Silencing Charm

Silencing Charm
Incantation	Silencio (si-LEN-see-oh)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	None
Effect	Silenced target

"The raven continued to open and close its sharp beak, but no sound came out."

— Description of the Silencing Charm

The Silencing Charm (Silencio) was a charm that rendered the victim temporarily mute. Working on both beasts and beings, it was immensely difficult to perform, more so on ravens than frogs. If performed incorrectly, the target would swell up to an immense size and begin making deafening sounds.

History

The song of the Fwooper would drive the listener insane, so wizarding law dictated that fwoopers must be sold with silencing charms placed on them. Additionally, the charm must be recast on the Fwooper every month by any wizard or witch who owned one of these birds.

During the 1988–1989 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Filius Flitwick taught his fifth-years how to cast this charm in Charms class, in preparation for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels that year.

In October 1995, Professor Flitwick had his fifth-year Charms students practise this charm, and assigned it as homework to those who could not perform it competently in class.

Penelope Fawley was placed under the effects of a Silencing Charm whilst being trapped inside a portrait in her office at the British Ministry of Magic.

Known uses

" Silencio!" cried Hermione, and the man’s voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out; he was thrust aside by his fellow."

— Hermione Granger casts this spell on Antonin Dolohov in 1996

Successful

Caster(s)	Dates	Notes
Ruth Singer	1891	Used to silence Cassandra Mason when she began to protest her arrest.
Lyall Lupin	Unknown	He used the spell to silence his werewolf son, Remus Lupin, during his monthly transformations in order to protect his son for any unwanted attentions from their neighbours or the ministry when Remus was a child.
Draco Malfoy	31 October 1981 (alternate timeline)	Used it on Delphini at St Jerome's Church in Godric's Hollow.
Alastor Moody	1990–1991 school year	Used it silence Burke at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, after having bound him with the Incarcerous Spell.
Minerva McGonagall	18 December 1992	Used it to silence and control the commotion in the corridor when Justin Finch-Fletchley was found petrified.
Fifth-years	1995	Fifth-years worked on this spell in Charms using bullfrogs and ravens.
Hermione Granger	8 October 1995	Used it to on her toad in Charms class.
		Used it to on Harry Potter's toad in, when he inflated toad like a balloon.
		Used it to on Ron Weasley's raven in Charms class.
	18 June 1996	Used it on Antonin Dolohov during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Tom Riddle	2 May 1998	He used this spell to silence the defenders of Hogwarts during the final battle.

Unsuccessful

Caster(s)	Dates	Notes
Harry Potter	8 October 1995	Used it on his toad, but unsuccessful, because the toad swelled like a balloon and emitted a high-pitched whistle.
Ron Weasley		Used it on his raven, but unsuccessful, because the raven let out a derisive caw.
		Used it on Hermione Granger's toad, but unsuccessful, because he poked the toad in the eye with his wand.

Known practitioners

The Old Librarian

Ruth Singer

Filius Flitwick

Jacob's sibling

Alastor Moody

Minerva McGonagall

Hermione Granger

Tom Riddle

Draco Malfoy

Lyall Lupin

Etymology

The incantation "silencio" is Latin and Spanish for "silence".

Behind the scenes

• Although not identified, in July 1993, when Harry lost his temper with Marjorie Dursley he may have unintentionally cast a Silencing Charm both non-verbally and wandlessly, either or both of these factors caused the already difficult spell to fail, instead causing her to swell until she resembled a balloon and float to the ceiling.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only) (PSP version only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Nintendo DS version only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter (website) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)
• Hogwarts Legacy (Mentioned only)

See also

• Langlock
• Tongue-Tying Curse
• Babbling Curse
• Oscausi