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.

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A modifier was a word attached to an incantation to alter the effects of the spell that incantation was used in. Most frequently, this was in order to increase the raw power of a spell, however it was also frequently used to make the spell target a specific type of person or object.

Known modifiers

Diabolica

The Diabolica modifier was only known to be used in conjunction with the Shield Charm. Its exact effect was unknown, however Protego Diabolica created a protective ring of black fire that incinerated the caster's enemies whilst leaving their allies unharmed.^[1]

Duo

The Duo modifier could be attached to a spell in order to increase its power and sometimes change the appearance of the spell case. Known Duo spells include:

• Alohomora Duo
• Aqua Eructo Duo
• Arresto Momento Duo
• Confundus Duo
• Flipendo Duo
• Fumos Duo
• Glacius Duo
• Incendio Duo
• Lumos Duo
• Mucus ad Nauseam Duo
• Petrificus Totalus Duo
• Protego Duo
• Stupefy Duo
• Ventus Duo
• Vermillious Duo
• Verdimillious Duo
• Wingardium Leviosa Duo

Homenum

The Homenum modifier appeared to modify a spell to in some way relate to humans, as the Human-presence-revealing Spell, Homenum Revelio, revealed humans in the vicinity and was a modification of the Revealing Charm.^[2]

Horribilis

The Horribilis modifier was only known to be used in conjunction with the Shield Charm. Its exact effect was unknown, however Protego Horribilis, when combined with other spells, could almost completely protect an area from Dark Magic.^[3]

Maxima

The Maxima modifier increased the strength of a spell, possibly to its highest intensity.

• Aguamenti Maxima produced a stronger jet of water than Aguamenti.^[4]
• Bombarda Maxima provoked larger explosions than Bombarda.^[5][6]
• Flipendo Maxima knocked the target further back and with greater force than Flipendo.^[7]
• Glacius Maxima induced more damage than Glacius.^[8]
• Lumos Maxima produced a brighter light than Lumos.^[9][10]
• Protego Maxima produced a stronger shield than Protego.^[11]
• The Snowfall Spell, also known as the Maxima Snowflake-Making Spell, was a stronger variation of the Snowflake-Making Spell which created snowstorms.^[12]

Mortis

The Mortis modifier, when used in conjunction with the Locomotion Charm, created a curse called the Leg-Locker Curse, which caused the target's legs to lock together.^[13][14]

Mucus

The Mucus modifier appeared to cause spells to specifically affect one's mucus, as in the case of the incantation for the Curse of the Bogies, Mucus ad Nauseam^[15] and the spell Mucus Projectum.^[16]

Oculus

The Oculus modifier, when used in conjunction with the Mending Charm, Reparo, caused the spell to specifically repair eyeglasses.^[17][18]

Papyrus

The Papyrus modifier, when conjunction with the Mending Charm, Reparo, caused the spell to specifically repair torn pieces of paper.^[19][20]

Piertotum

The Piertotum modifier, when used in conjunction with the Locomotion Charm, Locomotor, created the Animation Charm, Piertotum Locomotor, which could be used to animate non-living objects.^[3]

Skullus

The Skullus modifier appeared to cause a spell to only affect a target's head, as when combined with the Engorgement Charm, the spell Engorgio Skullus could be used to swell the head of a victim.^[21] Similarly, the spell Mutatio Skullus likely caused the target's head to mutate in some way.^[22]

Solem

The Solem modifier was only known to be used in conjunction with the Wand-Lighting Charm, where it resulted in the Sunlight Charm which could be used to create a blinding flash of sunlight.^[23]

Specialis

The Specialis modifier, when used in conjunction with the Revealing Charm, created a spell which revealed any spells that had been performed on objects or potions.^[24]

Totalum

The Totalum modifier, when applied to the Shield Charm, created a protective enchantment which provided a certain degree of protection for an area.^[25] When applied to the middle of the Snake-Vanishing Spell, it created a spell which banished snakes in a large area.^[26]

Tria

The Tria modifier could be attached to a spell in order to increase its power, more so than could be achieved with Duo, and sometimes change the appearance of the spell cast. Known Tria spells include:

• Flipendo Tria
• Glacius Tria
• Incendio Tria
• Mucus ad Nauseam Tria
• Petrificus Totalus Tria
• Ventus Tria
• Vermillious Tria
• Verdimillious Tria

Virga

The Virga modifier, when used in conjunction with the Revealing Charm, created a spell which revealed any hidden tree branches.^[26]

Wibbly

The Wibbly modifier, when used in conjunction with the Locomotion Charm, created a curse called the Jelly-Legs Curse, which caused the target's legs to collapse.^[27]

Possible modifiers

Lacarnum

The spell belonging to the incantation Lacarnum Inflamari could be used to set clothing on fire.^[17] It may have been a modified version of the Ignition Spell, Inflamare, as Inflamari appears to be a passive counterpart to Inflamare, however Inflamari is not a Latin word whereas Inflamare is, albeit spell differently.^[28]

Muggletum and Inimicum

These were likely modifiers of an unknown repelling charm with the incantation Repello, as the Muggle-Repelling Charm, Repello Muggletum,^[25] and Repello Inimicum both prevented certain people or objects from entering an area.^[11]

Recanto

The incantation for the Counter-curse to Metelojinx is Meteolojinx recanto. It is unknown if this means that Meteolojinx recanto is a modified version of Meteolojinx, or if it's simply following a standard form for counter-curses.^[29]

Totalus

The word Totalus was possibly a modifier as it has the appearance of being a masculine adjective for the neuter adjective Totalum, which is a known modifier. In this case, the Full Body-Bind Curse, Petrificus Totalus, would be a modified spell.^[30]

Known modified spells with unknown incantations

The Frequensting was a curse and modified version of the Stinging Jinx invented by the Death Eater Antoine Grimalkin. It was later refined and improved by Antoine's wife and fellow Death Eater Bedilia Grimalkin after she fled the country following Antoine's capture by Ministry forces.^[31]

Bill Weasley created a modified version of the Cursed barrier. Unlike the regular Cursed Barrier, which prevented anyone without a Dark Mark from passing through, Bill's version prevented anyone with a Dark Mark from passing through.^[32]

Filius Flitwick invented a modified version of the Ebublio Jinx for the House Points Scramble. Unlike the regular Ebublio Jinx, this modified version could be looked out of by the individual trapped inside.^[33] Flitwick also modified the Bubble Spell, which normally produced a harmless stream of bubbles, into a version which produced golden bubbles that exploded, throwing a blinding substance into the eyes of the opponent.^[4]

There existed a mask which had been cursed with a modified version of the Imperius Curse. Anyone who looked into the eyes of the mask would fall under its spell and be unable to resist.^[34] Similarly, there was a bottle which was cursed with a modified version of the Bat-Bogey Hex. Whenever the bottle was opened, a black bat-bogey would chase whoever opened the bottle unless the bottle was recorked.^[34]

Behind the scenes

• Modifiers are much less common in the books than in other media such as in the films.
• The difference between a spell with a modifier and a multi-word incantation hasn't been clearly established. Indeed, it is possible that there is no difference, and all incantations with more than one word have modifiers in them.
  • There is some evidence for this, as more than one modifier can be applied to a spell, as is the case with Mucus ad Nauseam Duo and possibly Petrificus Totalus Duo and Tria.
• It is also possible that modifiers don't need to be an extra word, but merely a variation on the incantation. For instance, the Doubling Charm becomes the modified Gemino Curse by changing the incantation from Geminio to Gemino.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (PS1 and GBC version)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Nonverbally)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) (Nonverbally)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (PS1 and GBC version only)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (GBA and Nintendo DS)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (Cut from final release)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (GBA and NDS versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (NDS version only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Pottermore
• HarryPotter.com
• Harry Potter Official Site
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (Mentioned only)
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Notes and references