Protective enchantment

Protective enchantment
Incantation	Various
Type	Charm
Hand movement	Various (i.e. raise wand for Protego totalum; downwards and palm of opposite hand held outward for Salvio hexia; point wand at sky for Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, and Repello Inimicum)
Light	Transparent; blue
Effect	Protected an area

""If we're staying, we should put some protective enchantments around the place," she replied, and raising her wand, she began to walk in a wide circle around Harry and Ron, murmuring incantations as she went."

— Hermione Granger casting protective enchantments in 1997

Protective enchantments were charms used to protect an area for an extended period of time. The spells shielded specific areas, and could have a wide variety of applications, with many different types of protective enchantments existing.

History

There were many different types of protective enchantment with many different effects. It is unknown how old some of the spells were and who exactly invented them. The enchantments were used regularly during the Second Wizarding War in order for the wizarding community to protect themselves from Death Eaters and by Death Eaters themselves.

Protective enchantments: Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, and Repello Inimicum

They were also used by Hogwarts staff, students and alumni during the Siege of Hogwarts a decade later.

The Vanishing Cabinets were able to bypass most protective enchantments, as a pair was used to penetrate Hogwarts Castle, which was heavily armed with magical protections, ancient and recently added.

During the 1988–1989 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Patricia Rakepick would often have her fifth-year Defence Against the Dark Arts students demonstrate the correct casting of protective enchantments at the start of each of her lessons.

Casting

"Harry strode off through the heather, walking in a large circle with the distraught Hermione at its centre, casting the spells she usually performed to ensure their protection."

— Harry Potter casting various protective enchantments during the Horcrux hunt

Hogwarts' enchantments during the final battle offered a high level of protection

Different combinations of various protective spells existed to provide different levels and/or types of protection. For example, Harry and Hermione had to repeat incantations of charms over and over while walking in a circle in the areas they wished to protect and hide in during their Horcrux hunt. The circle that they walked outlined their protective enchantments' boundaries. The spells circled the area and created a light effect similar to a heat wave around the protected area. These light effects and the shield became invisible after Harry and Hermione finished casting the spells.

However, during the Battle of Hogwarts, several teachers from Hogwarts alongside Molly Weasley had to repeat the incantations of only three spells. 12 Grimmauld Place is protected by the Fidelius Charm, Muggle-Repelling Charm, Tongue-Tying Curse, Disillusionment Charm, and many more. There also existed charms to prevent apparition and disapparition, and charms that could warn the caster of an intruder.

Known spells

Age Line Caterwauling Charm Cave inimicum Cursed barrier Disillusionment Charm Fianto Duri Fidelius Charm Imperturbable Charm Intruder Charm Muffliato Charm Muggle-Repelling Charm

Protection Charm Protego Diabolica Protego horribilis Protego Maxima Protego totalum Repello Inimicum Room-sealing spell Salvio hexia Security Spell Shield Charm

Known uses

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Unknown	Various	Enchantments were put over many places such as Gringotts, Hogwarts, The Burrow etc.
Harry Potter	24 June 1995	The dome effect that happened when people cast Priori Incantatem, as Voldemort and Harry Potter did, whilst duelling in the Little Hangleton graveyard.
Lord Voldemort
Albus Dumbledore	1996–1998	The Fidelius Charm that was cast over houses owned by members of the Order of the Phoenix.
Order members
Unknown	1997	The lot of enchantments cast over The Burrow, including the Fidelius Charm, in order to hold William Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding.
Hermione Granger		Would cast Protego totalum, Salvio hexia, the Muggle-Repelling Charm, the Muffliato Charm, Cave inimicum, and the Disillusionment Charm over her tent site (along with Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter).
Harry Potter	1997–1998	Would occasionally cast the protective enchantments that Hermione would use during the Horcrux Hunt.
Filius Flitwick	2 May 1998	Cast Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, and Repello Inimicum at the start of the Battle of Hogwarts. These protections held up against a Death Eater assault, only to be broken by a spell performed by Voldemort shortly after by use of the Elder Wand.
Molly Weasley
Horace Slughorn
Filius Flitwick
		At the start of the Battle of Hogwarts, cast Protego horribilis.
Hogwarts staff, students, and alumni	2010–2011 school year	Used to protect Hogwarts Castle from Dark creatures.

Behind the scenes

• In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the dome effect that happened during Priori Incantatem is not seen. Instead Voldemort uses the spell to distract Harry while his living skeletons and his paternal family's grave attacks him.
• In the Nintendo DS version of the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the protective enchantments had to be cast from certain defensive shield locations.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Indirectly mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Console versions)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (GBA version)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• 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 (First identified as Protective enchantment)
• 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)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mentioned only)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened