Protego horribilis***
* ***Protego Maxima***
* ***Protego totalum***
* *Quietus*
* ***Redactum Skullus***
* ***Reducio***
* ***Reducto***
* ***Reparifors***
* ***Relashio***
* *Rennervate*
* ***Reparifarge***
* *Reparo*
* ***Repello Muggletum***
* ***Repello Inimicum***
* ***Revelio***
* ***Reverte***
* ***Rictusempra***
* ***Riddikulus***
* ***Salvio hexia***
* ***Scourgify***
* ***Scribblifors***
* ***Sectumsempra***
* *Serpensortia*
* *Silencio*
* *Skurge*
* *Slugulus Eructo*
* ***Snufflifors***
* ***Sonorus***
* ***Specialis Revelio***
* ***Spongify***
* ***Stella Cascadia***
* ***Sternius***
* ***Strigiforma***
* ***Stupefy***
* ***Surgito***
* ***Tarantallegra***
* ***Tentaclifors***
* ***Tergeo***
* ***Titillando***
* ***Transmogrify***
* ***Tribuomnus***
* ***Ventus***
* *Vera Verto*
* ***Verdillious***
* ***Verdimillious***
* ***Vermiculus***
* ***Vermillious***
* *Vipera Evanesca*
* ***Vomitare Viridis***
* ***Vulnera Sanentur***
* ***Waddiwasi***
* *Wingardium Leviosa*

## Appearances

* *Harry-Potter and-the Sorcerer's S Stone* (film) (First Entire Appearance)
* *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* (film)
* *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1*
* *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2*

## Notes and references

1. ↑ , Chapter B, page 10
2. ↑ , Chapter B, page 8
3. ↑ JK on the prospect of Muggle potioneers
4. ↑ *Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince* (film)