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At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. |
- "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]
Contents
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]

An individual being deprived of their wand with this charm
It is not known precisely who created the Disarming Charm. Some wizarding historians claim that it may have been invented by Merlin himself,[4] others claim 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.[5]
The Disarming Charm became Harry Potter's signature spell,[6] and it notably caused the death 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 on himself.[7]
Effects

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 disarm multiple opponents if they were all in close proximity to one another.[8] Multiple or exceptionally powerful Disarming Charms were even able to send a target flying,[1] sometimes to the extent of knocking them unconscious.[8]
Known uses
Caster(s) | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|
Elizabeth Smudgling | 1379 | Used it in a duelling contest in Dartmoor.[5] |
Filius Flitwick | Pre- teaching career. | Professor Flitwick informs one of his students in 1984 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.[4] |
Yusuf Kama | September, 1927 | Used it to disarm Newt Scamander and to get his wand, while incarcerating Magizoologist in the one of Paris' sewers.[9]![]() |
James Potter | June, 1976 |
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Albus Dumbledore | 1981 |
|
Jacob's sibling | 1984 | Used it the first time to disarm Professor Flitwick at the behest of the Charms Master while learning to master it. They later used it to great effect to defeat Merula Snyde in a duel and have since continued to use it in wand-wielding confrontations throughout their magical education.[4] |
Draco Malfoy | 30 June, 1997 |
Used it to disarm Albus Dumbledore during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower before fleeing with Snape and the other Death Eaters.[12] ![]() |
September, 2020 | Used it to duel Harry Potter.[13] | |
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.[14] |
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.[14] | |
Ginny Weasley | Used it at the end of her first year in 1993.[14] | |
Sirius Black | 6 June, 1994 | Used it to disarm Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the Shrieking Shack.[8] |
Remus Lupin | Used it to disarm Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the Shrieking Shack.[8]![]() | |
Severus Snape | 17 December, 1992 | Used to disarm Gilderoy Lockhart during teaching students at the Duelling Club in the Great Hall.[1]![]() |
30 June, 1997 | Used it to disarm Harry Potter when Harry tried to attack him after he killed Albus Dumbledore at command of Albus himself.[15] | |
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.[16] |
29 May, 1993 | Used it to disarm Gilderoy Lockhart in his office.[17] | |
June, 1993 | Used it again at the end of the year before summer holiday.[16] | |
6 June, 1994 | Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[18]![]() | |
Used to disarm Peter Pettigrew near the Whomping Willow.[19]![]() | ||
24 June, 1995 | Used it on an Acromantula which was holding him in the maze, during Third Task of Triwizard Tournament.[20] | |
Used it to duel Lord Voldemort in Little Hangleton, as he used the Killing Curse, which resulted in Priori Incantatem.[21]![]() | ||
October, 1995 | Used it to teach Dumbledore's Army members.[22]
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18 June, 1996 | Used it to disarm Lucius Malfoy in their duel in the Death Chamber during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.[23]![]() | |
27 July, 1997 | Used it to disarm Stan Shunpike during the Battle of the Seven Potters.[6] | |
2 May, 1998 | Used it to disarm Gregory Goyle during the Skirmish in the Room of Requirement.[24] | |
Used it to kill Lord Voldemort by rebounding his Killing Curse.[7]![]() | ||
September, 2020 | Used it during a duel with Draco Malfoy, while in his home.[25] | |
Hermione Granger | June, 1993 | Used this spell at the end of her second year along with; Fred, George, Harry, and Ron before summer holiday.[14] |
6 June, 1994 | Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[18] | |
August, 1997 | Used it to disarm Mundungus Fletcher in the 12 Grimmauld Place during the hunt for Horcruxes.[26]![]() | |
Ron Weasley | June, 1993 | Used this spell at the end of his second year along with; Fred, George, Harry, and Hermione before summer holiday.[14] |
6 June, 1994 | Used it to disarm Severus Snape in the Shrieking Shack.[18] | |
October, 1997 | Used it to disarm Snatcher, who was holding his wand, when he disapparated from Harry and Hermione and he came across them.[27] | |
March, 1998 | Used it to disarm Bellatrix Lestrange during the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor.[28] | |
Neville Longbottom | 1995 | Used it to successfully disarm Hermione Granger during a Dumbledore's Army's meeting.[22] |
18 June, 1996 |
| |
Lord Voldemort | 2 May, 1998 | Used it to disarm Neville Longbottom during Battle of Hogwarts.[7] |
Albus Potter | September, 2020 | Used it twice on Delphini to practise disarming before travelling back in time.[30] |
Cedric Diggory | 24 June, 1995 | Used it on Delphini while participating in the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[31] |
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

This charm's icon in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
- In the later films, it is only when a witch or wizard is defending themselves from the Killing Curse When the spell appears scarlet. When not locked in combat, it manifests as a bluish- white ball or flash of light, while in the second film, it appears as a golden fiery ring. The spell will either connect with the target's hand and force the wand out of their hand or will blast them off their feet, sometimes unconscious.
- When Dumbledore used this on Snape in Chapter 33: The Prince's Tale, it appeared as white light similar to lightning, and hence was probably a variation of it rather than the spell itself, or else an entirely different disarming spell.
- In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game), the Disarming Charm works instead as the Shield Charm, rebounding an opponent's spells upon them. This is actually also the describing of the spell in the The Standard Book of Spells series. This was mainly due to the lack of being able to disarm in past video games, although this cannot be considered canon as the spell does not work this way in the Harry Potter universe.
- However, the spell is depicted correctly in 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: Part 1 (video game), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game), though the GBC version of the Chamber of Secrets game also follows this scheme.
- Also in the console version of the second game, it's possible to catch and deflect spells not only cast by prefects in the PS2 version, but it's also possible to do so on one's own backfired spell. This only works on Flipendo and Incendio however, as the other projectile spells will pass through. In the case of the former, it moves rather fast so tight timing to activate the charm is needed.
- The Disarming Charm is referenced on Doctor Who, when William Shakespeare uses it to conclude a formula used to banish the villains from Earth at the suggestion of protagonist Martha Jones. The Doctor, played by David Tennant who also portrayed Bartemius Crouch Junior in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, commented "good old J.K." with a smile. Earlier in the same episode, the Doctor had commented that he'd loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which had not yet come out when the episode first aired.
- As seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, it is possible to disarm and take ownership of one's wand without using the spell, as demonstrated by Harry, who forcefully disarmed Malfoy with his bare hands to take the latter's wand.
- In the film versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger used the spell to make Mundungus Fletcher's wand fly over to her for her to catch it, which also happened when Harry Potter defeated Tom Riddle during Voldemort's Last Stand, in a similar way to the Summoning Charm.
- The Disarming Charm is used, apart from depriving opponents of their wands, to intercept or rebound offensive spells. Usually, this only works with minor to moderate Dark charms, similar to the Shield Charm. The Elder Wand recognised Harry as its true master through the spell connection, and thus strengthened Harry's spell to the point that even Voldemort's Killing Curse got rebounded upon himself.
- Outside of cases of Priori Incantatem, the Disarming Charm is only able to intercept major Dark spells like the Killing Curse, similar to Stunning spells and the golden flame spell.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- 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)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Pottermore
- Wizarding World
- Wonderbook: Book of Spells
- Harry Potter for Kinect
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
- Harry Potter: The Wand Collection (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ Pottermore
- ↑ Wonderbook: Book of Spells
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Wonderbook: Book of Spells (See this video) (00:20 - 15:20)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 4 (The Seven Potters)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 36 (The Flaw in the Plan)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 17 (Cat, Rat and Dog)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 28 (Snape's Worst Memory)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 27 (The Lightning-Struck Tower)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Thirteen
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18 (Dobby's Reward)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 28 (Flight of the Prince)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13 (The Very Secret Diary)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16 (The Chamber of Secrets)
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19 (The Servant of Lord Voldemort)
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 20 (The Dementor's Kiss)
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 34 (Priori Incantatem)
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 18 (Dumbledore's Army)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 11 (The Bribe)
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 19 (The Silver Doe)
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 23 (Malfoy Manor)
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Four
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Twenty
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
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Charms included in the series: Banishing Charm · Dancing Feet Spell · Disarming Charm · Engorgement Charm · Fire-Making Spell · Freezing Charm · General Counter-Spell · Levitation Charm · Locking Spell · Memory Charm · Mending Charm · Nonverbal spell · Severing Charm · Skurge Charm · Softening Charm · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm · Tickling Charm · Unlocking Charm · Wand-Lighting Charm |
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