Severing Charm

Severing Charm
Incantation	Diffindo (deef-IN-doe)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	Light green, pink or red
Effect	Cuts objects
Creator	Delfina Crimp (1400s)

"With the Severing Charm, cutting or tearing objects is a simple matter of wand control. The spell can be quite precise in skilled hands, and the Severing Charm is widely used in a variety of wizarding trades. Useful as it is, this charm should be practised with caution, as a careless swipe of the wand can cause injury."

— Miranda Goshawk

The Severing Charm (Diffindo) was a charm used to precisely and accurately cut something. It was taught in second year charms classes and Fourth year classes, and if used inappropriately can cause death or injury.

A spellbook for this charm could be found in one of the Herbology greenhouses; this was also detailed in both Book of Spells and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1.

History

"The Severing Charm was created in the fifteenth century by wizarding seamstress Delfina Crimp who created it as an easy and convenient way of cutting cloth and thread."

— Book of Spells

Delfina Crimp using this charm to shorten a dress

This spell was invented in the fifteenth century by seamstress and witch Delfina Crimp. She made the spell because prior to her discovery, cutting spells were apt to burn or shred things. However, a rival muggle clothes maker, Snickerton, realised that she could do magic and raided her shop with friends. They held her tied up and nearly killed her. However, she convinced them to release her to scratch a wart on her chin, revealing the wart to be her hidden wand. She brought her wand forth and disapparated with a sack of gold.

It is implied that Crimp may have continued to use it, or cast a curse on Snickerton with similar effects, as all of his subsequent creations were found sliced up.

Known uses

"“Diffindo!” Cedric’s bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed."

— Harry Potter using the charm to cut open Cedric Diggory's school bag

Successful

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Delfina Crimp	1400s	The charm was invented in this time by Delfina Crimp and used by her to make and tailor clothing.
Filius Flitwick & Jacob's sibling	1987–1988 school year	Professor Filius Flitwick taught this spell to his Fourth year charms students.
Harry Potter	23 November, 1994	Used it to cut Cedric Diggory's bookbag to delay him from class so that he could warn Cedric privately about the First Task of Triwizard Tournament.
	14 September, 1996	Used it to detach the front cover of his shop-bought potions textbook to replace it with a vandalised version using the Mending Charm.
	28 December, 1997	Used it to break the ice from the frozen pool in the Forest of Dean, where Severus Snape had hidden the Sword of Gryffindor.
Ron Weasley	25 December, 1994	Used it to sever the lace sleeves of his dress robes before the Yule Ball.
Hermione Granger	1 August, 1997	Used it to remove the bindings on Ron Weasley conjured by Antonin Dolohov after a fight in a cafe; she trembled so much that she cut Ron with it.
	25 December, 1997	Used it to remove the Salazar Slytherin's locket from Harry Potter's chest shortly after they were attacked by Nagini in Bathilda Bagshot's home in Godric's Hollow.
Peter Pettigrew (possibly)	24 June, 1995	Possibly used it nonverbally to break Tom Riddle's Gravestone.
Lord Voldemort (possibly)	March, 1998	Possibly used it nonverbally to break Albus Dumbledore's tomb.

Unsuccessful

"“Diffindo!” yelled Harry, trying to sever the feelers wrapping themselves tightly around Ron before his eyes, but they would not break. Ron fell over, still thrashing against his bonds."

— Harry Potter failing to sever brain tentacles attached to Ron Weasley's head

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Harry Potter	18 June, 1996	Used it to sever the tentacles of brain, which attacked Ron Weasley after he summoned it in the Brain Room during the battle in Department of Mysteries, but unsuccessful.
	2 September, 1997	Used it to break Mary Cattermole free of a chained chair, but unsuccessful.
	3 September, 1997	Used it to destroy the Salazar Slytherin's locket in Dartmoor, but unsuccessful.

Known practitioners

Delfina Crimp

Filius Flitwick

Pomona Sprout

Jacob's sibling

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

Ron Weasley

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Etymology

The incantation is the Latin first person active indicative for "to split, cleave or open".

See also

• Sectumsempra

Behind the scenes

Diffindo as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

• In the Harry Potter Trading Card Game, Diffindo is incorrectly labelled as a Transfiguration spell.
• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 and LEGO Dimensions, it allows the player to cut through red LEGO walls.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Console versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Not in PS1 version)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Not in PC or console versions)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Wonderbook: Book of Potions
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells