Unlocking Charm

Unlocking Charm
Incantation	Alohomora (ah-LOH-ho-MOR-ah)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	Invisible, blue, yellow, or purple
Effect	Unlocks objects
Creator	Ancient African sorcerer (possibly); first brought to Britain by Eldon Elsrickle in the early 1600s

"There are many ways to pass through locked doors in the magical world (see the Fire-Making Spell, Gouging Spell, and the Reductor Curse) where you wish to enter or depart discreetly, however, the Unlocking Charm is your best friend."

— The introduction in the Book of Spells

The Unlocking Charm (Alohomora), also known as the Thief's Friend, was a charm that unlocked objects such as doors or windows. It was also able to open doors locked by the Locking Spell (Colloportus), and as such, acted as its counter-charm. The Anti-Alohomora Charm could be used to prevent this charm from working on a locked target.

History

A mechanical lock being broken with this charm

The Unlocking Charm had its origins in Africa, whereupon it was called the Thief's Friend. The first known person to have mastered the charm was an Ancient African sorcerer, who taught it to thief Eldon Elsrickle during the latter's trip to the continent in the 17th century. Upon returning to his native Britain, Elsrickle used it to terrorise London, stealing from homes of Muggles and wizards alike, until Blagdon Blay invented the Anti-Alohomora Charm. Before he died, Elsrickle gave knowledge of the Unlocking Charm in exchange for his freedom on the infrequent occasions he broke into a magical household, resulting in the spell being widespread in the country.

Before the discovery of Alohomora, the most popular unlocking spell was Portaberto, which splintered the lock from a door but occasionally left a smoking hole where the key should have gone. Before Portaberto, however, the most popular opening spell was Open Sesame, which ripped doors from their hinges and tore them into firewood. All of these were more rudimentary and by far less subtle than Alohomora.

Descriptions of this spell were written in numerous books, including the first volume of the Standard Book of Spells series, where it was described in chapter seven. and a spellbook that could be found in the Hogwarts Library. This spell was also taught in Charms class in the first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was one of the first spells students learnt.

In the summer of 1992, Harry Potter considered using this charm to unlock the cage of his pet owl Hedwig at 4 Privet Drive, but did not, since he knew that underage wizards and witches were not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.

The door guarding the Philosopher's Stone was protected against the Unlocking Charm; a winged key was necessary to open it. A single door in the Department of Mysteries was impervious to this spell as well; it may be presumed that it opens in the room where the British Ministry of Magic studies the power of love in the Department of Mysteries.

Counter-charm

There was a spell called the Anti-Alohomora Charm which was used to counteract this spell. Magical locks also existed and were placed on several doors, but could be unlocked with this charm.

Known uses

Successful

"Oh, move over,” Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry’s wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, “Alohomora!” The lock clicked and the door swung open —"

— Hermione using this charm to unlock a door on the Third-Floor corridor

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Eldon Elsrickle	1600s	The first wizard to use it in the western world. Elsrickle had learnt the spell from an Ancient African sorcerer and used it to ransack the houses of London, Muggle, and wizarding alike.
Newt Scamander	6 December, 1926	Used it to open a safe at Steen National Bank to retrieve his escaped Niffler.
Lord Voldemort	31 October, 1981	Used it to break into the Potters' house, before murdering James and Lily Potter and trying to murder their son Harry Potter.
Albus Potter		Used it after time-travelling to the day his grandparents were killed to unlock the doors of St Jerome's Church in order to let Harry Potter's friends come and help him to duel Delphini.
Jacob's sibling	1984–1985 school year	Jacob's sibling and Rowan Khanna used this charm to unlock the door of the room that contains the Cursed ice.
Hermione Granger	1991	Used it to open a forbidden entrance on the Third-floor corridor of Hogwarts Castle.
	6 June, 1994	Used it to open the window to Professor Filius Flitwick's office to rescue Sirius Black.
	2 August, 1997	Used it to open Regulus Black's bedroom in 12 Grimmauld Place.
Death Eaters	18 June, 1996	One of the Death Eaters used it to open doors to Time Room shut by the Hermione Granger.
St Mungo's staff	Unknown	The Janus Thickey Ward at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries can only be entered by using this spell. Healers and visitors may enter, but patients are unable to get out.
Scorpius Malfoy	1 September, 2020	Used it to open the Minister for Magic's office at the Ministry of Magic when he, Albus Potter and Delphini infiltrated the Ministry to steal a Time-Turner.

