Protective enchantment

Protective enchantments are spells used to protect an area. The spells that are cast usually last a long time and shield specific places or an entire area. The Enchantments can be combined with that of other Protective spells or Charms. This helps reenforce the spells already cast—this in turn makes the area more protected against Dark Magic. However; the shield(s) cast over an area are not impenetrable as they can still be broken down by powerful Dark Wizards or Witches by using the Shield penetration spell.

Casting enchantments


In order to protect a place or an entire area, the caster has to repeat Incantations of Charms over and over. When two or more wizards cast Enchantments at once however, the spells collide over the protected area—thus forming a barrier against even the most powerful forms of Dark Magic. The Protective enchantments can be reinforced with that of other Protective Charms however. This in turn strengthens the Protective Enchantments already cast and thus makes the area more protected against all forms of Dark Magic.

Known enchantments

 * Cave Inimicum
 * Disillusionment Charm
 * Fianto Duri
 * Muffliato Charm
 * Protego Horribilis
 * Protego Maxima
 * Protego Totalum
 * Repello Inimicum
 * Repello Muggletum
 * Salvio Hexia

Known uses

 * Enchantments are put over many places such as Gringotts, Hogwarts, The Burrow etc.
 * The Dome Effect that happens when people cast Priori Incantatem, as Voldemort and Harry Potter did in 1994.
 * The Fidelius Charm that is cast over houses owned by members of the Order of the Phoenix.
 * The lot of enchantments cast over The Burrow, including the Fidelius Charm, in order to hold William Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding.
 * Hermione Granger cast Protego Totalum, Salvio Hexia, Repello Muggletum, the Muffliato Charm, Cave Inimicum, and the Disillusionment Charm in 1997 over her tent site (along with Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter).
 * Harry Potter would occasionally cast the protective enchantments that Hermione would use during the Horcrux Hunt.
 * At the start of the Battle of Hogwarts, Filius Flitwick, Molly Weasley, and Horace Slughorn cast Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, and Repello Inimicum; only to be broken by the Shield penetration spell done by Tom Riddle shortly after.
 * At the start of the Battle of Hogwarts, Filius Flitwick cast Protego Horribilis.

Behind the scenes

 * In the video game adaption of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the Dome Effect that happened during Priori Incantatem is not seen. Instead Voldemort uses the spell to distract Harry while his living skeletons and his paternal family's grave attacks him.
 * In the Nintendo DS version of the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the Protective Enchantments had to be cast from certain defensive shield locations.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4