Full Body-Bind Curse

Full Body-Bind Curse
Incantation	Petrificus Totalus (pe-TRI-fi-cus to-TAH-lus)
Type	Curse
Hand movement
Light	White
Effect	Temporary Paralysis

"Petrificus Totalus, or the Full Body-Bind, stiffens a person’s limbs so they cannot move. Only the person’s eyes are free while the spell is in effect."

— Description

The Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus), also known as the Body Freezing Spell, is a curse that temporarily paralyses the opponent. It is often used by inexperienced or young wizards and witches in duelling. This curse can be found in Curses and Counter-Curses by Vindictus Viridian.

Effects

"Essential Tip # 1: Whilst the Body Freezing spell will work on inanimate objects, it tends to prove less satisfying than when used on a moving object."

— Tips on casting, Cast-a-Spell handbook

When used on a living subject, the victim's arms and legs snap together, and they will fall down, stiff as a board. However the person's abilities to hear, see (however just straight forward), feel, and think still work properly.

Technically, the spell also works on inanimate objects, but its effects are usually imperceptible, because the object isn't moving in the first place.

The effects of the Full-Body Bind Curse can be undone by use of the General Counter-Spell, an Anti-Paralysis Potion or the Reparifors spell.

Despite the incantation, the Full Body-Bind Curse is fundamentally different from petrification, which is highly advanced Dark Magic and which cannot be reversed by a simple counter-curse.

History

During the 1986–1987 school year, this spell was covered in third year Charms classes, taught by Professor Filius Flitwick.

Known uses

"Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror."

— Description of Neville Longbottom under the curse

Successful

Caster(s)	Victim(s)	Date	Notes
Newt Scamander	Gilbert Bingley	6 December, 1926	Newt used it to immobile Mr Bingley, in Steen National Bank branch in New York, after he wrongly deduced that he and Jacob Kowalski want to stole the vault.
Sirius Black	Severus Snape	June, 1976	Used it to bully him after an O.W.L. exam.
Jacob's sibling	Ben Copper		Was asked to demonstrate the spell during a Charms lesson.
Ben Copper	Jacob's sibling		Used to make Jacob's sibling unable to react while the Messenger delivered their message.
Hermione Granger	Neville Longbottom	4 June, 1992	Hermione used it to immobile Neville, when he tried to prevent her, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley from sneaking out of their dormitories, which they did in order to prevent the theft of the Philosopher's Stone.
	Antonin Dolohov	1 August, 1997	During a skirmish at the Luchino Caffe.
Neville Longbottom	Death Eater	18 June, 1996	Used to paralyse a Death during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Draco Malfoy	Harry Potter	1 September, 1996	Draco used it to immobile Harry under the Invisibility Cloak on the Hogwarts Express.
Harry Potter	Jugson	18 June, 1996	Battle of the Department of Mysteries
	Antonin Dolohov		Harry used it to immobile Dolohov, after he hit Hermione Granger with his curse, during Battle of the Department of Mysteries. He later used it again on him in the Death Chamber .
	Inferi	30 June, 1997	Harry used it to immobile one of the Inferis, while looking for Horcrux in the Crystal Cave with Albus Dumbledore.
	Corban Yaxley		Harry used it to immobile Yaxley when escaping from the top of the Astronomy Tower during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.
	Fenrir Greyback		Harry used it to immobile Fenrir when escaping from the top of the Astronomy Tower during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.
Albus Dumbledore	Harry Potter		Albus used it nonverbally to immobile Harry under Invisibility Cloak on the Astronomy Tower.
Parvati Patil	Antonin Dolohov	2 May, 1998	Used to protect Dean Thomas during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Tom Riddle	Neville Longbottom		Used it nonverbally to immobile Neville in order to put the Sorting Hat on his head and then lit on fire during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Unuccessful

Caster(s)	Victim(s)	Date	Notes
Ron Weasley	Vincent Crabbe	2 May, 1998	Used it nonverbally to immobile Vincent Crabbe during the skirmish in the Room of Requirement during the Battle of Hogwarts, but unsuccessful, because he missed.

Known practitioners

NewtonScamander-Profile-crop.png

Newton Scamander

Sirius Black

Albus Dumbledore

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Filius Flitwick

Gilderoy Lockhart

Jacob's sibling

Ben Copper

CCreeveyOP.jpg

Colin Creevey

Harry Potter

Ronald Weasley

Hermione Granger

Parvati Patil

Neville Longbottom

Draco-Malfoy-promo-draco-and-slytherin-22383964-1919-2560.jpg

Draco Malfoy

Tom Riddle

Etymology

• The root of this curse's incantation seems to be the Latin words petra, "rock", ficus, "making or doing something" and totus, "whole" or "entire".
• Also, pertrificus seems to come from the word "petrify", meaning to turn into stone, or describes a manner in which someone takes on the characteristics of a stone. Totalus likely comes from "Total", meaning complete or wholly. Following this, the spell likely means, entirely petrify.

See also

• Freezing Charm
• Petrification

Behind the scenes

• In the Cast-a-Spell training room, the spell literally freezes the victim (a snake), covering it in ice.
• When Dumbledore immobilises Harry, the latter says, in wondering how it could have happened, that it was a Freezing Charm (Dumbledore had done so wandlessly and nonverbally). However, less than a few pages later, after Dumbledore is killed, he notes that the Full Body-Bind had lifted.
• In the films and video games, this spell occasionally appears blue, white or purple.
• When Hermione uses this on Neville a mist-like effect issued from her wand and there was a faint white flash around his body before the curse took effect.
• The only instances in the films where a victim's arms and legs are snapped together as depicted in the books is when Hermione used it on Neville in Philosopher's Stone, when Draco used it against Harry on the train in Half-Blood Prince, and Newt's use of this spell on Mr Bingley in Fantastic Beasts; any other time it was used, such as when Neville used it on a Death Eater in Order of the Phoenix and when Hermione used it on Antonin Dolohov in Deathly Hallows: Part 1, they were either immobilised in their current position, or they were spread eagled.
• In Hogwarts Mystery, the Knockback Jinx and the Full Body Bind Curse are covered in Charms class. This seems unusual, as defensive and offensive spells have not been shown as being part of the Charms curriculum, but in Defence Against the Dark Arts class instead. Although jinxes, hexes and curses can be grouped together in a category called Dark charms, which explains why such spells were taught under Charms class.
• In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the curse acts as a long-range, sniper like attack, it appears as a sharp, quick bolt of blue light that can immoblilize a foe, stun a foe or shatter their Shield Charm, when used by enemies, the spell is made red and is sometimes believed to be the Cruciatus Curse, it has the ability to shatter the player's shield charm or weaken the player quickly.
• In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the curse appears as a triangular jet of white light, when the player reaches the discovery level of 12, Harry will release two curses at once.

Appearances

Hermione Granger using the spell in a Muggle café

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (PS1 version)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
• 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 2 (Non-canonical appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (DS version)
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Warner Bros. Harry Potter Official Site
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (unnamed)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery