10 Best Spells Cast by Harry Potter, Ranked

The Harry Potter franchise introduces many spells over eight films, each with its own unique qualities, but no one masters them quite like the titular character (Daniel Radcliffe). Despite being raised by Muggles without any idea he’s a wizard, Harry quickly proves his cleverness and intelligence through his spellcasting in his first year at Hogwarts. As he’s continually tested and put in mortal danger year after year, Harry’s aptitude for advanced magic grows until he has a pretty impressive arsenal of spells at his disposal. Eventually, it helps make him, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) unbeatable in their fight against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).

Throughout the series, Harry keeps his moral standards intact by using spells that don’t gravely injure or kill anyone, not even Death Eaters or the Dark Lord himself. Being the Chosen One ensures that Harry learns and masters some of the most difficult spells at an abnormally young age, but he never forgets the tried and true charms that every witch and wizard relies on. Harry is a great wizard with immense, natural power, but he never shows off his abilities with amazing displays of unbeatable magic. He doesn’t need to. Every spell he uses is chosen carefully, even as he’s stressed or in danger, and he gets it right every time. However, only certain spells define Harry as a wizard.

10

Accio

The Summoning Charm

Harry uses the summoning charm Accio many times throughout the film series. He uses it extensively in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, most notably when summoning his Firebolt during the Triwizard Tournament’s first task against the dragons. Later, after battling Voldemort in the graveyard, Harry uses the spell to summon the Triwizard Cup, which had been turned into a Portkey. Later, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry uses Accio to find the Essence of Dittany in Hermione’s bag quickly and while trying to locate Salazar Slytherin’s locket in Dolores Umbridge’s (Imelda Staunton) office.

Throughout the series, Harry seems to like Accio’s efficiency. It’s the first spell he attempts when trying to find something. Even when he’s looking for something heavily protected by magic that won’t come with the simple spell, he always rules it out first. Despite its simpleness, Accio is one of Harry’s most used spells, whether the item comes to him or not.

9

Ascendio

The Ascension Charm

Ascendio, the ascending charm, only appears in the films, most notably in Goblet of Fire. During the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, after Harry rescues Ron and Fleur’s (Clémence Poésy) sister, Gabrielle Delecour (Angelica Mandy), Grindylows attack them as the effects of Harry’s underwater breathing apparatus, Gillyweed, wear off. Losing air quickly, Harry uses Ascendio to shoot him out of the Black Lake.

Ascendio seems to pop up in the series exactly when Harry needs it. Putting that aside, it’s still pretty impressive that he thinks of the rarely used but extremely handy charm as he quickly loses air when being dragged down by Grindylows. Thinking quickly on his feet like this shows Harry’s fight or flight response. Recalling a mostly unused spell while under pressure and in danger, shows that Harry is in the fight category.

8

Stupefy

The Stunning Charm

Every witch and wizard has Stupefy, the stunning charm, in their defensive spell arsenal, and Harry is no different. Stupefy is one of the spells he teaches Dumbledore’s Army, and he uses it several times throughout the series. In Deathly Hallows: Part 1, he uses the charm while battling two Death Eaters in a café in London. Then, in the Ministry of Magic, he stuns Umbridge once he realizes she has Salazar Slytherin’s locket. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry uses the spell against a Death Eater during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Harry is never afraid to use Stupefy when dealing with a foe. Like Expelliarmus, the disarming spell, Stupefy allows him to attack his opponent without killing them, which Harry isn’t capable of due to his firmly intact moral compass. Harry learns Stupefy early in his school days at Hogwarts as he’s in danger from the start of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. After using Stupefy for years, though, it’s impressive that Harry can even aim the spell at a flying Death Eater.

7

Dissendium

The One-Eyed Witch Spell

In J.K. Rowling‘s series, Dissendium is a spell that opens a secret passageway behind the statue of a one-eyed witch at Hogwarts that leads to Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. Harry learns of the passageway from Fred and George Weasley (James and Oliver Phelps) after they give him the Marauder’s Map in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. However, they don’t mention the spell. Still, Harry does use Dissendium on screen, just way later in Deathly Hallows: Part 1. When Harry and Hermione try destroying Salazar Slytherin’s locket, Dissendium is the first spell he uses to get it to open. It doesn’t work because the locket is a Horcrux and can only be destroyed by something impregnated with Basilisk venom.

Dissendium seems to be used as an overall opening charm in the film series. However, since it’s not used to open the open-eyed witch passageway, viewers of the film would mistake it for another destroying spell like Reductor or Incendio. Regardless, Harry uses Dissendium with confidence and expertise, even though it doesn’t work in opening the locket. It’s one of the more useful spells he has under his belt.

6

Sectumsempra

The Lacerating Curse

Sectumsempra is a spell Harry discovers inked into his old Advanced Potion Making textbook by a wizard who dubs himself the “Half-Blood Prince.” Although he’s curious about what the spell does, he doesn’t try using it until he confronts Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) about hexing Katie Bell (Georgina Leonidas). After aiming the spell at Draco, Harry discovers Sectumsempra is a lacerating curse and would’ve been deadly without Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) reversing its effects. Harry is so shocked and disturbed by the spell that he hides his textbook in the Room of Requirement, effectively banishing the book tainted with dark magic. Harry later learns that Snape is the Half-Blood Prince and that he created Sectumsempra​​​​​​.

Using Sectumsempra teaches Harry not to trust anything inked into a book he finds lying around Hogwarts… again. You never know what dark magic could be lurking around forgotten items. Harry is famous for using simple spells effectively for defensive purposes. None of them mortally injure anyone. Seeing Sectumsempra’s effects only reaffirms Harry’s stance on never using dark magic for anything, even if it is to protect himself. It makes him feel terrible.

5

Rictusempra

The Disarming Charm

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is chosen by Professor Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh) to demonstrate some disarming spells during the Dueling Club. After Snape chooses Draco as Harry’s opponent, the pair begin dueling. First, Draco hits Harry with Everte Statum, a charm that causes one’s opponent to fly back several feet. When Harry gets back on his feet, he lets out Rictusempra, which also sends Draco flipping backward several times in the air. However, in the books, Rictusempra is known as the Tickling Charm, where spellcasters send their targets into uncontrollable laughter.

True purpose aside, Rictusempra is a pretty impressive spell for a second-year student. Harry undoubtedly impresses his classmates by even knowing the charm. The Dueling Club gives Harry his first and only chance at fighting Draco without getting in trouble, so he has to pick his spells wisely while showing everyone his magical fighting abilities. He would’ve won if Draco hadn’t summoned a snake.

4

Reducto

The Reductor Curse

A witch or wizard can use many different blasting charms when defending themselves. However, there’s something so classic about Reducto. In Goblet of Fire, during the third Triwizard Tournament task in the maze, Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) gets caught in the vines. Harry rescues him by using the blast charm to free him. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry teaches Reducto to Dumbledore’s Army. Later, in Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry uses it, among other blasting charms, while attempting to destroy Salazar Slytherin’s locket with Ron and Hermione.

Harry uses Reducto almost as much as Stupefy, even as he and his friends continue to learn other, more impressive spells. Still, he knows when to use the spell and when to use another, even heavier charm instead. Reducto is a classic blasting spell that Harry never forgets, especially since Ginny (Bonnie Wright) is also pretty good at it.

3

Arania Exumai

The Spider Repellent Charm

In Chamber of Secrets, Harry and Ron follow the spiders, as Hagrid says, but it gets them in deep trouble. They meet Aragog, Hagrid’s former pet Acromantula, who lives in the Forbidden Forest, and discover he’s not the monster that killed a girl when the Chamber was first opened. Aragog divulges some interesting details but ensures that Harry and Ron won’t exactly live to tell the tale as he unleashes his thousands of children on them to feast. Without Hermione’s skillful spellcasting, the pair are left to protect themselves, but at least Harry knows one spell that might help minimally: Arania Exumai.

Riddle aims the spell, which blasts away Acromantulas or other large spiders, but misses Aragog, allowing him to scurry away.

Harry learns the spell, another cinematic creation, from Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson), who uses it to blast away Aragog whilst framing Hagrid for opening the Chamber. Riddle aims the spell, which blasts away Acromantulas or other large spiders, but misses Aragog, allowing him to scurry away. Using Arania Exumai on a thousand spiders doesn’t exactly work either. Still, it points to Harry for remembering the spell from the journal’s vision and being proactive in a dire situation instead of reactive like Ron. This is one of the best examples of Harry thinking on his feet with his spellcasting.

2

Expecto Patronum

The Patronus Charm

Harry masters many impressive spells throughout the series and keeps a firm catalog of his favorites in his head for when he needs them. However, none can hold a candle to his incredibly powerful Patronus Charm. He first learns the advanced piece of magic in Prisoner of Azkaban once Professor Lupin (David Thewlis) agrees to teach him how to protect himself against Dementors. Mastering the spell, which works as a positive force or a shield, is difficult as the spellcaster has to focus on a powerful memory, the happiest, and let it fill them up. However, Harry masters it within his first lesson. On only his second attempt, Harry produces a Patronus so good that it shocks Lupin. Later, having gone back in time with Hermione, Harry casts a full-body Patronus while saving his past self and Sirius (Gary Oldman). Both he and Hermione are stunned that he conjured it.

Harry’s Patronus is one of his most iconic spells, and he has a connection with it unlike any other. Having more horrible memories than his classmates combined, Harry should struggle to conjure up a spell that needs a powerful, happy memory to grow. Instead, out of all the darkness, Harry possesses a happy memory strong enough to help produce one of the most powerful Patronus Charms ever. Because of this, no one else deserves to teach the charm to Dumbledore’s Army more than Harry.

1

Expelliarmus

The Disarming Charm

Expelliarmus, the Disarming Charm, is Harry’s signature spell and, therefore, his most famous. Harry and his friends first learn of it in Chamber of Secrets when Snape uses it against Lockhart during the Dueling Club. After that, Harry uses it to disarm Snape and Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall) in Prisoner of Azkaban. In Goblet of Fire, Harry uses Expelliarmus while dueling Voldemort in the graveyard. The disarming spell collides with Voldemort’s Killing Curse, which results in Priori Incantatem, allowing Harry to escape. Then, Harry uses it again during his final battle with Voldemort. This time, Expelliarmus wins, rebounding the Dark Lord’s Avada Kedavra because the Elder Wand recognizes Harry as its master through the spell connection.

With his moral compass firmly in place, Harry consistently chooses a defensive spell that knocks out his opponent’s source of magic as his best option.

In the books, Lupin warns Harry not to continue making Expelliarmus his signature move because repeatedly using it as his primary defense makes him predictable to his opponents. However, this is never discussed in the films. Instead, Harry uses the spell continuously and successfully, especially in his final duel with Voldemort. Without any explanation, it’s clear why Harry chooses the charm as his signature. With his moral compass firmly in place, Harry consistently chooses a defensive spell that knocks out his opponent’s source of magic as his best option. Everyone he faces receives the brunt of his powerful, disarming spell, even Voldemort. Using Expelliarmus also says a lot; Harry sticks with one of the simplest spells instead of one of the many impressive charms he has mastered over the years. He doesn’t fuss about overcomplicated fancy spells but favors a classic instead.

NEXT: ‘Harry Potter’ Movies Ranked by Best Use of Magic