Potterverse Magic

Map of Schools in Harry Potter

The **Potterverse Magic** system is a center-soft and learned magic system from the series, Harry Potter.

## Synopsis

### Nature

The basic concepts of magic were fairly simple — even a two-year-old wizard could do some form of magic — but the inherent power and potential for misuse were great indeed. It was for this reason that promising young witches and wizards were sent to schools of magic, such as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to refine their craft and learn the art and responsibility of their power. Those that practice it are known as, Wizardkind. There, they learned a variety of magical specialties, general theory and the history of magic in their world. Magic was unable to be performed by non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles), which was what separated the Muggle world from the wizarding world. As a substitute for magic, Muggles used technology, but in the same sense, many wizards were ignorant of the workings of most Muggle devices, including electricity. Both Muggles and wizards viewed their choice of tool as completely and utterly logical and ordinary, although each would find the other's tools fascinating or even mysterious.

Squibs were also unable to perform magic, but they were in a unique position, as they were born into wizarding families, which gave them the option to choose between living in the wizarding world like a second-class citizen, or living in the Muggle world while concealing everything they knew about magic. As per the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, Wizardkind must constantly hide their magic abilities from the Muggle world, and thus most Muggles were unaware that magic existed.

At least that was until they made it to the psyche multiverse. Many wizards and witches came into contact with other humans using magic along with other beings. As a matter of fact, people are widely aware of it. Another thing to note is that a wizard or witch's emotional state could affect their inherent abilities.

### Casting

Spells were the every-purpose tools of a wizard or witch; short bursts of magic used to accomplish single specialized tasks such as opening locks or creating fire. Spells were divided into rough categories, such as "charms", "curses", "hexes", or "jinxes". Typically casting required an incantation, most often in a modified form of Latin and gesturing with a wand in the case of humans. However, these seemed to be *aids* to the will only; wands merely focused a person's magic. It was evidently also possible to use a wand without holding it. Additionally, Animagi and Metamorphagi did not need wands to undergo their transformations. A wand focused magic to such a significant degree, that the vast majority of witches and wizards were often powerless without one. However, one could do magic without a wand, though it was often unfocused and uncontrolled. Still, few wizards could perform directed magic without a wand if they had enough skill and power, but it was still more difficult and tiring. A wizard or witch was at their best when using their own wand: when using another's, one's spells were not as strong as they normally would be, as dictated by the laws of wandlore.

Spells could be cast non-verbally, but again, most still required a wand for this. This technique was taught in the sixth year of study at Hogwarts and required the caster to concentrate on the incantation. While most magic required the caster to use their voice which were apparently designed to be used non-verbally. This might depend on the witch or wizard. Some very skilled and powerful wizards and witches could use magic both wandlessly and wordlessly.

### Limitations

While it was possible to conjure things out of nothing and duplicate items, it was far more tricky to create something that fit an exact specification rather than a general one. Moreover, a magically imitated object would never be as "real" as the genuine one, with duplicated food being less fulfilling than the real thing, and conjured creatures only demonstrating surface-level behavior. Furthermore, magically imitated objects tended not to be as resistant to deterioration as the natural ones, being prone to breaking, cracking, melting, rusting, and other forms of breakdown. It was almost impossible to make oneself truly immortal, only to extend one's lifespan using powerful magical means, such as with the Philosopher's Stone. Creating at least one Horcrux was said to grant the person immortality, as a part of their soul was Earth-bound. However, it was considered the vilest of acts. Becoming a ghost was another option for wizards and witches; but it was said that this was "*a pale imitation of life*".

Likewise, it was impossible to resurrect the dead. While corpses could be transformed into obedient Inferi on a living wizard's command, they were little more than zombies with no soul or will of their own. It was also possible via the rare *Priori Incantatem* effect to converse with ghost-like "shadows" of magically murdered people. The Resurrection Stone allowed one to talk to the dead, but those brought back by the Stone were not corporeal, nor did they wish to be disturbed from their peaceful rest. The result of such a summoning was usually detrimental to the summoner.

## Wizarding Schools

In the Potterverse, there are a multitude of schools that teach many members of the Wizardkind and some of their subspecies along with many subjects. Keep in mind that this is incomplete.

### Known Schools

#### Beauxbatons Academy of Magic

Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is one of three schools located in Europe located in the Pyrenees Mountains in southern France. The school took many of its wizarding students from France, as well as large numbers from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. It is unknown if students from other countries are allowed. The school's coat of arms consists of two golden wands crossed over one another, each shooting three stars. The students' uniforms are pale blue robes made of fine silk.

#### Castelobruxo

Castelobruxo is a Brazilian wizarding school located deep in the Amazon Rainforest in northern Brazil. It accepts students from all over South America. Castelobruxo students are especially advanced in Herbology and Magizoology, and the school offered very popular exchange programmes for students from European wizarding schools. The uniforms are consisted of bright green robes outlined by yellow line patterns, with dark orange ring patterns on both of the upper sleeves, and yellow and blue triangular patterns in a stripe halfway up the hem with two tassels of the same colors attached to it.

#### Durmstrang Institute

Durmstrang Institute is one of three European wizarding schools located in the far north of the continent, the school was willing to accept international students from as far afield as Bulgaria. Durmstrang won't admit Muggle-borns, but certain students might not necessarily have shared this prejudice. Durmstrang is notorious for its acceptance of the Dark Arts. The students at the school wore fur cloaks, fur hats, and blood-red robes. Word of advice: get a strong winter coat due to freezing temperatures.

#### Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogwarts is one of the three European wizarding schools located in the Scottish Highlands in the British Isles. It accepted magical students from Great Britain and Ireland for enrollment. The uniform consisted of a black robe and a black pointed hat (occasionally), as well as colored lapels and ties that distinguished different houses, along with the house logo on their chest. Students wore their own socks and shoes. Students had to wear their uniforms during all lessons, and while eating meals or studying in the Great Hall. Students were allowed to wear their own clothes after lessons in their House dormitory and during the holidays.

#### Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Ilvermorny is an American wizarding school located in Mount Greylock, Massachusetts, United States. It accepted students from all over North America. The school also specialize in xylomancy, an "overlooked" type of divination that relied upon twigs. Ilvermorny has the reputation of being one of the most democratic, least elitist of all the great wizarding schools and it is also part founded by Muggles. The robes of Ilvermorny are blue and cranberry. All Ilvermony students' robes were fastened by a gold Gordian Knot, in memory of the brooch Isolt found in the ruins of the original Ilvermorny Cottage.

#### Koldovstoretz

Koldovstoretz is a Russian wizarding school that play a version of Quidditch where they flew on entire, uprooted trees instead of broomsticks. The uniforms are pale blue robed with brown pointed hats. It only allow students from Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.

#### Mahoutokoro

Mahoutokoro is a Japanese wizarding school located on the topmost point of the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima and is the smallest of all the schools. Students of this school prized wands made out of cherry wood, and those who owned them were held in a place of high honor. The school took students from the age of seven, although they did not board until they were eleven. While day students, wizarding children were flown back and forth to their homes every day on the backs of a flock of giant storm petrels. When students started off at the school, they were given robes that grew as they grew and changed color as the wearer gained experience, with pink as the beginning color. If the wearer received top grades in all the school subjects, their robes would turn gold. Any student who betrayed the Japanese wizard's code or practized Dark Arts would result in their uniform turning white, which was a huge disgrace, and the student in question would be immediately expelled. So, this school is very strict.

#### Ugadou

Ugadou is an African wizarding school located in the Mountains of the Moon in western Uganda. It is the largest of the eleven wizarding schools, accepting students from all over Africa. Uagadou students are famously skilled in Astronomy, Alchemy, and Self-Transfiguration. Wands were primarily a European invention, and although African wizards did adopt them as useful tools, Uagadou students preferred to cast spells simply by pointing their fingers or through other types of hand gestures. Students received notice of their acceptance to Uagadou through Dream Messengers, sent by the headmaster or headmistress of the day. The Dream Messenger appeared to the child as they slept and would leave a token, usually an inscribed stone, to be found in the child's hand upon waking. Uagadou was the only school that employed this method of student notification.

### Subjects

#### Arithmancy

Arithmancy is a magical discipline that studied the magical properties of numbers, including predicting the future with numbers and numerology. Those who studied and practiced Arithmancy were called Arithmancers.

#### Charm

Charms are a type of magic spell concerned with enchanting an object to behave in a way that wasn't normal for that object. Charms also something of a catch-all for spells that weren't Transfiguration (spells that changed the inherent nature of an object). In some sense, if a spell wasn't Transfiguration, it was probably a charm, or else a counter-spell or healing spell.

#### Defense Against the Dark Arts

Defense against the dark arts teaches students studied and learnt how to defend themselves against all aspects of the Dark Arts, including dark creatures, curses, hexes and jinxes (dark charms), and dueling. The Dark Arts differed from other forms of magic in the intent of the wizard using it. Most magic was relatively neutral — it could be used for bad or good. Some magic, however, was evil in its intention through and through. Spells of this kind were often called curses. Curses were spells that were often intended to cause harm to another person.

This intention to do harm placed that spell into the realm of the Dark Arts. Although offensive and potentially dangerous curses existed in number, three were considered usable only for great evil, which earned them the special classification of "Unforgivable Curses". Ultimately, the deep, true intention of the caster was what made the difference.

#### Divination

Divination is magic which attempted to foresee future events. Many in the wizarding world considered this branch of magic to be imprecise at best. There were several types of Divination. The most imprecise was what was commonly known as "fortunetelling". The second kind of Divination was what was practiced by the centaurs. The third type of Divination was called Seeing. This was true Divination, although what the Seer revealed was usually in the form of a Prophecy which then itself required some interpretation. A Seer, one who possessed the Inner Eye, didn't seem to have control over their Seeing. True Seeing was very rare, but it had happened plenty of times over the centuries.

#### Herbology

Herbology is the study of magical plants and fungi, including their care and their magical properties and uses. Some magical plants formed important ingredients in potions, while others had magical effects in their own right.

#### History of Magic

Many witches and wizards study the history of magic throughout time; they were known as magical historians. One of the most celebrated magical historians of all time was Bathilda Bagshot, author of *A History of Magic*, which chronicalled the entire history of the magical world up till the end of the First Wizarding War.

#### Legilimency

A less known subject, especially at Hogwarts, is the ability to extract emotions, thoughts, and memories from another person's mind. Although the word literally translated as "mind-reading", this was considered a naive interpretation of the art by its practitioners. Someone who practised Legilimency was known as a Legilimens.

Legilimency was easier when the spell-caster was physically near the target, and when the target was off-guard, relaxed, or otherwise vulnerable. Eye contact was often essential, so it was useful for a Legilimens to verbally manipulate his or her target into meeting the Legilimens's eyes, with the fringe benefit that the target's emotional state might bring relevant associated memories to the surface.

#### Occlumency

Occlumency is the art of magically defending the mind against external penetration, sealing it against magical intrusion and influence — the defensive counter to Legilimency. A practitioner of Occlumency is referred to as an Occlumens. Occlumency is a necessary prerequisite to defeat a Legilimens's lie-detector abilities without suspicious behavior such as avoiding face-to-face contact and eye contact. Elementary Occlumency involved clearing the mind of thought and emotion, so that the Legilimens could find no emotional ties to memories that the target wished to conceal.

#### Potions

Potions are magical liquids created by mixing various ingredients in a cauldron according to very specific rules. These mixtures must usually be drunk to give their magical effect. The ingredients in potions ranged from the mundane to the bizarre and fantastic, and the procedures for creating some potions could be complicated and time-consuming.

#### Transfiguration

Transfiguration is magic which changed one object into another. It was possible to change inanimate objects into animate ones and vice versa. Some Transfiguration spells altered a part of something, such as changing a person's ears from normal into rabbit ears.