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{{Conjecture}}
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{{Cleanup}}
 
{{Spell infobox
  
{{Spell infobox
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|name=False memory charm
 
|image=
  
|image=
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|incantation=
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|name=False Memory Charm
  
 
|type=[[Charm]]
  
|type=[[Charm]]
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|incantation=Unknown
  
 
|hand=
  
|hand=
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|light=
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|effect=Implants a false [[memory]]
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|effect=Implants a false [[memory]] in the victim
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|}}
  
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|creator = [[Mnemone Radford]] c. [[1900s]] (possibly)<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100205155451/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/wotm.cfm "Mnemone Radford 1562 - 1649
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A '''False Memory Charm''' is a [[Spell]] used to implant false memories in an individual’s mind. It is not the same as the [[Memory Charm]] with the incantation "''Obliviate"'', which wipes out a particular memory rather than altering it.<ref>[http://bloghogwarts.com/2007/07/30/chateando-con-jk-rowling/ 30 July 2007 WebChat with J.K. Rowling]</ref> The actual name and incantation for this [[charm]] are unknown. The charm seems to be reversible, as Hermione Granger stated that she would find her parents and lift the enchantment after [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort's]] defeat.<ref name="DH"/> [[Albus Dumbledore]] also managed to extract the true memories under false ones created by [[Tom Riddle]], though he noted the task to be difficult.
  
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Developed Memory Modifying Charms.
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First Ministry of Magic Obliviator." this potentially means she made this charm, because its plural.</ref>}}
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{{Quote|Then he returned to the [[Gaunt Shack|Gaunt hovel]], performed the complex bit of [[magic]] that would implant a false memory in his [[Morfin Gaunt|uncle's]] mind, laid Morfin's wand beside its [[Stunning Spell|unconscious]] owner, pocketed the [[Marvolo Gaunt's ring|ancient ring]] he wore, and departed.|Theory that Voldemort used this spell|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
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The '''false memory charm''' (''incantation unknown''), also known as the '''Memory Modifying Charm'''{{Fact}} is a [[charm]] which can be used by a [[Wizardkind|witch or wizard]] in order to add a [[memory]] to their victim's mind without the victim realising it was not originally theirs. It differs from the [[Memory Charm]] in that the latter erases memories whilst this one adds them, albeit wholly artificial ones.<ref>[http://bloghogwarts.com/2007/07/30/chateando-con-jk-rowling/ 30 July 2007 WebChat with J.K. Rowling]</ref>
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
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[[Tom Riddle]] cast this [[charm]] twice; firstly in [[1943]] upon his [[House of Gaunt|uncle]] [[Morfin Gaunt]],<ref name="HBP17">{{HBP|B|17}}</ref> then sometime later on the [[house-elf]] [[Hokey]].<ref name="HBP20">{{HBP|B|20}}</ref> Both instances were to hide his crimes and make the victims believe they were responsible.
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[[Hermione Granger]] used this on her parents in [[1997]] to keep them safe from [[Death Eaters]] during the [[Second Wizarding War]]. The charm made [[Hermione Granger's parents|Mr. and Mrs. Granger]] believe that they were Wendell and Monica Wilkins and that their lifelong dream was to move to [[Australia]], which they did. They also did not remember that they have a daughter. After the war, Hermione planned to find them and reverse the spell.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
  
   
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Later that [[1995-1996 school year|same year]], [[Tom Riddle]] may have used the spell to make [[Harry Potter]] believe his godfather [[Sirius Black]] was being [[Cruciatus Curse|tortured]] by him in the [[Department of Mysteries]].<ref name="OOTP31">{{OOTP|B|31}}</ref> However, it is possible that Voldemort simply created an image in Harry's mind through his tight [[Occlumency|Occlumens]] connection with Harry (due to the [[Horcrux]] connection) so that Harry would see what Voldemort's imagination dreamt up. It may have been up to Harry whether or not to believe it since he is persuaded by Hermione to check to see whether Sirius is really in the Department of Mysteries (not in Grimmauld Place). Voldemort is relying, therefore, on Harry's concern for Sirius's safety to get him to come, just as he is sure Harry will come to him in the forest during the break in the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
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This is probably a spell that [[Tom Riddle|Tom Marvolo Riddle]] used on many occasions, such as in [[1940s|1943]], when he caused his uncle [[Morfin Gaunt]] to believe that he had killed the [[Muggle]] [[Riddle family]]. Morfin confessed to the crime and was imprisoned in [[Azkaban]]. Riddle also likely used this [[Charm]] on the [[house-elf]] [[Hokey]] to make her believe that she poisoned her owner, [[Hepzibah Smith]], who Riddle murdered in order to steal [[Helga Hufflepuff's Cup]] and [[Salazar Slytherin's Locket]] from her.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref> When [[Albus Dumbledore]] tracked these individuals down and extracted the true memories under the false ones, he claimed that it was a difficult task.
  
   
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It is possible that [[Professor]] [[Horace Slughorn]] used this in [[1996-1997 school year|the next school year]] to hide his memory of [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] asking him about [[Horcrux]]es,<ref name="HBP23">{{HBP|B|23}}</ref> although as he retained awareness of the true memory his spell may be a different one. It is also possible that he simply repressed it to such a degree that it could not be extracted from him against his will, as the memory he gave Dumbledore simple went blank at the right times and was replaced by a disembodied shouting, rather than images; this was noted to be crudely done.
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In [[1996]] [[Kingsley Shacklebolt]] used the spell (or a [[Memory Charm]]) on [[Marietta Edgecombe]] to make her think that she had only ever been to one [[Dumbledore's Army|DA]] meeting.
  
   
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[[Hermione Granger]] used this in [[1997]] to make [[Hermione Granger's parents|her parents]] believe they were named [[Hermione Granger's father|Wendell]] and [[Hermione Granger's mother|Monica Wilkins]] respectively, that they have no childrens, and to make them move to [[Australia]] in order to protect them from [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eaters]].<ref name="DH6">{{DH|B|6}}</ref>
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It is possible that [[Horace Slughorn]] used some form of this charm during the [[1996–1997 school year]] to modify his own memory of his discussion with [[Tom Riddle]] about [[Horcrux]]es, although Slughorn not only retained the original memory, but his awareness of it as well.
  
   
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==Known practitioners==
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<gallery widths="105" orientation="portrait" spacing="small" position="center">
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Tom_Riddle_Half-Blood_Prince_Profile-0.jpg|[[Tom Riddle]]<ref name="HBP17">{{HBP|B|17}}</ref><ref name="HBP20">{{HBP|B|20}}</ref>
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Hermionedhface.jpg|[[Hermione Granger]]<ref name="DH6">{{DH|B|6}}</ref>
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</gallery>
   
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== Behind the Scenes ==
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==Behind the scenes==
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*In ''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)|Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]'', [[Newton Scamander|Newt Scamander]] may have cast this charm or the [[Confundus Charm]] on a muggle that witnessed his creatures being unleashed from [[Jacob Kowalski]]'s apartment. Visually, the spell resembled the mist-like appearance of the [[Imperius Curse]] as it appeared in {{DH|F2}}.
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*in the film adaptations, Hermione used Obliviate on her parents instead of this charm.
 
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*The actual name and [[incantation]] for this [[charm]] are unknown.
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*This spell is reversible, as [[Hermione Granger|Hermione]] found her parents after the war and lifted it.
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**[[Albus Dumbledore]] could use Legilimency to extract the true version of the memories that Riddle falsified using the spell, although he admitted it was difficult and required a great deal of skill in the art.
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*In [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1|the film]], Hermione uses ''[[Memory Charm|Obliviate]]'' instead of this spell.
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**In the film Half-Blood Prince, the effect of Slughorn's memory modification is different, appearing as a muffling of sound, followed by Slughorn ordering Riddle out personally.
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==
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*{{OOTP}} {{1st}}
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' {{1st}}
  
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*{{OOTP|F}}
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' {{mention}}
  
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*{{HBP}}
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*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' {{mention}}
  
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*{{HBP|F}}
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*{{DH}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
  
==Notes and references==
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{{Reflist}}
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{{Reflist}}[[fr:Sortilège de Faux souvenirs]]
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[[ru:Чары ложной памяти]]
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[[Category:Articles related to Horcruxes]]
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[[fr:Sortilège de Faux souvenirs]]
  
 
[[Category:Charms]]
  
[[Category:Charms]]
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[[Category:Concealment]]
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[[Category:Mental spells]]
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[[Category:Spells of unknown incantation]]

Revision as of 11:21, 9 September 2019

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"Then he returned to the Gaunt hovel, performed the complex bit of magic that would implant a false memory in his uncle's mind, laid Morfin's wand beside its unconscious owner, pocketed the ancient ring he wore, and departed."
— Theory that Voldemort used this spell[src]

The false memory charm (incantation unknown), also known as the Memory Modifying Charm[citation needed] is a charm which can be used by a witch or wizard in order to add a memory to their victim's mind without the victim realising it was not originally theirs. It differs from the Memory Charm in that the latter erases memories whilst this one adds them, albeit wholly artificial ones.[2]

History

Tom Riddle cast this charm twice; firstly in 1943 upon his uncle Morfin Gaunt,[3] then sometime later on the house-elf Hokey.[4] Both instances were to hide his crimes and make the victims believe they were responsible.

Later that same year, Tom Riddle may have used the spell to make Harry Potter believe his godfather Sirius Black was being tortured by him in the Department of Mysteries.[5] However, it is possible that Voldemort simply created an image in Harry's mind through his tight Occlumens connection with Harry (due to the Horcrux connection) so that Harry would see what Voldemort's imagination dreamt up. It may have been up to Harry whether or not to believe it since he is persuaded by Hermione to check to see whether Sirius is really in the Department of Mysteries (not in Grimmauld Place). Voldemort is relying, therefore, on Harry's concern for Sirius's safety to get him to come, just as he is sure Harry will come to him in the forest during the break in the Battle of Hogwarts.

It is possible that Professor Horace Slughorn used this in the next school year to hide his memory of Voldemort asking him about Horcruxes,[6] although as he retained awareness of the true memory his spell may be a different one. It is also possible that he simply repressed it to such a degree that it could not be extracted from him against his will, as the memory he gave Dumbledore simple went blank at the right times and was replaced by a disembodied shouting, rather than images; this was noted to be crudely done.

Hermione Granger used this in 1997 to make her parents believe they were named Wendell and Monica Wilkins respectively, that they have no childrens, and to make them move to Australia in order to protect them from Voldemort and his Death Eaters.[7]

Known practitioners

Behind the scenes

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20100205155451/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/wotm.cfm "Mnemone Radford 1562 - 1649 Developed Memory Modifying Charms. First Ministry of Magic Obliviator." this potentially means she made this charm, because its plural.
  2. ↑ 30 July 2007 WebChat with J.K. Rowling
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 17 (A Sluggish Memory)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20 (Lord Voldemort's Request)
  5. ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 31 (O.W.L.s)
  6. ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 23 (Horcruxes)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 6 (The Ghoul in Pyjamas)
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