Anti-Alohomora Charm

Anti-Alohomora Charm
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	None
Effect	Rendered unlocking spells useless
Creator	Blagdon Blay (early 1600s)

"So even if she's bewitched the door so Alohomora won't work, which I bet she has —"

— Harry Potter mentioning Dolores Umbridge's possible use of this charm

The Anti-Alohomora Charm (incantation unknown) was an anti-unlocking charm, that acted as a counter-charm to the Unlocking Charm.

History

This spell was invented by Blagdon Blay, sometime in the early 17th century. His house had been broken into nineteen times through use of the Unlocking Charm (Alohomora), and so he invented this spell to counteract it.

During the 1890–1891 school year, Hogwarts librarian Agnes Scribner used this spell on the gate to the Restricted Section of Hogwarts Library to keep out unauthorised students such as Sebastian Sallow.

During her second term as Headmistress, Professor Dame Phyllida Spore used an altered version of this to protect The Spore Scrolls' box. Her version could only be broken when the incumbent Hogwarts Headteacher cast the Unlocking Charm on the box.

At some point during her school years, Bellatrix Lestrange used a variation of this charm to prevent intruders from accessing her and her sisters' keepsake box.

Sometime before the 1986–1987 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Merula Snyde and Tulip Karasu secured the door to Jacob's room with a special padlock enchanted with an Anti-Alohomora Charm that required two keys to open so that they could only access the room together.

"Good day, students! Today we'll learn the Anti-Alohomora Charm. The Unlocking Charm is great if you end up locking yourself out of your home... But this counter-charm will ensure you never have any unwelcome visitors. The first order of business is for you to listen to a lecture I've prepared on the counter-charm."

— Professor Flitwick to his seventh-years

During the 1990–1991 school year, seventh-year students studied the Anti-Alohomora Charm in Charms class, taught by Professor Flitwick.

During one of their many times breaking into Argus Filch's office, Jacob's sibling wondered why Mr Filch didn't secure his office with such a spell to prevent students from entering. They were unaware that Filch was a Squib and thus unable to do so.

Possible uses

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Unknown	1926	May have been among the anti-unlocking charms placed on Percival Graves's office, as Queenie Goldstein unsuccessfully tried Alohomora to open it, along with Aberto.
Filius Flitwick	1991–1992	Possibly placed this charm onto the third obstacle of the chambers that lead to the Philosopher's Stone during the 1991–1992 school year, as the door there could not be opened with the Unlocking Charm.
Dolores Umbridge	1996	Harry Potter suspected that Dolores Umbridge, then Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, locked her office to prevent the Unlocking Charm from working, possibly referring to this charm.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Possible appearance)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (Possible appearance)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Possible appearance)
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells (First appearance)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Hogwarts Legacy