======Colour-Change Charm====== =====Spell Information===== * **Incantation:** //Colovaria// (This incantation is not stated in the novels and originates from video game adaptations). * **Pronunciation:** kohl-oh-VAR-ee-ah * **Wand Movement:** Unknown. * **Light:** Unknown. * **Effect:** Causes an object or creature to change colour. * **Type:** [[Charm]] =====History and Known Uses===== The Colour-Change [[Charm]] is a standard piece of magic taught in the [[Charms]] curriculum at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. Its primary function is to alter the hue of the target. The charm is most notably featured as a component of the practical [[Charms]] examination for the [[Ordinary Wizarding Level]] (O.W.L.) exams. During his O.W.L. in 1996, [[Harry Potter]] was required to use this [[spell]] to turn a [[rat]] orange. He performed the [[Charm]] successfully, earning a tick of approval from the examiner, [[Professor Tofty]]. Prior to the exam, [[Hermione Granger]] mentioned practicing the [[spell]], noting that she had made an orange turn blue and that it hadn't been a very difficult [[spell]] to master. By the [[Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test]] (N.E.W.T.) level, students are expected to perform more advanced versions of this [[magic]]. In their sixth-year [[Charms]] class with [[Professor Flitwick]], students practiced non-verbal spellcasting, and [[Hermione Granger]] successfully performed a non-verbal Colour-Change [[Charm]] on a leaf, earning praise from her teacher. =====Learning and Counter-Spells===== The verbal version of the Colour-Change [[Charm]] is considered standard curriculum for fifth-year students preparing for their O.W.L.s, suggesting it is of average difficulty. The ability to perform the [[spell]] non-verbally is a mark of a more advanced and skillful wizard, as practiced in N.E.W.T.-level classes. While no specific counter-spell is mentioned in the novels, it is likely that the effects can be reversed by a general-purpose counter-spell such as the [[General Counter-Spell]] ([[Finite Incantatem]]). =====Etymology===== The incantation //Colovaria//, used in the video games, is a portmanteau derived from Latin. It likely combines the Latin word //color//, meaning "colour," with //variare//, meaning "to change" or "to vary." The incantation can thus be literally translated as "to change colour." =====Behind the Scenes===== * The incantation //Colovaria// is never used in the original seven novels and originates from the //Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets// (PC) and //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix// video games (video game). * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, [[Harry Potter]] is shown successfully turning a [[rat]] orange during his O.W.L. montage. However, he performs the [[spell]] non-verbally, which contrasts with the books where verbal incantations are standard for O.W.L.-level examinations (film).