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"Protego Maxima. Fianto Duri. Repello Inimicum."
Filius Flitwick conjures up magical defences prior to the Battle of Hogwarts[src]

Protego Maxima was a stronger version of the Shield Charm that, when cast in combination with Fianto Duri and Repello Inimicum, conjured up an almost impregnable magical protection barrier.[1]

Effect[]

People who were out of the shield couldn't see and hear the wizards or witches that were protected. Spells cast at it (if not of enough power to break it) created large, resonating explosions. This spell was the core of the shield summoned around Hogwarts; it was the shield itself that was seen descending over the castle. It should be noted however that on occasion protective enchantments could be breached with a shield penetration spell.[1]

Known uses[]

DesintegrateSnatcher

Snatchers being disintegrated by the power of this spell combined with other protections

This spell was cast by Filius Flitwick, Molly Weasley and Horace Slughorn to protect the boundaries of Hogwarts Castle from the Death Eater forces in the late hours of 1 May 1998, prior to the Battle of Hogwarts that started at midnight the next day. The Death Eaters, on Voldemort's command, started bombarding the magical protection with spells, and it was ultimately brought down by a spell cast by Voldemort.[1]

Etymology[]

  • The incantation is derived from the Latin "protego", meaning "I defend", or "I protect", and "maxima", nominative feminine singular of "maximus", meaning "greatest", or "highest limit"; altogether the incantation means "I protect to the highest limit".

Behind the scenes[]

  • In the novel, Flitwick uses Protego horribilis instead when casting the defensive enchantments around Hogwarts.
  • In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the protective enchantments around the grounds were summoned by Filius Flitwick, and Flitwick alone. In the second part of the film adaptation, Flitwick is joined by Molly Weasley, Horace Slughorn, and Poppy Pomfrey to do so.
  • In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it seems that this shield is capable of keeping Dementors at bay, as they are seen being forced away as the shield lowered to the ground.
  • In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, the protective enchantments around the ground are summoned by Filius Flitwick, Horace Slughorn and Minerva McGonagall. Molly Weasley does not help the teachers to do it.
  • In December 1926, a similar shield dome was created by multiple American Aurors on top of the New York City subway in which Credence Barebone, in his uncontrolled Obscurial form, ran rampant until he was supposedly "killed." This shield dome is similar to Protego Maxima as it forms a hemispherical shield around an area, but the shield dome formed in New York City starts forming from where the casters are pointing their wand with no light coming out of their wand, whereas Protego Maxima shoots a bluish-white light out of their wand, and forms a shield very far above the caster.
  • In 1927, this may have been the spell, or maybe a stronger variation of Protego, combined with other protections, used by MACUSA that was used to prevent Gellert Grindelwald from moving from his chair in MACUSA as when a fly passed by the shield's boundaries, the shield became visible with transparent harsh red light, and the fly was disintegrated until only its wings remained in the air, clearly outside the shield's boundaries. The fly's disintegration mimics how the three unidentified Snatchers during the Battle of Hogwarts were disintegrated.[2]
  • In 1927, Gunnar Grimmson may have used this spell to protect himself from the Credence Barebone's Obscurial form for long enough to Disapparate safely after Grimmson killed Irma Dugard on Gellert Grindelwald's orders.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

See also[]

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