Charms (class)

"I see Charms as a slightly lighter subject than Transfiguration which is very hard work. With Charms there would be a little more leeway for a little more personal creativity—"

- J. K. Rowling on the nature of charms work

Charms is a core class and subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unsurprisingly, it specialises in the teaching of charms. Even though mastering the science of charmwork is clearly essential to performing the greater part of magic, charmwork is seen as a "softer option" by some such as Augusta Longbottom who, incidentally, failed her Charms O.W.L.

Professor Filius Flitwick taught Charms for many years. It was rumoured that his expertise with charmwork made him a duelling champion.

Class information
"They then spent over an hour revising Summoning Charms, which according to Professor Flitwick were bound to come up in their OWL, and he rounded off the lesson by setting them their largest ever amount of Charms homework."

- A fifth year Charms lesson, O.W.L. revision

Charms is a required subject for all students in their first five years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The spells learned in Charms class are taken from textbooks. Students are taught specific wand movements and proper pronunciation. Often students partner up in class to experiment on one another. Charms was Hermione Granger's favourite subject, until she started Arithmancy as an elective in 1993.

In a student's fifth year they take the Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. This exam contains a written portion and a practical portion. The written portion is made up of questions concerning the theory of charms and the practical is where students are judged upon the charms they can perform. Their O.W.L. scores decide what courses they'll be taking in their final years at Hogwarts. Only students who achieve a high O.W.L. score of either 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' may advance to N.E.W.T.-level.

Professor Flitwick was one of the kinder teachers at Hogwarts. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger often enjoyed a "nice chat" in this class. This was the class where they used the Muffliato Charm as well. Harry was on at least fairly good terms with Professor Flitwick, as the professor spoke with Harry about the "perfect" Summoning Charm he used in the Triwizard Tournament. Sometimes, Professor Flitwick, after trying and failing to get the class to concentrate, would allow the class to play games. One of these instances was just before the Yule Ball.

Classrooms
Charms classes are held in Class 99 in the South Tower and Classroom 2E along the Charms Corridor on the third floor, near the Third-floor corridor. Classroom 2E has three rows of desks, all facing the teacher's table, behind which sits a large upholstered chair with a high back. Two blackboards flank the teacher's table, and behind them is a small shelf with books and other objects, beneath a pair of windows.

Location times
Time table for Gryffindor students first enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1991–1992 school year.

Third year
"Professor Flitwick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms."

- Third year exam in 1994

Fourth year
"They were supposed to be practising the opposite of the Summoning Charm today — the Banishing Charm."

- The Charms class on the Banishing Charm

Sixth and seventh year
"Hermione was the only one who had managed to turn vinegar into wine; her glass flask was full of deep crimson liquid."

- A N.E.W.T.-level charms lesson

Grades
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Passing Grades

 * Outstanding [O]
 * Exceeds Expectations [E]
 * Acceptable [A]
 * valign="top" width="23%" |

Fail Grades

 * Poor [P]
 * Dreadful [D]
 * Troll [T]
 * }

O.W.L.
The Charms O.W.L. contains both a written section and a practical where the students are judged on the charms they can perform.

Written


"a) Give the incantation and b) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly."

- Question on the Charms O.W.L.


 * Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa)
 * Summoning Charm (Accio)
 * Cheering Charm
 * Counter-charm for hiccups

Practical

 * Levitation Charm
 * Colour Change Charm (Colovaria)
 * Growth Charm
 * Take an egg cup and make it do some cartwheels

Behind the scenes

 * Charms is Warwick Davis's favourite subject.
 * In, Lavender Brown, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle all appear to have passed their O.W.L.s, despite the fact that they weren't mentioned to have done so in the books.
 * In the German translation, "charm" is translated as "Zauber". The plural form is also "Zauber". The subject, however, is always called "Zauberkunst", which literally means "charm-art".
 * In, the Knockback Jinx and the Full Body-Bind Curse are covered in Charms class. This seems unusual, as outside this game, defensive spells have not been shown as being part of the Charms curiculum, but Defence Against the Dark Arts instead. Though jinxes, hexes and curses can indeed be grouped together in a category called Dark charms.
 * Given the fact that students have been complaining about the incompetence of the various DADA professors up till the 1987–1988 school year, it may be necessary for those defensive spells to be temporarily included in the Charms curriculum.


 * As charms are sometimes referred to as a catch-all category for spells which are not Transfiguration spells, it could be that at least some healing spells (such as Reparifors), anti-jinxes and protective enchantments are also taught in Charms class.

Appearances

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Notes and references
de2:Zauberkunst (Fach) Encantamientos (clase) Sortilèges Incantesimi (materia) Zaklęcia i uroki Заклинания Заклинання 魔咒学