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"An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."
— Rubeus Hagrid informing a young Harry Potter about curses[src]

A curse was a type of Dark charm[1] which was used for the worst kinds of Dark Magic.[2] The most heinous of the three Dark charms, curses came in many strengths and forms,[6] but were usually reserved for causing immense suffering to the victim,[7] such as excruciating pain, total control, or even death.[6]

Nature[]

"So — straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms."
Bartemius Crouch Junior (disguised as Alastor Moody) regarding curses[src]

A curse was classified as a Dark charm, which was primarily defined as any spell that affected the object in a negative manner, typically associated with varying levels of discomfort.[1] A curse was the worst kind of Dark Magic, affecting the target in a severely negative manner.[2]

While curses came in many strengths and forms, they were generally the most wicked, strongest, longest-lasting, and least reversible of the Dark charms. The Unforgivable Curses were the strongest known Dark charms in existence, as their effects were very powerful and their use required skill.[6]

Blood maledictions were a specific type of curse that might not kill the target but could remain within the victim's body, and be passed down as a genetic defect that could resurface generations later. Astoria Malfoy suffered from such as curse, as her ancestor passed down a malediction that showed up in her, causing Astoria's body to be frail, and childbirth was what weakened her to the point of death a few years later.[8]

Drinking unicorn blood extended one's lifespan even if at the brink of death, but it cursed the drinker's life, for they had slain an innocent animal to selfishly extend their own life. It was said to be an act that only those who had nothing to lose and everything to gain would commit.[9]

Curses were said to be rather difficult spells to master, as first-year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were not considered by adult wizards and witches to be experienced or knowledgeable enough to cast such powerful Dark spells.[10]

Usage[]

"A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he’s about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful."
Bartemius Crouch Junior (disguised as Alastor Moody) regarding how malicious curses were used by wizards[src]
B4C14M1 DADA Unforgivable Curses

Fourth year students learning about the Unforgivable Curses

Like jinxes, Hogwarts students studying Defence Against the Dark Arts only learnt a few minor curses in a defensive manner,[11] such as for duelling and defence against Dark creatures, but especially learnt how to deal with them using defensive magic.[6] Curses might be blocked or deflected with a Shield Charm,[12] and be removed with a counter-curse.[13] The two most notable exceptions to this were the Killing Curse and the Cruciatus Curse, two of the Unforgivable Curses, which could only be dodged, intercepted or blocked with physical objects.[14]

Curses could have also been spread by touching cursed objects. The Opal Necklace had a deadly curse placed on it that would kill upon touch.[15][16] A cursed CD case that had the laughing curse placed on it would affect anyone who touched it with uncontrollable laughter.[17]

Wizards and witches appeared to have had the ability to send curses in the post, as a piece of Hermione Granger's hate mail in 1995 claimed that it was possible.[18]

Dark wizards used curses to reanimate human corpses as Inferi.[19]

Objects could be cursed by wizards in a number of ways. For example, items could be unintentionally cursed by wizards with intense negative emotions and traumatic experiences, as demonstrated with Dai Ryusaki's amulet.[20]

List of curses[]

Name Incantation Effect
A Antonin Dolohov's curse The curse was cast using "a sudden slashing movement with the wand", causing a streak of purple flame to strike the target.[21] This curse could inflict severe injuries on the victim, even death.[22]
B Bee pendant's curse This curse caused a the person afflicted to fall into a deep sleep that could only be broken if the person’s lover grasped their hand at sunrise and told the person cursed how much they loved them.[23]
Babbling Curse This curse caused a person to uncontrollably babble whenever they tried to speak.[24][25]
Blasting Curse Confringo
Blasting Curse DHF1
This curse was a spell that caused anything that the spell came into contact with to explode.[26][27] It was possibly used in the murder of twelve Muggles.[28][29]
Blood malediction A curse that resurfaced after many generations to affect descendants of the one who had originally been cursed.[8]
C Conjunctivitis Curse A curse that caused irritation in the target's eyes, causing them to swell shut like the infection conjunctivitis.[30][31] The Oculus Potion ended the effects of this curse.[32]
Cruciatus Curse Crucio
Voldemort crucio harry
A tool of the Dark Arts and was one of the three Unforgivable Curses. It was one of the most powerful and sinister spells known to wizardkind. When cast successfully on a fellow human being or living creature, the curse inflicted intense, excruciating physical pain on the victim.[6] Prolonged exposure would cause extreme, irreversible brain damage.[33][34]
Curse of the Bogies Mucus ad Nauseam A curse that gave the recipient a strong cold, that could make him or her collapse if not treated, as well as an extremely runny nose.[11][35]
Curse on Marvolo Gaunt's ring A powerful curse was placed upon Marvolo Gaunt's ring, around the time that Lord Voldemort turned it into a Horcrux, as a defence against anyone who might try to destroy it. This curse was designed to quickly kill anyone who dared to wear the ring.[36][37]
Cursed barrier A curse used to create a magical barrier which prevented the members of the Order of the Phoenix from entering through it.[38] Bill Weasley also invented his own cursed barrier to prevent Death Eaters from entering through it.[39]
Cursed ice This was ice that was cursed to spread throughout Hogwarts Castle between 1984 to 1986, encasing everything in its path.[40][41][42]
E Ear-shrivelling Curse This curse caused the target's ears to shrivel up.[43][44]
Entrail-Expelling Curse Its effects are unknown, but presumably it caused one's entrails to be expelled from the body.[5]
Expulso Curse Expulso A curse used to produce immense explosions, blasting the target apart with a burst of blue light; it had enough force to throw people into walls.[45]
F Fiendfyre Pestis Incendium[46]
Fiendfyre
A bewitched flame of abnormal size and heat, infused with Dark Magic, capable of seeking out living targets despite being non-sentient.[47]
Flagrante Curse Flagrante A curse that caused objects to emit searing heat when touched.[48]
Full Body-Bind Curse Petrificus Totalus
PetrificusTotalus PS
A curse that instantly paralysed the opponent.[49][21][50][51]
Furnunculus Curse[52] Furnunculus[53] Caused the target to erumpt in painful boils/pimples.[53][52][54]
Floating eye curse Conjured a large, floating eye to hover stationary over an area.[35]
G Gemino Curse Geminio
Gemino Curse 2
A spell used to duplicate an object, creating an exact replica of the target entity. It could also be used to bewitch an object into multiplying repeatedly when touched.[48]
Granum Dale's curse Transfigured the feet any of his descendants into purple beets should they have entered the Dale Family Tomb.[55]
Gormlaith Gaunt's curse A powerful curse that put people into an enchanted slumber and pretty much nothing was able to wake up.[56]
H Hair Loss Curse Calvorio[57] A curse that removed the victim's hair or headdress.[57][58]
Head growing curse Caused the victim to grow extra heads.[59]
I Imperius Curse Imperio
Imperio1
A tool of the Dark Arts, and was one of the three Unforgivable Curses.[6] It was one of the most powerful and sinister spells known to wizardkind. When cast successfully, the curse placed the victim completely under the caster's control,[6] though a person with exceptional strength of will was capable of resisting it.[6][60][61]
J Jelly-Fingers Curse A curse that caused the victim's fingers to take on an almost jelly-like consistency.[62]
Jelly-Legs Curse Locomotor Wibbly A spell that caused the victim's legs to collapse.[58]
K Killing Curse Avada Kedavra
Cedric's Death
A tool of the Dark Arts and was one of the three Unforgivable Curses. It was one of the most powerful and sinister spells known to wizardkind. When cast successfully on a living person or creature, the curse caused instantaneous, painless death.[6]
L Leg-Locker Curse Locomotor Mortis A curse that was used to bind the legs of the victim together.[13][63][64]
Laughing curse
Laughing curse HM725
A curse that caused uncontrollable laughter in the victim, could be used on objects to spread the curse via touch.[65][17][66][67]
O Opal Necklace curse A very deadly curse. When it made physical contact on the victim, the curse would spread rapidly on the recipient, the level of the effect dependent on the amount of contact made.[16][68] It was known to have killed nineteen Muggles.[15]
P Portrait curse
Beatrice Haywood trapped in portrait HM52
A curse which imprisoned individuals in portraits.[69]
R Reductor Curse Reducto
OOTP DA Ginny Reducto
A curse that could be used to blast solid objects into pieces. It was rather easy to reduce a target to a fine mist or a pile of ashes.[12][70][21][71]
Ragnuk's curse
Ragnuk curse HM
Deprived the victim of their sight, completely blinding them. Only Ragnuk could lift it.[72]
S Sleepwalking curse
Sleepwalking Curse HM
A curse that was used to put an individual into a deep sleep from which they might never wake, inducing a condition similar to that of somnambulism.[73]
Sectumsempra[63]
Sectumempra Curse
A dangerous curse invented by Severus Snape. Its effect was the equivalent of an invisible sword; it was used to slash the victim from a distance, causing rather deep wounds and making the them bleed profusely.[63] This curse could also be used to remove body parts from the victim,[74][37] which couldn't be grown back with healing magic.[74]
Sponge-Knees Curse Was a curse which presumably made the target's legs spongy, making it difficult for them to walk.[75]
Slug-Vomiting Charm[70] Slugulus Eructo[57][76]
Ron vomiting slugs
A curse that caused the victim to vomit slugs and slime.[77][70]
Statue curse A curse which petrified the victim, transforming them into stone.[78]
Sunken Vault's curse A curse placed upon the Sunken Vault which caused whoever entered it to relive their worst memories.[79][80][81][82]
T Tongue-Tying Curse Mimble Wimble[4] Bound the target's tongue to keep them from talking about a specific subject.[58][45][83]
Thief's Curse A spell that could be applied to books. Its effect is not fully understood, but it activated if someone tried to read a book for too long without paying for it.[84][85]
Transmogrifian Torture A curse of unknown exact effect, although it was possibly capable of torturing the target to death.[86]
V Victor Rookwood's curse


Caused the victim considerable pain and illness which resided in them for many years.[87]

Behind the scenes[]

  • According to W.O.M.B.A.T., it may not be possible to cure a curse victim without the correct counter-curse.
  • J. K. Rowling defined curses as "the worst kinds of Dark Magic".[2]
  • Even though Rowling herself specified the differences between curses, hexes, and jinxes, she states that "Within the Potter world, the boundaries are flexible and I imagine that wizards may have their own ideas."[7] This shows that the categorisation of Dark charms is not set and stone, and may sometimes be used interchangeably. This explains why some spells are known by multiple names, like why the Slug-vomiting Charm is a curse, and why the Jelly-Legs Curse is also sometimes known as the Jelly-Legs Jinx. This also explains why some curses, such as the Leg-Locker Curse, Jelly-Legs Curse and Full Body-Bind Curse, which don't cause any lasting injury, seem to fall more under the definition of a jinx or hex, while Voldemort's Jinx on the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher has had serious, lasting consequences for several of those affected, which would seem more like a curse.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Pottermore - The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 J. K. Rowling's official site - Extra Stuff
  3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 28 (Flight of the Prince)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 22 (St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 14 (The Unforgivable Curses)
  7. 7.0 7.1 J. K. Rowling's official site - Extra Stuff
  8. 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Four, Scene Four
  9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15 (The Forbidden Forest)
  10. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 9 (The Midnight Duel)
  12. 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 13 (Nicolas Flamel)
  14. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 36 (The Only One He Ever Feared)
  15. 15.0 15.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)
  16. 16.0 16.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 12 (Silver and Opals)
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 26 (No Laughing Matter)
  18. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 28 (The Madness of Mr Crouch)
  19. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Inferi" at Wizarding World
  20. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 49 (Revelations)
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
  22. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 38 (The Second War Begins)
  23. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Side Quest "The Curse of Love"
  24. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10 (The Rogue Bludger)
  25. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery - See this video
  26. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 4 (The Seven Potters)
  27. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 17 (Bathilda's Secret)
  28. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3 (The Knight Bus)
  29. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19 (The Servant of Lord Voldemort)
  30. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 20 (The First Task)
  31. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 20 (Hagrid's Tale)
  32. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
  33. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve)
  34. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 23 (Christmas on the Closed Ward)
  35. 35.0 35.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
  36. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 23 (Horcruxes)
  37. 37.0 37.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  38. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 29 (The Phoenix Lament)
  39. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 5 (Wherefore Art Thou, Weasleys?)
  40. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 1, Chapter 9 (Inside the Room)
  41. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 3 (The Black Quill)
  42. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 10 (The Vault of Ice)
  43. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch)
  44. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 6 (On Jacob's Trail) - Defence Against the Dark Arts Lesson "Ear-Shrivelling Curse"
  45. 45.0 45.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 9 (A Place to Hide)
  46. Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand (see this image and this image)
  47. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
  48. 48.0 48.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
  49. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
  50. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 7 (The Slug Club)
  51. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 3 (Three Broomsticks) - Charms Lesson "Petrificus Totalus"
  52. 52.0 52.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 37 (The Beginning)
  53. 53.0 53.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 18 (The Weighing of the Wands)
  54. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 51 (A Simple Demonstration) - Defence Against the Dark Arts Lesson "Furnunculus"
  55. Hogwarts Legacy ('Beeting' A Curse)
  56. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" at Wizarding World
  57. 57.0 57.1 57.2 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
  58. 58.0 58.1 58.2 Pottermore - Curses and Counter-Curses
  59. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 1 (Owl Post)
  60. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 15 (Beauxbatons and Durmstrang)
  61. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 33 (The Death Eaters)
  62. Daily Prophet Newsletters, Issue 3
  63. 63.0 63.1 63.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 24 (Sectumsempra)
  64. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 12 (The Vault Portrait) - Charms Lesson "Locomotor Mortis"
  65. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 25 (Swan Dive)
  66. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 27 (Now That's What I Call a Cursed CD)
  67. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 28 (The Last Laugh)
  68. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 13 (The Secret Riddle)
  69. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 2 (Grave Danger)
  70. 70.0 70.1 70.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 19 (The Lion and the Serpent)
  71. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 24 (Dark Pranks) - Defence Against the Dark Arts Lesson "Reductor Curse"
  72. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Side Quest "The Secrets of Godric's Hollow"
  73. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 1 (Year Four Begins)
  74. 74.0 74.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 5 (Fallen Warrior)
  75. Daily Prophet Newsletters, Issue 4
  76. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
  77. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7 (Mudbloods And Murmurs)
  78. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 2 (Curses and Prophecies)
  79. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 42 (The Final Vault)
  80. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 37 (Lockdown)
  81. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 46 (Total Recall)
  82. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 51 (A Simple Demonstration)
  83. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 8 (Trial by Fire) - Defence Against the Dark Arts Lesson "Mimblewimble"
  84. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
  85. Quidditch Through the Ages
  86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9 (The Writing on the Wall)
  87. Hogwarts Legacy
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