Softening Charm

Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.

The Softening Charm (Spongify) is a charm that softens objects, making them rubbery and bouncy.^[1]

History

The Softening Charm is part of the first-year Charms syllabus at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.^[1] It is also taught in second-year Transfiguration, where it is described as making "any object squishy and springy" by Professor Minerva McGonagall.^[2]

In the 1980's, Jacob's sibling believed that the spell worked by partially transfiguring the target into a sponge, though they were unsure if they were properly comprehending the textbook.^[2]

Known practitioners

Harry Potter^[1][3][4]

Hermione Granger^[4]

Ron Weasley^[4]

Gilderoy Lockhart^[3]

Filius Flitwick^[1]

Minerva McGonagall^[2]

Jacob's sibling^[2]

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Etymology

"Spongify" means to to "turn into a sponge," which makes sense, as objects affected by this spell become sponge-like in consistency.

Behind the scenes

• In the Harry Potter video games in which it features, to use this spell, a Spongify tile is needed, as seen on the right. Performing the spell on the mat will cause a purple mist to cover the mat, which, when jumped on, will bounce the player high into the air and onto higher ledges or other otherwise inaccessible areas. The effects of the spell would fade after a time -accompanied by the mist rotating and then disappearing- requiring the charm to be cast again if needed.
  • The direction of the jump was largely predetermined, sending the player on a fixed trajectory, with some room to move depending on player input.
• A spellbook for this spell could be found somewhere within Hogwarts and was located by Harry Potter.
• In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Professor McGonagall describes students using this spell on "floor tiles" to "create makeshift trampolines." This is likely a reference to the spongify tiles in previous Harry Potter video games.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (First identified as Softening Charm)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Notes and references

Charms (class)
Charmbook writers and developers
Delfina Crimp · Miranda Goshawk · Jarleth Hobart · Basil Horton · Randolph Keitch · Levina Monkstanley · Orabella Nuttley · Mnemone Radford · Scarpin · Elliot Smethwyck · Felix Summerbee · Fred Weasley · George Weasley
Professors	Fortinbras · Filius Flitwick
Textbooks	The Standard Book of Spells · Achievements in Charming · Quintessence: A Quest
Charms studied at Hogwarts
Banishing Charm (Depulso) · Cheering Charm · Cistem Aperio · Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Descendo · Disillusionment Charm · Eradication Spell (Deletrius) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Exploding Charm (Bombarda) · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Growth Charm · Hardening Charm (Duro) · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Leg-Locker Curse (Locomotor Mortis) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Locomotion Charm (Locomotor) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Muffliato Charm (Muffliato) · Nonverbal spell · Pack Charm (Pack) · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Scouring Charm (Scourgify) · Seize and Pull Charm (Carpe Retractum) · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Shrinking Charm (Reducio) · Silencing Charm (Silencio) · Slowing Charm (Arresto Momentum) · Skurge Scouring Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Spell for growing legs · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Vinegar into Wine · Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) · Water-Making Spell (Aguamenti)

Transfiguration (class)
Branches of Transfiguration	Transformation · Vanishment · Conjuration · Untransfiguration
Known practitioners	Circe · Emeric Switch · Falco Aesalon · Mirabella Plunkett · Thaddeus Thurkell
Professors	Albus Dumbledore · Minerva McGonagall
Textbooks	A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration · Intermediate Transfiguration · A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration
Transfiguration spells studied at Hogwarts
Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Change of hair colour and style (Crinus Muto) · Hardening Charm (Duro) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Reparifarge · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Switching Spell · Vanishing Spell (Evanesco)
Conjuring Spells	Bird-Conjuring Charm (Avis) · Inanimatus Conjurus Spell · Orchideous · Snake Summons Spell (Serpentsortia)
Transforming Spells	Animal to Water Goblet (Vera Verto) · Beetle Buttons · Cat to Cauldron (Felifors) · Chair to cat · Cross-Species Switches · Desk Into Pig · Dinner plate to mushroom · Guinea fowl to guinea pig · Hedgehog to pincushion · Match to needle · Meddling Man to Monkey · Mice to Snuffboxes · Owl to Opera Glasses (Strigiforma) · Porcupine to Pin Cushion (Hystrifors) · Small Child to Rat · Small Object to Dragon (Draconifors) · Snail to Teapot · Target to Bird (Avifors) · Target to matchbox (Flintifors) · Target to Rabbit (Lapifors) · Teacup to Rat · Teapot to tortoise · White Rabbits to Slippers

The Standard Book of Spells
Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6 · Grade 7
Charms included in the series: Fire-Making Spell · Levitation Charm · Locking Spell · Mending Charm · Softening Charm · Severing Charm · Unlocking Charm · Dancing Feet Spell · Disarming Charm · Engorgement Charm · Freezing Charm · General Counter-Spell · Memory Charm · Tickling Charm · Summoning Charm · Banishing Charm · Substantive Charm