Highlights
- The Disillusionment Charm makes Dumbledore practically invisible with no need for a cloak – a powerful skill.
- The Fidelius Charm was used to protect 12 Grimmauld Place, remaining even after Dumbledore’s death.
- Dumbledore proves his magical prowess by creating a wall of fire to fend off Inferi, a remarkable feat.
Albus Dumbledore is arguably the greatest wizard to ever live, and during his long life, he performed some of the greatest feats of magic. However, Dumbledore was never a POV character in the Harry Potter books, so just like in the movies, it is often unknown exactly what spell he is using. On top of this, he will have performed many great spells during times that are not covered in any of the books or films.
Therefore, this topic will examine the most powerful spells used by Dumbledore, but readers should take into consideration that it is unlikely to scratch the surface of his true strength. Furthermore, Dumbledore was particularly known for his skill at Charms and Transfiguration, and a lot of his most impressive work resulted in the creation of magical artifacts such as his Deluminator. These accomplishments and his work in Potions are not the work of any particular spell, but the result of research, theory, and his ingenuity.
1 The Disillusionment Charm
Dumbledore Didn’t Need An Invisibility Cloak Due To His Skill At This Spell
- First known use:Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Powerful spells don’t always have to be flashy or inherently dangerous, and that is exactly the case with the Disillusionment Charm. Additionally, for most witches and wizards, this charm isn’t that great as it merely allows them to take on the colors of the surrounding world. In other words, a form of camouflage.
However, Dumbledore’s Disillusionment Charm is so strong that it makes him practically invisible, meaning, as he tells Harry, he has no need for an invisibility cloak. The ability to walk around unseen is incredibly powerful, and it is unknown how often Dumbledore made use of it. His only known use is when he surprised Harry at the Mirror of Erised.
2 The Fidelius Charm
Dumbledore Protected The Location Of 12 Grimmauld Place
- First known use: Before the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Fidelius Charm is a complex, multifaceted spell that, for example, can allow a place to be hidden from those who don’t know its location. It is the Charm that was supposed to protect the Potters from Voldemort, but due to the betrayal of Peter Pettigrew, the spell was broken.
While Dumbledore didn’t cast the Fidelius Charm for the Potters, even though the suggestion was his, he did cast it at a later date, on Number 12 Grimmauld Place. With the return of Lord Voldemort, a headquarters was required for the newly reformed Order of the Phoenix, and Sirius’ old house was the perfect location. To stop Death Eaters and other unwanted guests from finding the house and entering it, Dumbledore used the powerful Fidelius Charm, which held out even after his death.
3 The Slowing Charm – Arresto Momentum
Dumbledore Saved Harry From Falling To His Death
- First use:Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Albus Dumbledore has many great quotes and lines in both the books and films, and one of his most powerful deliveries was simply the incantation for the Slowing Charm. Due to a terrible storm and the presence of dementors during the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch game, Harry soon finds himself falling from his broom.
Thankfully, Dumbledore was on hand, and even though he didn’t have his wand out, he was able to cast Arresto Momentum and significantly slow Harry’s descent, saving his life.
4 Transfiguration Of Glass Shards Into Sand
When Voldemort Unleashed A Storm Of Glass Shards, Dumbledore Turned Them Into Sand
- First use:Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Before becoming headmaster, Dumbledore was the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts, and it is arguably this subsection of magic at which he was most proficient. One of Dumbledore’s most powerful uses of Transfiguration, from the films at least, was when Voldemort smashed the glass of the Ministry of Magic’s windows and launched a huge wave of glass shards at Dumbledore and Harry.
Impressively, Dumbledore not only conjured a shield which wouldn’t have been enough by itself, but he also had the smart idea to transform the glass back into the sand it was made from. To transfigure so many small pieces of glass all moving at high speeds is perhaps something only Dumbledore could have achieved.
5 The Firestorm
Dumbledore Surrounding Himself And Harry In A Wall Of Fire To Fend Off Inferi
- First known use:Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Shortly before his death, Dumbledore showed off both his magical prowess and inner strength one last time. Recently debilitated from drinking poison and with deadly reanimated Inferi closing in on him and Harry, Dumbledore rose to the occasion. Inferi fear one thing – fire, and that is exactly what Dumbledore gave them, as he surrounded himself and Harry in a colossal wall of fire that moved with them.
While Dumbledore was almost certainly capable of even stronger feats of magic, the fact that he managed to pull this off in a severely weakened state makes it all the more impressive. He also followed up with the incantation Partis Temporus to allow himself and Harry to pass through the fire unscathed.
Leave a Reply