Even the most powerful wizard is powerless without the right spell. And there are quite a few in the world of Harry Potter. But which spells are actually the strongest?
What was the ranking based on? Which spell seems particularly powerful at the moment is certainly very situation-dependent. For example, the Bubble-Head Charm can decide life and death when one has to spend a long time underwater. However, it will certainly do little good in a wizard duel.
- Therefore, in this ranking, we have tried to look at the question of “power” as generally as possible.
In Harry Potter, there are also numerous mysteries that were created in one way or another by spells. However, it is often not explained how exactly this happened.
- We therefore limit ourselves here to spells whose incantation is known, or whose execution can explicitly be seen in the books or films.
Warning Spoilers: To explain the ranking, various events from the films and books will be discussed.
10. Expelliarmus
In last place in this ranking is the trademark of Harry Potter himself: the disarming charm Expelliarmus. At first glance, the spell doesn’t seem to make much of an impact. Harry also receives mockery for his frequent use of it.
However, over the years, Harry has proven more than once how useful this little spell can be. After all, disarming the opponent almost always leads to an immediate victory. Because what is a wizard without a wand?
9. Legilimens
The spell Legilimens in conjunction with firm eye contact allows the caster to somewhat read the thoughts and feelings of the other person. This makes the spell a powerful tool in many situations.
Lord Voldemort himself used the spell to keep his Death Eaters under control.
However, with strong willpower, it is possible to protect one’s mind from intruders. Therefore, Legilimens only ranks in ninth place in this ranking.
8. Fidelius Charm
With the complicated Fidelius Charm, it is possible to hide entire buildings from unwanted eyes. Only one person, the so-called Secret Keeper, can make the location findable for others. Other than that, the charm creates the ultimate, untouched, and unreachable hideout.
Overall, the charm is therefore very powerful. However, the need for a Secret Keeper also poses a high security risk. Lily and James Potter painfully experienced this when they were betrayed by their Secret Keeper Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew to Voldemort. Therefore, the charm only ranks eighth.
7. Unbreakable Vow
The Unbreakable Vow is a powerful magical ritual where a binding contract is made between two people. If the vow-taker breaks their promise, it inevitably means their death.
Thus, the spell is not only life-threatening, but it is also an exceedingly powerful means of controlling others. There is also no way to revoke the contract, even if both parties wish to do so.
However, the promise can become void or be circumvented through clever interpretation. The spell’s weakness lies in the exact wording. The vow only relates to the precise phrasing of the promise, any deviations are not considered. Overall, the spell therefore ranks seventh.
6. Obliviate
With the memory charm Obliviate, it is possible to erase specific memories or even the entire identity of a person from their mind. This ability to deprive people of their experienced memories is undoubtedly very powerful.
For example, Gilderoy Lockhart stole fame for the achievements of others and made himself a celebrity.
Even more powerful is the spell in combination with the False Memory Charm, which implants false memories into the victim. However, the exact spell for this is unknown. With both memory spells, for example, the young Voldemort framed his uncle for the murder of his father.
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