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At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in: Hogwarts Legacy & Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. |
- ""Locomotor Trunk." Harry's trunk rose a few inches into the air. Holding her wand like a conductor's baton, Tonks made it hover across the room and out of the door ahead of them, Hedwig's cage in her left hand."
- — Nymphadora Tonks using this charm to move Harry Potter's trunk[src]
Locomotion Charms[1] are a group of charms that are used to affect the movement of the target of the spell; whether it was to restrict it,[3][4] move heavy objects around without having to physically carry them,[1][5] or to magically instigate inanimate objects in order to put household items to work by themselves,[6] which were described as 'basic'.[7] or bewitching something to carry out important tasks, such as passing on messages or protecting people or places.[8]
Casting and effects
The most basic Locomotion Charm,[9] (Locomotor)[1][2], enabled a witch or wizard to levitate a target a few inches off of the ground and then move said object in any given direction.[9] The spell was cast by holding their wand out whilst pointing it on the desired target and, once the spell was in effect, had to wield one's wand like a conductors baton to direct the movements of the objects in question. Proficient casters could also move more than one object at a time,[5] and use it for such trivial tasks as setting the table for a meal in one fell swoop, although, as it involved making food, tableware and cutlery setting themselves on the table simultaneously, this required additional wandwork.[6] Similarly to the Summoning Charm, a specific object can be moved by saying the object aloud after saying the incantation.[9]
In addition to this spell, there were also Locomotion Charms that fell under workaday magic that would make make inanimate objects carry out everyday tasks autonomously, such as washing up,[10] knitting,[11] and sweeping the floor,[6] which proficient casters could accomplish with a casual wave of their wand.[10] Rubeus Hagrid was able to use rowboats move on their own accord,[12] and were adept enough to bewitch several boats to do so with a single spell.[13]
In addition to some Darker varieties of Locomotion Charms, such as the Leg-Locker and the Jelly-Legs curses,[3][4] Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall could both use a type of advanced Locomotion Charm for defensive and offensive purposes.[8][14]
Known uses
- "Parvati and Lavender, who were practicing basic locomotion charms, were making their pencil cases race each other around the edge of the table."
- — Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown practising this charm together[src]
Caster(s) | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|
Porpentina Goldstein | 6 December, 1926 | Tina used a Locomotion Charm to set the table for a dinner she had with her sister, Newton Scamander and Jacob Kowalski.[15] |
Filius Flitwick | 1988–1989 school year | Taught Jacob's sibling and Diego Caplan this charm.[16] |
Jacob's sibling | Jacob's sibling used Locomotor Book to practise this charm.[16] | |
Jacob's sibling or Diego Caplan | Used this charm to make Diego's flan dance at the Great Hogwarts Cook-Off.[16] | |
Nymphadora Tonks | 5 August, 1995 | Tonks used Locomotor trunk in 4 Privet Drive to move Harry Potter's trunk downstairs before flying off to 12 Grimmauld Place.[1] |
Fred Weasley | 1 September, 1995 | Used it on his trunk in 12 Grimmauld Place, causing Ginny Weasley to fall down the stairs.[17] |
George Weasley | ||
Filius Flitwick | 8 March, 1996 | Flitwick used Locomotor trunks to move Trelawney's belongings back up the main staircase, back to her lodgings.[5] |
Lavender Brown | June 1996 | Practised this charm beside each other while studing for their Charms O.W.L.s.[9] |
Parvati Patil |
Known practitioners
See also
Etymology
The incantation is derived from Latin "loco" meaning "place" or "set down",[18] and "moto" meaning "moving about" or "keep moving".[19]
Appearances

This spell's movement in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
- Pottermore
- LEGO Dimensions
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Hogwarts Legacy
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3 (The Advance Guard)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pottermore - From the Story: Locomotion Charms
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 13 (Nicolas Flamel)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26 (Seen and Unforeseen)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - The Original Screenplay
- ↑ LEGO Dimensions (see this video)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 36 (The Only One He Ever Feared)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 31 (O.W.L.s)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 3 (The Burrow)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) - Chapter 4 (The Burrow)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 6 (The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (identified as a Locomotion Charm in LEGO Dimensions (see this video)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, "THE GREAT HOGWARTS COOK-OFF" Achievement
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10 (Luna Lovegood)
- ↑ See this translation, courtesy of Google Translate.
- ↑ See this translation, courtesy of Google Translate.