From the very first instalment of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series casts its spell on fans. With each new addition, more spells are revealed, each with its individual and fascinating effects. From deadly spells like Avada Kedavra to household spells like Scourgify and Tergeo, every incantation adds its own piece of magic to the greater puzzle that makes up the Wizarding World.
The Fantastic Beasts movies continue the story and make extra additions. The movies have occasionally been the target of great criticism, with The Crimes of Grindelwald receiving an unfortunate reaction. Even so, the contributions they bring to the Harry Potter universe are worth noting, and many of them include fascinating new spells.
10 Finestra Shatters Glass With Very Little Noise
Newt Scamander is notorious for his love for magical animals. His iconic case contains a whole magical ecosystem of creatures. During the first instalment of Fantastic Beasts, he finds himself in numerous mishaps when the creatures escape.
Throughout his adventure, Newt sees his infamous niffler inside the Voclain & Co. jewelry store in New York. He uses the spell Finestra to shatter the front store window noiselessly, in order to recapture the escaped animal. The word means window in Italian, Catalan, and Sicilian, though it may also be a reference to the Latin and Italian word for 'end'.
9 Nebulus Creates Heavy Fog To Conceal The Caster’s Presence
In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore sets up a meeting in London with Newt Scamander. In order to conceal their presence and ensure their privacy, he casts the spell Nebulus, which creates a heavy fog over London.
The spell may also be the incantation used by the Ministry of Magic to create a fog that would hide specific areas from Muggles. It originates from the Latin word ‘nebula’ which means cloud, fog, or vapor.
8 Surgito Is A Counter-Charm That Can Remove Powerful Enchantments
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them features the unexpected relationship between the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski and witch Queen Goldstein. During the ending of Where To Find Them, Jacob seems to lose his memories of Queenie. Between the two instalments though, he recovers them. Their relationship goes rapidly south.
Queenie wishes for them to get married, but Rappaport’s Law forbids such close connections between the magical population and the No-Maj. Queenie ends up casting a powerful love spell on him. Newt removes the enchantment using the counter-charm Surgito. Queenie isn't happy and her anger eventually leads to her joining Grindelwald.
7 Papyrus Reparo Can Be Used To Fix Torn Pieces Of Paper
During Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, Newt Scamander finds himself tracking down the missing Tina Goldstein. His first clue comes in the form of a ripped postcard Tina sent to her sister Queenie from Paris. He uses Papyrus Reparo to fix the postcard and find out Tina’s whereabouts. The spell is a variant of the Mending Charm Reparo, with ‘papyrus’ being a reference to one of the oldest forms of paper in history.
6 Appare Vestigium Helps Newt Find The Missing Tina's Footprints
In his search for Tina, Newt makes his way to Paris. After casting Confundus on a Muggle guard and sneaking into the Place Cachée, Newt casts the spell Appare Vestigium. The spell manifests in the form of a wave of gold dust. It is used to track down forms of magical activity in an area, including footprints.
It finds several new clues for Newt. It revealed the presence of the magical creatures of the Circus Arcanum in Paris, as well as confirming Tina’s presence in the Place Cachée. The incantation is Latin in orgin, coming from the verb ‘appareo’ (to appear) and the noun ‘vestigium’ (footprints).
5 Avenseguim Turns An Object Into A Tracking Device
With the aid of the spell and that of his trusted niffler, Newt manages to find a single feather from Yusuf Kama’s hat. He casts the spell Avenseguim on the feather, turning it into a tracking device. The incantation Avenseguim appears to be a combination of the Latin word 'avens' (eager or craving) and the Spanish verb 'seguir' (to follow).
Using the feather, he finally finds Yusuf and confronts him about Tina. Yusuf agrees to take Newt to Tina. In the end, he attacks and incapacitates both him and Jacob Kowalski, locking him up with the captive Tina.
4 Circumrota Can Be Used To Rotate Objects
Tina and the Goldsteins aren’t the only ones who have an eventful journey in The Crimes Of Grindlewald. Leta Lestrange learns of the suspicion that Credence Barebone may be her step-brother. She seeks out the family box in the Records Room at the French Ministry of Magic.
Newt and Tina are hiding there when she arrives. She uses the spell Circumrota to rotate a record tower and reveal their hiding spot. The spell originates from the Latin word ‘circumrotare’ (to rotate, turn into a circle).
3 Reverte Returns Objects To Their Previous State
The incident in the Record Room quickly becomes very dangerous when the archivist Melusine discovers Newt and Tina’s presence as well. She sends matagots to capture the intruders. Leta uses the spell Reverte on the record towers, which she had originally summoned, to move them back to their previous position and help the trio escape. The incantation comes from the Latin word revertere (to turn back).
2 Oscausi Is A Dark Charm That Can Seal Someone’s Mouth Shut
Leta Lestrange has an incredibly painful history in The Crimes Of Grindelwald. During her Hogwarts years, she suffered from heavy bullying. There were rumors of her being an unwanted child and the death of her half-brother. While hearing a Gryffindor talking behind her back, the young Leta casts the dark charm Oscausi.
The spell seals the victim’s mouth shut, making it look like it was never there. Minerva McGonagall undoes the effects, only to recast it again after the student keeps complaining about Leta.
1 Protego Diabolica Eliminates The Caster’s Enemies While Leaving Allies Unharmed
During the climax of The Crimes Of Grindelwald, Newt and his companions find the dark wizard in the Lestrange Mausoleum. Using the Elder Wand, Gellert casts the spell Protego Diabolica. An incredibly powerful dark charm, the spell manifests as a circle of black fire around the caster. Gellert’s allies are able to harmlessly pass through it, but his foes are burnt to ash. Leta Lestrange is one notable victim.
Gellert turns the spell into an offensive weapon. The fire becomes so powerful it manifests as a winged creature. As destructive as Fiendfyre, it is only contained through the combined efforts of Newt, Theseus, Tina, Yusuf Kama, and Nicolas Flamel. It's notable that in the movie, the spell's flames are blue instead of black, possibly because it's more visually striking.