Unsuccessful

"They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn’t budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm."

— Hermione Granger's unsuccessful use of this charm in the Underground Chambers

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Eldon Elsrickle	1600s	He eventually found that all wizarding households placed an Anti-Alohomora Charm on their doors and could no longer unlock their doors.
Queenie Goldstein	7 December 1926	Tried to unlock Percival Graves' office at the Magical Congress of the United States of America using this spell and the Opening Charm, but was unsuccessful. She speculated that he had secured it with advanced spells.
Hermione Granger	4 June, 1992	Tried to unlock the locked door in the Flying Key room, but the door could only open with the key.
	18 June, 1996	Tried to unlock the locked door to the Love Chamber in the Department of Mysteries, shortly before the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Harry Potter	1 September, 1996	Tried to unlock the Hogwarts gates with no effect since Albus Dumbledore had bewitched them.
	17 June 1996	Harry Potter assumed that Umbridge's office door had been bewitched so that this spell wouldn't work.

Known practitioners

Eldon Elsrickle

Newton Scamander

Queenie Goldstein

Filius Flitwick

Hermione Granger

Ron Weasley

Harry Potter

Remus Lupin

Scorpius Malfoy

Albus Potter

Tom Riddle

Miriam Strout

Jacob's sibling

Penny Haywood

• Rowan Khanna

See also

• Annihilare
• Aberto
• Dunamis
• Liberare
• Emancipare
• Open Sesame
• Portaberto

Etymology

J. K. Rowling stated that the word was from the West African Sikidy figures used in geomancy and has the literal meaning "Friendly to thieves".

Behind the scenes

The hand movement promoted by Warner Bros.

Harry opening Dolores Umbridge's Office with this spell in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

A locked door having been unlocked with this spell in the console versions of the Philosopher's Stone video game

Alohomora as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

The wand movement shown in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

The wand movement for the Unlocking Charm as seen in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

• Alohomora Duo is a stronger version of this spell; however, this spell was ultimately cut from the final release of the Goblet of Fire video game.
• Although Dolores Umbridge's office at Hogwarts was (assumed) impervious to this spell in the novel, Harry Potter uses this spell to open it before attempting to use the Floo Network in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
• As it was described in a textbook, this may be learned in Hogwarts Charms classes in the first year.
• This may be the spell that Remus Lupin used to open a wardrobe containing a Boggart and the spell that Harry Potter used wandlessly to open his cupboard to retrieve his school supplies.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, instead of using the Unlocking Charm to help Sirius Black escape, Hermione used Bombarda to blast open his cell door.
• In the Chamber of Secrets video game for GameCube, Xbox, and PS2 it's specified that the Unlocking Charm is for use on mechanical locks. In most other sources, it's used on magical locks and the Locking Spell as well.
  • Also in the manuals for the video games, it lampshades the fact that not everything can be unlocked with the charm (such as certain doors and inaccessible areas), and thus tells the player to not get frustrated over this fact.
    • It is only in Chamber of Secrets, that only chests can be opened with the charm, while in the previous game, almost anything can be unlocked as long as it had to symbol for the charm's use. This was mainly that in the second game, the charm was to be optionally brought at Fred and George Weasley's Shop in the video games, and thus it would have little impact on locations that involve the story of the game outside of side quests and hidden locations.
• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, the Reductor Curse is used to blast open most locks, instead of the Unlocking Charm.
• According to Book of Spells, the spell Portaberto was the most popular unlocking spell before this, and before that, Open Sesame was.
• While the spell usually just unlocks, Newt Scamander was showing using it to both unlock and open a safe in the film inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Ron Weasley tried to use this spell on the door of the flying key chamber instead of Hermione Granger.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Not in console versions)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (GBA and NDS versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• 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)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (DS/PSP versions only)
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Pottermore
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned only)
• Hogwarts Legacy

Notes and references

The Standard Book of Spells
Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6 · Grade 7
Charms included in the series: Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Nonverbal spell · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos)