Highlights
- Harry Potter has used a few Unforgivable Curses during his time in and out of Hogwarts, including ones that almost killed his rival, Draco Malfoy.
- Most of Harry Potter’s spells come from his later years in Hogwarts, where he attempts to defend himself and his allies from the evils of Voldermort.
Despite Harry Potter being all about magic, Harry himself isn’t seen performing an actual spell until the second book and film. However, it isn’t long before the Boy Who Lived’s true potential comes to light, as by his third year at Hogwarts, he is performing magic with great talent that goes well beyond his years and lack of education in the wizarding world.
Throughout the Harry Potter series, the titular character, Harry Potter himself, is presented as one of the most powerful wizards in the Wizarding World, and one whose skill will only grow through dedication, teachings, and perseverance. Harry masters some of the most complex spells and even indulges in darker forms of magic and unforgivable curses in dire situations. Harry Potter has used some powerful spells during his time at Hogwarts and as one of its prime defenders from the Dark Arts and Voldemort.
5 Crucio (The Cruciatus Curse)
Harry Used Crucio On Amycus Carrow Who Had Just Spat At Professor McGonagall
- First use:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Out of pain and anger, Harry attempted to use the Cruciatus Curse twice before he finally succeeded. This is a dreadfully powerful spell that as evidenced by the tragic story of Neville’s parents, can cause people to completely lose their minds. His first two unsuccessful attempts at inflicting torture upon others, were as a result of the deaths of Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore, with the curse directed at their killers.
In the last book, however, and upon returning to Hogwarts, Harry learned that the new Dark Arts professor and Death Eater, Amycus Carrow, had been forcing his students to use Crucio on fellow children. When Harry later runs into Carrow in the Ravenclaw Tower, and Carrow happens to spit in the face of Professor McGonagall, Harry is finally able to successfully cast Crucio, even slamming the Death Eater into the wall.
4 Expelliarmus (The Disarming Charm)
Harry’s Signature Spell Which Helped Him Take Down Lord Voldemort
- First use:Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Ever since the second book when Professor Snape taught Harry the Disarming spell, Expelliarmus, it quickly became his go-to spell. However, despite being a fairly simple spell that second-years were expected to learn, Harry used it in much more powerful ways.
For example, whenever Harry and Voldemort would engage in duels and their wands would lock due to their shared core, it was always with Expelliarmus. In fact, it was this very spell with which Harry finally took down the Dark Lord. Furthermore, the innate ability to relieve a witch or wizard of their wand can be seen as one of the most powerful and useful spells by itself, as it leaves them unable to use magic.
3 Sectumsempra
Harry Nearly Killed Draco Malfoy With This Dangerous Spell
- First use:Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Despite all his positive qualities, there were numerous times throughout the series when Harry lost his anger. By far the worst example of this and likely the moment he regretted most, was when he used an unknown incantation on Draco Malfoy, almost killing him.
Harry had read about the spell Sectumsempra in the Half-Blood Prince’s potions textbook and knew it was a spell to use on enemies. However, if he had known how powerful it was and how it lacerates the target causing them to possibly bleed to death, Harry surely would not have used it. Unfortunately, this is just one of many dangerous spells in the wizarding world.
2 Expecto Patronus (The Patronus Charm)
Harry Protected Himself & Others From Dementors On Countless Occasions
- First use:Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
In Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, Dementors were stationed around the school grounds in response to the escape of supposed mass murderer Sirius Black. These Dementors were particularly drawn to Harry and, due to the pain in his past, affected him more than others.
In light of this, Professor Lupin decided to try and teach Harry an extremely complex spell that could repel these dark creatures – the Patronus Charm. Despite the spell being well beyond the expected capabilities of a third-year student, Harry eventually succeeded. When the time for heroics came, he produced a truly remarkable Patronus with such power that a whole horde of Dementors was forced back. Throughout the rest of the series, Harry further solidified his use of Expecto Patronus, with it becoming one of his most iconic spells.
1 Imperio (The Imperius Curse)
Harry Forced The Goblins Of Gringotts To Let Them Through
- First use:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
In Dumbledore’s youth, he and his close friend Gellert Grindelwald coined the phrase ‘for the greater good,’ and while Harry disagreed with this, there were a few occasions when Harry resorted to darker forms of magic in order to eventually put a stop to Lord Voldemort.
For example, to gain entry to Gringotts Bank and destroy one of Lord Voldemort’s last remaining Horcruxes, Harry had to use the Imperius Curse on a goblin employee Bogrod, and a Death Eater named Travers. This extremely powerful spell, an Unforgivable Curse, in fact, was used to force these two individuals to do Harry’s bidding, and at the very least not expose the heist.
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