Marisol Pryce

The Riddikulus, formally the Boggart-Banishing Spell, is the only known way to defeat a Boggart. It forces the creature to take a shape the … Read more

The taboo on Voldemort’s name was a jinx that turned one specific spoken word into a beacon. How the taboo on Voldemort’s name worked … Read more

A sneakoscope and a secrecy sensor are both Dark Detectors: wizarding devices that react to deception, concealment and Dark magic nearby. The sneakoscope is … Read more

The Extension Charm, usually called the Undetectable Extension Charm and cast with the incantation Capacious Extremis, is a charm that enlarges the internal space … Read more

Spoiler warning: this article discusses the ending of the Harry Potter series, including events from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. If you have … Read more

The Black family tree in Harry Potter is the wizarding world’s central document: one ornate family record at 12 Grimmauld Place that links nearly … Read more

Why did the Malfoys switch sides at the end? They did not defect out of courage or conscience. Draco was ordered to kill Dumbledore … Read more

The Sword of Gryffindor works through two mechanisms, and separating them clears up most of the confusion around it. First, an enchantment makes the … Read more

Short version: how the Chamber of Secrets was opened comes down to Parseltongue, not Slytherin blood. Four people unsealed it in canon — Tom … Read more