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"A handy (even life-saving) spell for removing an object from an enemy's grasp."
— Description of the charm[src]

The Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) was a charm that forced whatever an opponent was holding to fly out of their hand. It was common to see this spell used in duels to make an opponent lose their wand.[1]

History[]

Remus Lupin: "Expelliarmus is a useful spell, Harry, but the Death Eaters seem to think it is your signature move, and I urge you not to let it become so!"
Harry Potter: "I won't blast people out of my way just because they're there ... That's Voldemort's job."
— Harry Potter standing by his decision to use the Disarming Charm[src]
ExpelliarmusHM

An individual being deprived of their wand with this charm

It is not known precisely who created the Disarming Charm. Some wizarding historians claimed that it may have been invented by Merlin himself, while others claimed that its first widespread use was in Madagascar in the 11th century. Even if any of this is true, the fact remains that it was not very popular until 1379, when Elizabeth Smudgling — the most likely inventor, in the opinion of Miranda Goshawk — used it in a duelling contest in Dartmoor.[4]

The Disarming Charm became Harry Potter's signature spell,[5] and it notably caused the final defeat of Lord Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts by rebounding his Killing Curse, because the Elder Wand recognised Harry as its master through the spell connection, and thus strengthened the Disarming Charm to the point that Voldemort's Killing Curse backfired onto himself.[6]

Effects[]

"Snape cried: 'Expelliarmus!' There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor."
— The effects of a powerful Disarming Charm[src]
Harry Potter duelling with Expelliarmus

Harry casting a powerful disarming charm indicated by the scarlet jet of light

The Disarming Charm caused whatever an opponent was holding at the time, usually a wand, to fly high out of their hand.[1]

A single Disarming Charm could also disarm multiple opponents if they were all in close proximity to one another.[7] Multiple or exceptionally powerful Disarming Charms were even able to send a target flying,[1] sometimes to the extent of knocking them unconscious.[7]

Known uses[]

Successful[]

"They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays... and practised disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it."
Fred, George, and the trio's last few hours before they return home for the holidays[src]
Caster(s) Date Notes
Elizabeth Smudgling 1379 Used it in a duelling contest in Dartmoor.[4]
Filius Flitwick Pre-teaching career Professor Flitwick informed one of his students in the 1984–1985 school year that the Disarming Charm was of great help to him on his path to become a Duelling Champion while preparing the young pupil for learning it themselves, emphasising its importance.[8]
Yusuf Kama September, 1927 Used it to disarm Newt Scamander and to get his wand, while incarcerating the Magizoologist in one of Paris' sewers.[9]
YusufExpelliarmus
James Potter June, 1976
"Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him."
— James disarms Snape[src]
Used it to disarm Severus Snape, while he and Sirius Black were bullying him after an O.W.L. exam.[10]
James disarms Snape
Albus Dumbledore 1981
"Then a blinding, jagged jet of white light flew through the air: Harry thought of lightning, but Snape had dropped to his knees and his wand had flown out of his hand"
— Dumbledore's use on Snape[src]

Used it to disarm Severus Snape and make him fall to his knees.[11]

Jacob's sibling 1984–1985 school year Used it the first time to disarm Professor Flitwick at the behest of the Charms Master while learning to master it.[8] They later used it to great effect to defeat Merula Snyde in a duel.[12]
Jacob's sibling Disarming Merula Snyde
1989–1990 school year Used this spell to disarm Patricia Rakepick in the Sunken Vault.[13] This led to Rakepick's defeat.
Patricia Rakepick disarmed HM642
1990–1991 school year Used it to disarm Patricia Rakepick of their wand in Azkaban with wandless magic, after she refused to hand it back to them and wanted to escape.[14]
Used to disarm Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde of her wand on the Viaduct after defeating her in a duel.[15]
Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde Used it to disarm Peregrine of his wand at the Viaduct.[15]
Corrine Cribb 1986–1987 school year Used this spell to disarm Jacob's sibling and Tulip Karasu during an altercation in Knockturn Alley.[16]
Draco Malfoy 30 June, 1997
"The door burst open and somebody erupted through it and shouted: "Expelliarmus!"
— Draco Malfoy disarms Dumbledore[src]
Used it to disarm Albus Dumbledore at the top of the Astronomy Tower during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower before fleeing with Snape and the other Death Eaters.[17]
Draco disarms dumbledore
September, 2020 Used it to duel Harry Potter.[18]
Fred Weasley June, 1993 At the end of his fourth year practised this spell along with George, Harry, Hermione, and Ron before the start of summer holiday.[19]
George Weasley At the end of his fourth year practised this spell along with Fred, Harry, Hermione, and Ron before the start of summer holiday.[19]
Ginny Weasley Used it at the end of her first year in 1993.[19]
Sirius Black 6 June, 1994 Used it to disarm both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger simultaneously in the Shrieking Shack.[7]
Remus Lupin Used it to disarm both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger simultaneously in the Shrieking Shack.[7]
Lupin disarms Harry
Severus Snape 17 December, 1992 Used to disarm Gilderoy Lockhart during teaching students at the Duelling Club in the Great Hall.[1]
Snape disarms Lockhart
30 June, 1997 Used it to disarm Harry Potter when Harry tried to attack him after he killed Albus Dumbledore at command of Dumbledore himself.[20]
Harry Potter 14 February, 1993 Used it to get Tom Riddle's Diary back from Draco Malfoy who mistook it for Harry's own diary.[21]
29 May, 1993 Used it to disarm Gilderoy Lockhart in his office.[22]
June, 1993 Used it again on Lockhart at the end of the year before summer holiday.[21]
6 June, 1994 Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[23]
Harry disarms Snape
Used to disarm Peter Pettigrew near the Whomping Willow.[24]
Harry disarms Pettigrew
24 June, 1995 Used it on an Acromantula which was holding him in the maze, during Third Task of Triwizard Tournament.[25]
Used it to duel Lord Voldemort in Little Hangleton, as he used the Killing Curse, which resulted in Priori Incantatem.[26]
Duel in Little Hangleton
October, 1995 Used it to teach Dumbledore's Army members.[27]
Dumbledore's Army learning Expelliarmus
18 June, 1996 Used it to disarm Lucius Malfoy in their duel in the Death Chamber during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.[28]
Harry disarms Malfoy
27 July, 1997 Used it to disarm Stan Shunpike during the Battle of the Seven Potters.[5]
2 May, 1998 Used it to disarm Gregory Goyle during the Skirmish in the Room of Requirement.[29]
Used it to kill Lord Voldemort by rebounding his Killing Curse.[6]
B7C36M2 Voldemort vanquished
September, 2020 Used it during a duel with Draco Malfoy, while in his home.[30]
Hermione Granger June, 1993 Used this spell at the end of her second year along with; Fred, George, Harry, and Ron before summer holiday.[19]
6 June, 1994 Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[23]
August, 1997 Used it to disarm Mundungus Fletcher in the 12 Grimmauld Place during the hunt for Horcruxes.[31]
Download (14)
Ron Weasley June, 1993 Used this spell at the end of his second year along with; Fred, George, Harry, and Hermione before summer holiday.[19]
6 June, 1994 Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[23]
October, 1997 Used it to disarm a Snatcher, who was holding his wand, when he Disapparated from Harry and Hermione and he came across them.[32]
March, 1998 Used it to disarm Bellatrix Lestrange during the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor.[33]
Cedric Diggory 24 June, 1995 (alternate timeline) Used it on Delphini while participating in the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[34]
Neville Longbottom 1995 Used it to successfully disarm Harry Potter during a Dumbledore's Army's meeting.[27]
18 June, 1996
"Both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back towards the entrance to the Hall."
— Neville disarms Harry and a Death Eater[src]

Used it to disarm a Death Eater, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, accidentally also disarming Harry Potter.[35]

Lord Voldemort 2 May, 1998 Used it to disarm Neville Longbottom during Battle of Hogwarts.[6]
Ivy Warrington 2008–2009 school year Used it to show Daniel Page how to properly cast this spell.[36]
Albus Potter September, 2020 Used it twice on Delphini to practise disarming before travelling back in time.[37]

Unsuccessful[]

Caster(s) Date Notes
Harry Potter 25 December 1997 Used it as a test after Hermione Granger mended his broken wand, but due to the damage it only made his target twitch slightly before the wand snapped again.[38]
Daniel Page 2008–2009 school year Used it to practise the spell, but failed.[36]

Known practitioners[]

Etymology[]

Latin expellere (ex = out, pellere = to drive), meaning "to drive out" and "arma" meaning "weapon". Expelliarmus actually means "to drive out the weapon".

Behind the scenes[]

ExpelliarmusPAS

This charm's icon in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

Appearances[]

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Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11 (The Duelling Club)
  2. Pottermore - The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2
  3. Wonderbook: Book of Spells
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wonderbook: Book of Spells (See this video) (00:20 - 15:20)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 4 (The Seven Potters)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 36 (The Flaw in the Plan)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 17 (Cat, Rat and Dog)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 1, Chapter 4 (Revenge is Best Served Magical)
  9. 9.0 9.1 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay, Scene 61
  10. 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 28 (Snape's Worst Memory)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  12. 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 1, Chapter 5 (The Duel)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 42 (The Final Vault)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 37 (Lockdown)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 57 (The Final Battle)
  16. 16.0 16.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Side Quest "The Amazing Adventures of the Spectacular Giant Dung Beetle"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 27 (The Lightning-Struck Tower)
  18. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Thirteen
  19. 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18 (Dobby's Reward)
  20. 20.0 20.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 28 (Flight of the Prince)
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13 (The Very Secret Diary)
  22. 22.0 22.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16 (The Chamber of Secrets)
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19 (The Servant of Lord Voldemort)
  24. 24.0 24.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 20 (The Dementor's Kiss)
  25. 25.0 25.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
  26. 26.0 26.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 34 (Priori Incantatem)
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 18 (Dumbledore's Army)
  28. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
  29. 29.0 29.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
  30. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  31. 31.0 31.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 11 (The Bribe)
  32. 32.0 32.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 19 (The Silver Doe)
  33. 33.0 33.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 23 (Malfoy Manor)
  34. 34.0 34.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Twenty
  35. 35.0 35.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1,
  37. 37.0 37.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Four
  38. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 17 (Bathilda's Secret)
  39. Hogwarts Legacy
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
  41. 41.0 41.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Side Quest "Tournament of Clubs"
  42. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
Charms (class)
PS Wingardium Leviosa feather
Charm-book writers and developers
Blagdon Blay · Daisy Pennifold · Delfina Crimp · Miranda Goshawk · Jarleth Hobart · Basil Horton · Helixa Hyslop · Syna Hyslop · Randolph Keitch · Levina Monkstanley · Orabella Nuttley · Mnemone Radford · Scarpin · Elliot Smethwyck · Felix Summerbee · Violeta Stitch
Professors Fortinbras · Filius Flitwick · Abraham Ronen · Unidentified male professor · Unidentified medieval professor
Textbooks Achievements in Charming · Extreme Incantations · Quintessence: A Quest · The Standard Book of Spells
Charms studied at Hogwarts
Anti-Alohomora Charm · Ascension Charm (Ascendio) · Banishing Charm (Depulso) · Blackboard Writing Spell · Blue sparks · Bombardment Spell (Bombarda) · Box Blasting Charm (Cistem Aperio) · Bubble-Head Charm · Cheering Charm · Cleaning Charm · Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Confundus Charm (Confundo) · Counter-charm for hiccoughs · Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Descendo · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Disillusionment Charm · Drought Charm · Entrancing Enchantments (theoretically) · Eradication Spell (Deletrius) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Extinguishing Spell · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Gouging Spell (Defodio) · Growth Charm · Ice Jinx · Impervius Charm (Impervius) · Knitting Charm · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Leg-Locker Curse (Locomotor Mortis) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Locomotion Charm (Locomotor) · Lumos Solem Spell (Lumos Solem) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Muffliato Charm (Muffliato) · Nonverbal spells · Pack Charm (Pack) · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Scouring Charm (Scourgify) · Seize and pull charm (Carpe Retractum) · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Shrinking Charm (Reducio) · Silencing Charm (Silencio) · Slowing Charm (Arresto Momentum) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Spell for growing legs · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Vinegar to wine spell · Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) · Lumos Maxima · Water-Making Spell (Aguamenti)
Defence Against the Dark Arts (D.A.D.A.)
Subjectsdada
D.A.D.A. at Hogwarts
Classroom 3C · Classroom 3C backrooms · Temporary Classroom · Hogwarts Turris Magnus · Teacher's Office · Storeroom · Staircase · Storage room · Lesson Cup · Race Cup · Duelling Club · Dumbledore's Army
Professors
Isidora Morganach · Dinah Hecat · Arsenius Jigger · Albus Dumbledore · Galatea Merrythought · 1984–1985 professor · 1985–1986 professor · 1986–1987 professor · 1987–1988 professor · Patricia Rakepick · 1989–1990 professor · First 1990–1991 professor · Olivia Green · Quirinus Quirrell · Gilderoy Lockhart · Remus Lupin · Bartemius Crouch Junior (as Alastor Moody) · Dolores Umbridge · Severus Snape · Amycus Carrow (as Dark Arts teacher) · Unidentified professor · Brindlemore
Textbooks
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection · Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts · Break with a Banshee · Gadding with Ghouls · Holidays with Hags · Travels with Trolls · Voyages with Vampires · Wanderings with Werewolves · Year with the Yeti · The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts · Defensive Magical Theory · Dark Arts Defence – Basics for Beginners · Confronting the Faceless · Defence Against the Dark Arts
Spells studied at Hogwarts under D.A.D.A.
Aqua Eructo · Boggart-Banishing Spell (Riddikulus) · Bombarda Maxima · Cave inimicum · Concealment Charms · Counter-curses · Counter-jinxes · Cruciatus Curse (Crucio) · Curse of the Bogies (Mucus ad Nauseam) · Cursed barrier spell · Densaugeo · Deprimo Spell (Deprimo) · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Ear-Shrivelling Curse · Everte Statum · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · Fumos Duo · Green Sparks · Hex-Breaker· Hex-deflection · Hex Zapper · Homorphus Charm · Human-presence-revealing Spell (Homenum Revelio) · Impediment Jinx (Impedimenta) · Imperius Curse (Imperio) · Imperturbable Charm · Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Lacarnum Inflamari · Langlock · Levitation Spell (Levioso) · Limbo Mist anticharm · Nonverbal spells · Patronus Charm (Expecto Patronum) · Pimple Jinx (Furnunculus) · Protective enchantments · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Salvio hexia · Sea Urchin Jinx · Seize and pull charm (Carpe Retractum) · Shield Charm (Protego) · Smokescreen Spell (Fumos) · Snake-Vanishing Spell (Vipera Evanesca) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Stretching Jinx · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Tongue-Tying Curse (Mimblewimble) · Trip Jinx · Twitchy-Ears Hex · Verdimillious Charm (Verdimillious) · Verdimillious Duo Spell (Verdimillious) · Verdimillious Tria · Vermillious Duo · Vermillious Tria · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos)
Creatures studied at Hogwarts under D.A.D.A.
Banshee · Boggart · Chameleon Ghoul · Charmed skeleton · Cornish Pixie · Dementor · Dugbog · Erkling · Flesh-Eating Slug · Ghost · Ghoul · Gnome · Grindylow · Gytrash · Hag · Hinkypunk · Iguana · Imp · Inferius · Kappa · Manticore · Nocturnal beasts · Nogtail · Poltergeist · Red Cap · Snake · Troll · Vampire · Vampire bat · Werewolf · Yeti · Zombie
The Standard Book of Spells
Book of Spells 1
Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6 · Grade 7
Charms included in the series: Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Nonverbal spell · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos)
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