Banishing Charm

Banishing Charm
Incantation	Depulso (de-PUHL-so)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	White, red or yellow
Effect	Sent target away

"The Banishing Charm is the opposite of the Summoning Charm, and causes objects to fly away from the person casting the spell, towards a specific target."

— Description of the Banishing Charm

The Banishing Charm (Depulso) was a charm that sent the target away from the caster. It could send a target towards a specific location and worked on both living beings and inanimate objects. The Banishing Charm was opposite of the Summoning Charm.

Unlike the Summoning Charm, which could summon specific objects from anywhere, the Banishing Charm only banished whatever the wand was aimed at.

History

"They were supposed to be practising the opposite of the Summoning Charm today — the Banishing Charm. Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room, Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practise, the theory being that these wouldn't hurt anyone if they went off target. It was a good theory, but it wasn't working very well. Neville's aim was so poor that he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room — Professor Flitwick, for instance...he Banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soared into the air and knocked Parvati's hat off)."

— A fourth year Charms lesson on the Banishing Charm

This charm's effects on a human target

Third year and fourth year students in Charms class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry learnt this spell. Harry Potter and his classmates practised this spell in their fourth-year Charms class. Harry and Hermione Granger proved to be very good at this spell, with their cushions landing in the correct area. Professor Flitwick found himself being thrown around the room by Neville Longbottom, whose aim with the charm was not very good.

In the 1990–1991 school year, Jacob's sibling used the spell to knock over the Dark Wizard Burke at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, when he was about to harm Alastor Moody.

Severus Snape used the spell on Dolores Umbridge in an alternate universe set up by the Experimental Time-Turner.

Effects

The Banishing Charm was used to push targets, both living beings and inanimate objects towards a specific location. If a caster's aim was poor the charm would banish random objects or people to various locations around the room. The fact that it could be used against living beings made it useful in a duel, as shown by Severus Snape.

Known practitioners

"Depulso!"... She always was too grand for her own good. There's no turning back now."

— Severus Snape while banishing Dolores Umbridge in an alternate reality

Harry Potter

Ginevra Weasley

Ronald Weasley

Hermione Granger

Neville Longbottom

Filius Flitwick

Sirius Black

Severus Snape

Andre Egwu

Jacob's sibling

See also

• Knockback Jinx
• Summoning Charm

Etymology

From the Latin "depulsio", meaning "driving/pushing away". Also is similar to repulse meaning "drive/push away with force", although this is a precise antonym to attract, literally "pull towards". It could also be seen to be derived from the English word pulse (as in a pulse of energy) and the prefix "de" which would make it mean "a negative pulse of energy".

Behind the scenes

Depulso as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

This spell's wand movement in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

• Although the incantation is not revealed in the books, it appears in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and was later confirmed in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
• The Wizard in the The Wizard and the Hopping Pot may have used this spell to try to force the pot out of the house.
• Although this spell is learned by Hogwarts students in their fourth year, in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were able to use it. It is possible that they learned it before that, as Hermione asked them, if they remembered it. However, Hermione may have read beforehand and told Harry and Ron how to use it.
• It is possible that this spell was used during the Battle of Hogwarts when Harry Potter, in the movie, blasted away a Death Eater briefly after being shot at by him. This spell also could have been used by Kingsley Shacklebolt when he blasted a Death Eater out of a window after momentarily freezing him in midair alongside Remus Lupin.
• It is likely that Professor Trelawney used this charm non-verbally in the Battle of Hogwarts to drop crystal balls on enemies' heads, successfully knocking out Fenrir Greyback after he attacked Lavender Brown.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (PC version only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Appears in an alternate reality)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play) (Appears in an alternate reality)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Possible appearance)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Hogwarts Legacy