Harry Potter's Latin Trivia Quiz

Answer: Arresto Momentum

In "The Deathly Hallows", Hermione uses the spell "Arresto Momentum" to save Ron, Harry and herself from a deadly fall. But it does not mean they remain floating in air: they thump on the ground, without too much harm.

Cicero has two remarks about this spell. First of all, "arresto" is the first person - so "I stop". To use this phrase as a command, one should use the imperative "arreste". Secondly: "momentum" is the force of movement, while the movement itself is called "motus" in pure Latin. So Latin purists such as Cicero would prefer "Arreste Motum".

"Accio" is a shortened form of the true Latin "adducio" which means "I bring to me". Once more, Cicero insists on the use of the imperative "Adduce". Harry uses this spell in "Goblet of Fire" to summon his broomstick.

"Arania Exumai" is Potter's Latin for "Aranea exue", which means "put away the spider". Harry uses this spell in "Chamber of Secrets" to escape from the acromantulas (offspring of Aragog).

"Aguamenti" is short for what Cicero would call "aqua incremente", true Latin for "grow water" or "increase water". Harry uses it in "The Half-Blood Prince" to quench Dumbledore's thirst after he drinks the potion hiding the locket in a secret cave.

Answer: Cave Inimicum

This spell is used by Hermione and by Harry in "The Deathly Hallows" as one of the many protective spells enchanted when they set up their tent.

"Cave Inimicum" is real Latin, but the spell has a slightly different meaning than the true Latin sentence. Literally, "Cave Inimicum" would translate to "Beware of the enemy". Cicero has used a similar saying quite often: "Caveat emptor" means "Let the buyer beware".

"Calvario" is not used in the original books, but in the later stages of the Lego video game based upon Harry's adventures. It causes the subject to lose his hair, and is derived from the Latin "calvus" which means bald. Cicero adds that the correct Latin would be "fi calvus" - "Become bald". To use it on a girl or woman, one should say "fi calva".

"Confundo" is true Latin for "I confuse". If you would like to use a word that does not sound similar to the Latin, you could translate "Confundo" by "I bedazzle". Once more Cicero insists on using the command "confunde". Hermione used "Confundo" at the Quidditch practice in "The Half Blood Prince" to make sure Cormac McLaggen doesn't get a position as Keeper in the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Crucio", the unforgivable curse inflicting agony, is derived from the Latin "crux". Both words have as a minor meaning "torture" ("crucio" for the verb, "crux" for the noun", but the first meaning of "crux" is "cross". The correct phrase according to Cicero would be "tormenta" or "crucifige" - the latter meaning "nail to the cross". It is Barty Crouch Jr. (posing as Alastair Moody) who introduces the students to this and the other Unforgivable Curses - see "Goblet of Fire".

Answer: Densaugeo

This refers to an incident in "Goblet of Fire". After Harry is chosen as a fourth competitor in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Malfoy and his comrades Crabbe and Goyle start a fight with Hermione and Harry. Different spells fly everywhere, and the "Densaugeo" injures Hermione so that she has to be taken to hospital.

"Densaugeo" would be written in two words in true Latin (inasmuch the Romans spaced their words, which they didn't frequently on the inscriptions we find on remnants of ancient buildings). Literally it means "I enlarge the tooth". Of course, Cicero is not fully content with this spell. First of all, its effects are seen on many teeth, so one should use the plural "dentes" instead of the singular "dens". And secondly, once again the spell is used as a command, so it has to use the imperative. Cicero would thus prefer "Dentes Auge" or (to use a more common word for "grow") "Dentes Cresce".

"Descendo" is pure Latin for "I go down" (for example when using the stairs). But the spell is also used to make things break or crumble, so Cicero would prefer in this instance the imperative "Subtere".

"Diffindo" damages the target. Literally it translates to "I split".

"Deletrius" is a spell used to disintegrate something. It comes from "delere", Latin for "delete", and the English word "detritus", "rubble". Cicero would prefer "fac in partes minimas" (make into tiny pieces). Amos Diggory uses this spell to get rid of the Dark Mark after the Quidditch World Cup in "Goblet of Fire".

Answer: Expelliarmus

Harry uses "Expelliarmus" all through the books, movies and video games. The spell is first used by Professor Snape in "Chamber of Secrets", when Professor Lockhart has set up a Duelling Club.

Cicero finds this spell quite amusing. "Expelle" means to remove and "arma" translates to "weapons", so to disarm an enemy Cicero prefers "expelle arma". But in Harry Potter's wizard world, most foes are armed only with a wand, so one could use "Expelle armum" or - more to the point "Expelle bacillum". A "bacillus" in Cicero's Latin is not a germ of disease, but a stick.

"Expecto Patronum" means "I hope for a patron". In Cicero's muggle world a patron was a Roman citizen who protected his clients, especially from judicial misadventures. In Harry's wizard world, a "patronus" is an animal spirit, used to chase away Dementors or to send messages. Harry learns to cast a Patronus charm in "Prisoner of Azkaban".

"Evanesco" translates literally to "I make into nothingness". So it is satisfactory Latin for Cicero.

"Entomorphis" is a spell which isn't really used in the books. It transforms the target for a short period into an insect. Cicero would use the term "fac in forma insecti" (make into the form of an insect) or "fac in forma bestiolae" (a "bestiola" is a little beast, a critter).

Answer: Finite Incantatem

When our three heroes enter the Ministry of Magic in disguise in "The Deathly Hallows", the Death Eater Yaxley demands that Ron fixes a continuous rain shower in Yaxley's office. Here Hermione suggests the use of "Finite Incantatem".
"Finite Incantatem" is an imperative ("Finally", sighs Cicero), but the second word is not pure Latin. The correct word for "what has been enchanted" would be "Incantatum".

The spell means "Put an end to what has been enchanted". Note that the Latin word "cantare" and the English word "chant" both mean "sing", so enchanted is "what has been sung to". Most magic spells demand indeed a singing intonation, unless they are used non-verbally. For an example, look at the movie scene from "The Philosopher's Stone" where Hermione tries to explain to Ron and Harry the correct tone for "Wingardium Leviosa".

"Flagrate" is another imperative, which literally means "strike with fire". The only instance in which we know for sure this spell was used, was in "Deathly Hallows" on the items in the vault Bellatrix Lestrange hired at Gringotts.

"Fianto Duri", used in "The Deathly Hallows" by Professor Flitwick, is derived from the correct Latin sentence "Fiant Duri" - "May they become hard" (said about the stone statues who are ordered to guard Hogwarts castle).

"Fumos" is not used in the Harry Potter books. It creates a smoke screen in some of the video games. Cicero adds that once more, the pure Latin form is a bit longer. One would have to use "Fac fumum" ("Make a smoke cloud") or the plural "Fac Fuma" according to Cicero.

Answer: Incendio

In "Deathly Hallows", our friends have obtained the stolen locket (which really is a Horcrux) from the Ministry of Magic. Harry tries to destroy the locket with every damaging spell he can think of, including "Incendio". But to no avail: in the movie we see a few flames licking at the locket and getting immediately extinguished.

Cicero once again jumps on his high horse. As a Latin purist, he feels that one has to use the imperative "Incende" instead of the first person.

"Imperio", one of the unforgivable curses, eliminates the free will of the targeted person (or animal) and puts the target under the direct control of the spell caster. According to Cicero, it should be pronounced "Impera" (the imperative).

"Immobulus" makes somebody stop all movement. According to Cicero, you should use "Fac Immobilis" (the -us ending does not apply to this Latin word). Hermione uses this spell on a couple of Cornish Pixies in "Chamber of Secrets".

"Impedimenta" literally means "Obstacles". According to Cicero, you should yell "Pone Impedimenta" where "ponere" means "to put, to set up".

Answer: Lumos Maxima

In "Chamber of Secrets", Harry tries "Lumos Maxima" to get enough light in order to read his new school books - much to the displeasure of Vernon Dursley. "Lumos" is the standard spell to make light from the tip of your wand. "Lumos Maxima" modifies this spell in increasing the intensity of the light, but it takes so much more power the effect is only short-lived.

Cicero is not content with these spells: the word "Lumos" is not Latin at all. To indicate light, a true Roman would use either "lux" or "lumen". And to produce light, you have to say "let there be light" - not simply "light", for this could also mean (for instance) "it is already light". In Cicero's language the spell would thus be "Fiat Lux Maxima" or "Fiat Lumen Maximum" ("lux" is feminine, while "lumen" is neutral).

"Levicorpus" is used to lift someone by the ankles. Cicero insists the correct spelling is "leva corpus", and to be complete you could add "talo". "Leva corpus talo" means "lift the body by the ankle".

"Locomotor Mortis" is not a variation on the "Locomotor" spell, but contradicts it to some degree. "Locomotor" has the effect of lifting something and moving it around. Cicero would use "Loco moveto" which means "be moved from that place". But "Locomotor Mortis" locks movement. The addition "Mortis" is true Latin for "of death".

"Lapifors" is not in the books, but only in some of the video games. It turns the subject into a rabbit or a hare. Cicero would prefer "Fac Sicut Lepus" ("Make as a Hare").

Answer: Oculus Reparo

When Hermione first meets Harry on the Hogwarts Express ("Philosopher's Stone"), she notices a crack in one of Harry's glasses and she mends it with this spell. This is the use in the movies, while in the books it is Arthur Weasley who uses this spell in "Chamber of Secrets".

Cicero of course doesn't know the thing Harry wears on his nose, the glasses were only invented several centuries later. As I explain these are "glasses" meant to correct sight problems, Cicero insists the correct spell should be "Vitrum repare". According to Cicero, "Oculum repare" would heal a wounded eye.

The spell "Obliviate" is derived from the Latin "oblivium", forgetfulness. Cicero would use "Mitte in oblivio". Hermione uses this spell on her parents with the hope they will take refuge in Australia in "Deathly Hallows". The movie adds the detail that Hermione also disappears from the family photos.

The spell "Oppugno" is pure Latin for "I attack". When used as a command, Cicero insists it should be "Oppugne". After the Yule Ball in "Goblet of Fire", Hermione conjures some birds and then, when Ron turns up and sneers at her, she sends the birds on to him with the spell "Oppugno".

"Orchideous" is derived from the Latin word for orchid (the flowers). However, the Latin word orchid in turn stems from the Greek word "orchis" and has a totally different meaning: one of a pair of typical boy's body parts which we will not discuss with children.

Answer: Protego Horribilis

If you've read the question carefully, you will certainly have recognised the words "Protego" (Latin for "I protect") and "horribilis" (Latin for something that's horrible). So you've found the correct spell. Professor Flitwick uses this spell in "The Deathly Hallows" to reinforce Hogwarts castle before the final battle with Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Oh no, Cicero once more is nagging me. First of all he insists I should use the imperative "Protege" instead of the first person. And secondly he states that the second word should be in the ablative (sixth declension), so either "horribili" (singular) or, perhaps more to the point, "horribilibus" (plural).

"Periculum" is the Latin for "Danger" and sends red sparks up in the air as a signal of distress. Cicero would use either "Vide periculum" ("I see danger") or "Sum in periculo" ("I am in danger"). The contestants in "Goblet of Fire" can use this spell in the final challenge when they are forced to give up.

"Partis Temporus" creates a temporary gap in protective magical barriers. Dulmbleodre once uses this spell when escaping from a number of Inferi (see "The Half-Blood Prince"). Cicero would use "Parti tempore" ("Part for a while").

"Petrificus Totalis" paralyses the targeted subject. Hermione uses this one on Neville in "Philosopher's Stone" as Neville stands in their way when they're off to steal the stone. Although this spell sounds Latin for "make totally of stone", Cicero objects once more. First of all, "petros" is Greek for rock or stone, Latin is "saxum" (although after Cicero's time, Romans did use "petra" too). Secondly, the grammar is wrong. A correct Latin sentence would be "Fac totus sicut saxum" or "Fac totus sicut petra". You could inverse the word order a bit, so you could come up with "Sicut petra fac totus" - the correct Latin sentence that comes closest to the spell.

Answer: Sectumsempra

In "The Half-Blood Prince", Harry stumbles upon a used school book on making potions. The previous owner has scribbled in the margin several remarks, including the observation "Sectumsempra - for foes". When Harry has (once more) an argument with Draco Malfoy, he uses "Sectumsempra" before Draco can utter "Crucio". So Harry finds out the really cruel nature of this spell. When Harry, at the end of the book, tries to use it on Snape, Snape admits he invented this spell.

"Sectumsempra" is derived from the Latin words "sectum" ("a cut") and "semper" ("always"). Taken literally, this spell would inflict one eternal cut, but this is not quite the case. The counter spell is "Vulnera sanentur" , Latin for "the wounds are healed". Cicero is nagging yet again. To provoke multiple cuts, one should use (according to Cicero) "Percute multis sectis". The healing spell would be (according to Cicero) "Vulnera saneantur".

"Sonorus" amplifies the human voice. According to Cicero, the correct Latin phrase would be "Fac sonorus" ("Make well sounding") or, even better, "Auge sonoris magnitudo" ("Turn up the volume of my speech"). Ludo Bagman, the arbiter at the Triwizard Tournament in "Goblet of Fire" uses this to announce every task.

"Specialis Revelio" would show anything out of the ordinary. Cicero would like to use "Specialem Revela". Snape uses this spell to little avail on the Marauder's Map in "Prisoner of Azkaban".

"Serpensortia" provokes a snake into leaping out of the tip of your wand. It is derived from the Latin word "serpens" ("snake") and the French word "sortir" ("to come out"). Cicero would use "Serpens evade". Draco Malfoy uses "Serpensortia" in the Duelling club installed in "Chamber of Secrets", and that's how all of Hogwarts find out Harry is a Parseltongue.