Wand-Lighting Charm

Wand Lighting Charm
Incantation	Lumos (LOO-mos)
Type	Charm
Hand movement
Light	White
Effect	Illuminates the wand tip
Creator	Levina Monkstanley (1772)

"The Wand-Lighting Charm is simple, but requires concentration. Take care not to accidentally set your wand alight as damage of this kind can be permanent. If in any doubt about your abilities you would do better to buy yourself a magic lantern."

— Miranda Goshawk regarding this charm

The Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) is a charm that illuminates the tip of the caster's wand, allowing the caster to see in the dark. The counter-charm for the spell is the Wand-Extinguishing Charm, (Nox) which is used to extinguish the light from the caster's wand.

History

Despite its apparent simplicity, the Wand-Lighting Charm was not invented until the 18th century. It was first used publicly by its inventor, Levina Monkstanley in the Ministry of Magic in 1772 — to the astonishment of her colleagues — to help her look for a fallen quill in a dusty corner.

However, Garvin Lügner (a German wizard) claimed to have been the one who invented the spell, while he was developing his Instant Darkness Powder. It later transpired that Lügner had been lying about the invention of the charm and that his Instant Darkness Powder did not do too much more than slightly dim the lights.

This spell is taught in first year Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is detailed in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, another unidentified spellbook and the Book of Spells. This spell is also used frequently as Hogwarts student skulk about the castle or the Forbidden Forest, often during the night-time or in dark places.  

Effects

"To illuminate the end of a wand, the caster must call out the incantation "Lumos." If correctly incanted, the end of the wand will then illuminate and cast light in the immediate vicinity of the caster. It can also be used to illuminate unseen entrances."

— The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2

One of the simplest yet most useful light-creation spells, the Wand-Lighting Charm's principal usage is to create a light at the tip of the wand in order to see in the dark. This light is fairly warm, and risks igniting flammable things, including the caster's wand if they are careless. Wandlight is also able to repel ghosts and other spectral foes such as Gytrashes, from which they will flee.

In addition, the Wand-Lighting Charm is able to illuminate and reveal magically hidden architecture such as doorways.

Known uses

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Newt Scamander	September, 1927	Used it to light Yusuf Kama's eye in the Nicolas Flamel's house while he was trying to pull by tweezers a water dragon parasite which weakened Kama.
Tina Goldstein	September, 1927	Used it to light the Records Room in the French Ministry of Magic while searching for box with Credence Barebone's true identity.
Harry Potter	1993	Used it to follow the trail of spiders leading into the Forbidden Forest.
	6 June,1994	Used it to light the passage way leading from Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack.
	30 June, 1997	Used it to light the crystal cave when he and Albus Dumbledore were searching for the Horcrux locket.
	August, 1997	Used it to light the Grimmauld Place while the Trio was hiding after the fall of the British Ministry of Magic.
	September, 1997	Used it in the forest while the Trio was on their hunt for Horcruxes, after infiltrating the British Ministry of Magic.
	24 December, 1997	Used it to light the room in Bathilda Bagshot's house while he and Hermione Granger were searching for the Sword of Gryffindor.
	2 May, 1998	Used it to light the passage way leading to the Shrieking Shack during the Battle of Hogwarts.
	September, 2020	Used it to light the room while talking to Ginny Potter in their home.
Severus Snape	1993	Used it to patroll the Hogwarts corridors at night, during which he caught Harry Potter out of bed, but the pair was interrupted by Remus Lupin. File:Tumblr n54nlhLwsA1rm6p5go9 r1 250.gif
Hermione Granger	6 June, 1994	Used it to light the passage way leading from Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack.
Albus Dumbledore	spring 1995	Used it to light the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest while looking for Bartemius Crouch Senior.
	30 June, 1997	Used it to light the crystal cave when he and Harry Potter were searching for the Horcrux locket.
Nymphadora Tonks	5 August, 1995	Used it when she and other members of the Advance Guard escorted Harry Potter from Surrey to 12 Grimmauld Place.
Ginevra Weasley	31 August, 2020	Used it to light the room while talking to Harry Potter in their home.

Know practitioners

Albus Dumbledore

Arthur Weasley

Cedric Diggory

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

Minerva McGonagall

Nymphadora Tonks

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Filius Flitwick

Quirinus Quirrell

Severus Snape

Ginevra Weasley

Newt Scamander

Porpentina Goldstein

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Garvin Lügner

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Levina Monkstanley

Etymology

The incantation Lumos is derived from the Latin lumen, meaning "light".

Behind the scenes

• This is the only spell whose hand motion stayed the same between Pottermore and Wonderbook.
• It is possible this charm was not affected by The Trace, perhaps because of its simplicity or because it resembled torch light so closely.
• If one listens closely in the third and the sixth films, one can hear a very soft humming sound.
• In the films and video games, there were three variations of this spell.
• On any Android phone (on Lollipop or better), if a user types Lumos in the search bar on the Google app, the torch will turn on. Respectively, Nox turns it off.
• A charity founded by J. K. Rowling is named after this spell

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• 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)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• 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 Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells
• Pottermore (Spells / Duels)
• LEGO Dimensions
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery