Charms

Banishing Charm — "Depulso" • Spells The Banishing Charm sends an object away from the caster; the target object is said to have been Banished. The Banishing Charm is considered to be the reverse spell to the Summoning Charm (GF26). Read More

Barnabas the Barmy • Character Barnabas the Barmy was a wizard who famously tried to teach ballet to trolls but was clubbed for his efforts. Barnabas is depicted on a moving tapestry on seventh floor of Hogwarts which shows his foolish attempt to train trolls for the ballet. The tapestry hangs opposite the entrance to… Read More

Cousin Barny • Character A red-haired Muggle boy whose appearance Harry uses in his “Cousin Barny” role at Bill and Fleur’s wedding (DH8). Read More

Barty Crouch Sr. puts a Memory Charm on Bertha Jorkins • Event Bertha Jorkins comes to her boss’ house with papers for him to sign and overhears Winky speaking to the hidden Barty Crouch Jr. in the kitchen. She hears enough to figure out that Crouch Sr. is hiding his supposedly dead convict son in his home, and confronts the elder Crouch… Read More

Baruffio • Character Baruffio was a wizard who mispronounced a charm and suffered for it (PS10). Lent his name to some patent medicine of dubious value called Baruffio’s Brain Elixir (OP31). Read More

Ali Bashir • Character Ali Bashir was a flying carpet merchant who was very interested in importing flying carpets into Britain. Arthur Weasley wouldn’t allow it, so Ali tried to smuggle carpets in (GF7, GF23). Read More

Basil Horton • Character Basil Horton played for the Falmouth Falcons, a Quidditch team from England, in the 1920s. Along with his Falcons teammate Randolph Keitch, he started the Comet Trading Company in 1929. He and Randolph are also the creators of the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm (QA9). Read More

Baubles • Glossary A shiny ball hung on a Christmas tree as decoration. Read More

Beaters' bats • Quidditch Beaters’ bats, which are also called “clubs”, are enchanted wooden bats used in the game of Quidditch by Beaters. Beaters hit the Bludgers with the bats in an effort to affect their flight (away from fellow team members and/or toward opposing team members). The enchantments are necessary because of… Read More

Beautifying Robes • Clothing A type of magical robe sold at Madam Malkin’s in Diagon Alley (DP1). Read More

Berk • Glossary British slang for idiot… Read More

Bird-Conjuring Charm — "Avis" • Spells The Bird-Conjuring Charm produces a flock of small, twittering birds. Read More

Blagdon Blay • Character

Balfour Blane • Character Balfour Blane was a wizard who established the Committee on Experimental Charms. He appears on a Famous Wizards card (FW). Read More

Timothy Blenkinsop • Character Timothy Blenkinsop is a supporter of the Puddlemere United Quidditch team in the 1990s (DP4). Interviewed by the Daily Prophet, Blenkinsop was 23 at the time of Puddlemere’s 30 September match against the Holyhead Harpies. He was caught in the ensuing riot and still had a tail resulting from… Read More

Blooder • Quidditch Blooder is an early Quidditch term for the “ball” that evolved into the modern Bludger. They were likely to have been flying rocks (QA3, QA6). The term was first used in Goodwin Kneen‘s twelfth century letter to his cousin Olaf in Norway to describe the object that… Read More

Bluebottle • Broomsticks The Bluebottle is a type of broom, aimed at the general transport market rather than for sports or racing use (GF8). It was advertised at the Quidditch World Cup final in 1994 on the blackboard. Marketed as a safe and reliable broom for families, it includes a built-in… Read More

"Riddikulus" • Spells The Boggart Banishing Spell requires the caster to visualize his or her worst fear in an amusing form while reciting the incantation “Riddikulus!” When performed correctly, this forces the boggart to take on an appearance which will inspire the laughter that overwhelms and banishes the creature. Read More

Chadwick Boot • Character Chadwick Boot, spellbook author and one of the founders of Ilvermorney wizarding school, was the elder son of wizard parents who foolishly wandered into the wilds of 17th century America and were killed by a Hidebehind. He and his younger brother Webster were rescued by Isolt Sayre, who taught them… Read More

Gladys Boothby • Character Gladys Boothby created the Moontrimmer racing broom in 1901, but was unable to keep up with commercial demand for it by Quidditch enthusiasts who wanted the broom’s new height-flying features (QA9). Read More

BoS: Book of Spells • Source The Book of Spells is an augmented reality video game product which can only be played on the PlayStation using the Move Controllers. The material for the game was written by Rowling (which makes the content canon). The Book of Spells is a 200-year-old primer used in… Read More

Bowman Wright • Character Bowman Wright was a Metal Charmer and was born in Godric’s Hollow in 1492*. His father was a Muggle and mother a Witch (FW, WoM, DH16). Combining his love of science and sport, Wright invented the Golden Snitch, which immediately replaced the endangered … Read More

Bowman Wright is born (incorrect FW card date) • Event The Famous Wizard card for Bowman Wright lists his birth year as 1492. This is clearly an error, as he is said to have invented the Golden Snitch in the 1300s (three hundred years after Quidditch was invented in the 1000s) (QA4). Read More

Braking charm • Spells The Braking Charm allows a wizarding broom to stop effectively. Read More

BR: Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump • Source “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump” is a wizarding world fairy tale, part of the collection The Tales of Beedle the Bard. In the story, a foolish king decided to claim all magic for himself. He banished all true witches and wizards and hired a charlatan to teach him… Read More

Bridging Charms • Spells Bridging Charms are used to create pathways – over rivers or people… Read More

Broom Compass • Transportation A Broom Compass is a useful broomstick accessory, invaluable for long journeys. Read More

Broom race between bitter rivals from Aberdeen to Rome ends in the destruction of the Colosseum • Event 1754 – Many spectators gathered at the finish line to watch Torquil McTavish of Scotland and Silvio Astolfi Italy race from Aberdeen to the Colosseum in Rome. It is not known who won, but, by the time explosions damaging the Colosseum awoke the Muggles of Rome, Astolfi had been transfigured… Read More

Brooms • Broomsticks Brooms are a magical mode of transportation in the Wizarding World. About Broomsticks A flying broomstick is not simply a “normal” broomstick pressed into service as a mode of transportation. The flying broomstick is a magical item with built-in charms. The earliest known evidence of a broomstick enchanted to fly… Read More

Broomstick Servicing Kit • Broomsticks A Broomstick Servicing Kit is a collection of items to help keep a racing broom in good condition. Kit contents The black leather case includes a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare, a tin of Fleetwood’s High-Finish Handle Polish, a clip-on brass broom compass and Tail-Twig Clippers (PA1). Appearances Hermione… Read More

Bubble-Head Charm • Spells The Bubble-Head Charm encloses the head of the caster with a bubble of breathable air. Read More