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 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[src]
The Wand-Lighting Charm[1] (Lumos)[2] 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.[1]
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.[2]
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.[2]
This spell is taught in first year Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry[3][4] and is detailed in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection,[1] another unidentified spellbook[3] and the Book of Spells.[2] 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.[5]
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."
- — Miranda Goshawk, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, Chapter 3 (Lighting Your Wand)[src]
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 enough.[2]
Wand light 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.[3][6]
While the caster must own a wand in order to perform the charm, they do not actually have to be holding it in order to illuminate it. Indeed, if the caster performs the charm without holding their wand, their wand will light up even if it is some distance away.[7]
When the charm was used in The Cave, the illuminated area was less-than-expected, as the darkness within seemed to be denser than normal.[8]
There are three known variations of this charm: Lumos Solem,[9] Lumos Duo[10] and Lumos Maxima.[11]
Known uses
Caster(s) | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|
Newton Scamander | September, 1927 | Used it to light Yusuf Kama's eye in Nicolas Flamel's house while he was trying to pull out, by tweezers, a water dragon parasite which weakened Kama.[12] |
Porpentina Goldstein | Used it to light the Records Room in the French Ministry of Magic while searching for a box with Credence Barebone's true identity.[12] | |
Harry Potter | 24 May, 1993 | Used it to light the trail of spiders in the Forbidden Forest.[13] |
29 May, 1993 | Used it to light the tunnels leading to the Chamber of Secrets.[14] | |
6 August, 1993 | Used it to light the Magnolia Crescent when he spotted Sirius Black in his Animagus form.[15] | |
December, 1993 | Used it to light the passage way leading from the statue of the hump-backed witch to Honeydukes.[16] | |
6 June, 1994 | Used it to light the passage way leading from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack.[17] | |
24 February, 1995 | Used it to light the Hogwarts Library to seek books about how to survive under water, a few hours before the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[18] | |
24 June, 1995 | Used it to light the path in maze during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[19] | |
2 August, 1995 | Used it wandlessly to light the Magnolia Crescent when he and Dudley Dursley were attacked by two Dementors.[7] | |
30 May, 1996 | Used it to light the Forbidden Forest when he and Hermione Granger followed Rubeus Hagrid to meet Grawp.[20] | |
30 June, 1997 | Used it to light the Crystal cave during the search for the Horcrux locket.[8] | |
2 August, 1997 | Used it to light the stairs in 12 Grimmauld Place while hiding after the attack at the Burrow and the Luchino Caffe duel.[21] | |
September, 1997 | Used it to examine the Marauder's Map whilst staying in Perkins's tent camping out in the English wilderness, whilst hunting for Horcruxes.[22] | |
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.[23] | |
28 December, 1997 | Used it to light the Forest of Dean while following the silver doe sent by Severus Snape.[24] | |
1 May, 1998 | Used it to light the Lestrange Vault to search for the Horcrux cup during the break-in.[25] | |
2 May, 1998 | Used it to light the Forbidden Forest in order to use the Resurrection Stone.[26] | |
September, 2020 | Used it to light the room while talking to Ginny Potter in their home.[27] | |
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.[11] |
Hermione Granger | 6 June, 1994 | Used it to light the passage way leading from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Used it when trying to gain entry to the upstairs of the Shrieking Shack.[17] |
25 August, 1994 | Used it to light the forest in Dartmoor while hiding from the Death Eaters after 422nd Quidditch World Cup final.[28] | |
30 May, 1996 | Used it to light the Forbidden Forest when she and Harry Potter followed Rubeus Hagrid to meet Grawp.[20] | |
1 May, 1998 | Used it nonverbally to light the Lestrange Vault during the break-in to search for the Horcrux cup.[25] | |
Ron Weasley | February, 1994 | Used it to light the tree, where he and Harry Potter spotted Crookshanks.[29] |
25 August, 1994 | Used it to light the forest in Dartmoor while hiding from the Death Eaters after 422nd Quidditch World Cup final.[28] | |
1 May, 1998 | Used it nonverbally to light the Lestrange Vault during the break-in to search for the Horcrux cup.[25] | |
Albus Dumbledore | 24 May, 1995 | Used it to light the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest while looking for Bartemius Crouch Snr.[30] |
12 July, 1996 | Used it to light the room in the wrecked house in Buddleigh Babberton in which Horace Slughorn was hiding.[31] | |
13 July, 1996 | Used it nonverbally to light the run-down stone outhouse near The Burrow, where the Weasleys kept their broomsticks, to talk with Harry Potter.[31] | |
30 June, 1997 | Used it to light the Crystal cave when he and Harry Potter were searching for the Horcrux locket.[8] | |
Cedric Diggory | 24 June, 1995 | Used it to light the path in maze during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.[19] |
Peter Pettigrew | 24 June, 1995 | Used it to light his wand in the dark Little Hangleton graveyard.[32] |
Minerva McGonagall | 18 December, 1995 | Used it to help illuminate her dark surroundings as she escorted Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley to Albus Dumbledore's office at night, following Harry's vision of the Attack on Arthur Weasley.[33] |
Nymphadora Tonks | 5 August, 1995 | Used it to light the stairs in 4 Privet Drive, when she and other members of the Advance Guard escorted Harry Potter from Surrey to 12 Grimmauld Place.[34] |
Ginny Weasley | 31 August, 2020 | Used it to light the room while talking to Harry Potter in their home.[27] |
Known practitioners
Etymology
The incantation Lumos is derived from the Latin word lumen, meaning "light".
Behind the scenes
- This is the only spell whose hand motion stayed the same between Pottermore and Wonderbook: Book of Spells.
- 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 when the spell is cast.
- 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, the Wand-Extinguishing Charm 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)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First 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)
- 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: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- Fantastic Beasts: The 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
- LEGO Dimensions
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pottermore
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Wonderbook: Book of Spells - see this video
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 1 (Dudley Demented)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 26 (The Cave)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 15 (Aragog)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16 (The Chamber of Secrets)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 3 (The Knight Bus)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 10 (The Marauder's Map)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 17 (Cat, Rat and Dog)
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 26 (The Second Task)
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 30 (Grawp)
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 10 (Kreacher's Tale)
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 16 (Godric's Hollow)
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 17 (Bathilda's Secret)
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 19 (The Silver Doe)
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 34 (The Forest Again)
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 9 (The Dark Mark)
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 13 (Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw)
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 28 (The Madness of Mr Crouch)
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 4 (Horace Slughorn)
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 32 (Flesh, Blood and Bone)
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3 (The Advance Guard)
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)