Freezing Spell

Freezing Spell
Incantation	Glacius (GLAY-see-us)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	Blue
Effect	Freezes target

"Today, we will learn a very useful freezing charm called Glacius."

— Professor Flitwick teaching this charm to third-year students

The Freezing Spell (Glacius) was a charm that froze a target with icy-cold air created from the tip of the wand. This, in turn, could freeze water, extinguish fires, and cool off Fire Dwelling Salamanders. There existed a spellbook for this charm.

History

An individual frozen in a block of ice with this charm

The door to the Vault of Ice, one of the Cursed Vaults at Hogwarts Castle, was enchanted with this spell. In the 1985–1986 school year, when Rowan Khanna nearly entered it, they were attacked by the spell and knocked unconscious, and had to recover in the Hospital Wing afterwards.

During the 1993–1994 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Remus Lupin taught this spell to his third-year Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Later on that year, Professor Filius Flitwick also taught this spell to students and included it in the third year exams for charms class.

When Harry tried to turn vinegar to wine incorrectly in a sixth-year Charms class in 1997, he turned it into ice instead, possibly casting this spell by accident.

Effect

This charm had the unfortunate side-effect of making the breath of anyone nearby turn into thick white mist due to the extreme frigidity caused by the spell's casting. An object could be enchanted with this spell to attack a person when touched. An example was one of the Cursed Vaults at Hogwarts Castle.

Known practitioners

Phineas Nigellus Black

Chiyo Kogawa

Unidentified 19th-century Hogwarts student

Filius Flitwick

Jacob's sibling

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

Remus Lupin

Pomona Sprout

Minerva McGonagall

Severus Snape

Draco Malfoy

Etymology

The incantation is Latin for "ice".

Behind the scenes

Glacius as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

• This charm can be bought at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, and in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7.
• During the lessons in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 if the player irritates the Professor he/she will cast Glacius at the player and place him/her into a block of ice.
• In the console version of Prisoner of Azkaban video game, Glacius is an Hermione-exclusive spell, taught in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while in the PC version, the spell is Harry-exclusive, taught in Charms.
• The charm "Freeze!" as depicted in Harry Potter Trading Card Game may be this charm, or in fact a variation/relative of it.
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened confuses this spell with Immobulus, the Freezing Charm, wrongly stating that Glacius was the spell Hermione Granger used in Defence Against the Dark Arts to freeze Cornish Pixies.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (GBA and NDS versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) (NDS version only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand