======Lifting Charm======
=====Spell Information=====
  * **Incantation:** Unknown
  * **Pronunciation:** Unknown
  * **Wand Movement:** Unknown
  * **Light:** Unknown
  * **Effect:** Lifts an object a few inches from the ground.
  * **Type:** [[Charm]]
=====History and Known Uses=====
The Lifting Charm is mentioned by name only once in the original series. In November 1994, [[Hermione Granger]] attempted to learn this spell in the [[Gryffindor]] common room in the weeks leading up to the First Task of the [[Triwizard Tournament]]. Her goal was to find a simple but effective spell that [[Harry Potter]] could use against the [[dragon]] he was scheduled to face.
She theorised that a simple Lifting Charm might be sufficient to lift [[Harry]]'s [[Firebolt]] broomstick a few inches off the ground, allowing him to grab it. However, the books she had borrowed from the [[Hogwarts Library]], such as //Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed//, were not helpful for learning this particular [[charm]].
Ultimately, [[Harry]] used the [[Summoning Charm]] (//[[Accio]]//) to retrieve his [[Firebolt]] during the task, a far more powerful and long-range spell suitable for the challenge.
=====Learning and Counter-Spells=====
The spell is described as a "simple Lifting Charm," which implies it is not considered advanced [[magic]]. Despite this, [[Hermione Granger]], a very gifted witch, was still required to research it, suggesting it may not be part of the standard [[Hogwarts]] curriculum for a fourth-year student.
There are no known counter-spells or methods to block the Lifting Charm mentioned in the books.
=====Etymology=====
The name of the charm is plainly descriptive, derived from the English verb "to lift," which means to raise something to a higher position.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
Although the effect of the Lifting Charm sounds similar to the [[Levitation Charm]] ([[Wingardium Leviosa]]), the context suggests they are distinct spells. The [[Levitation Charm]], taught to first-year students, allows the caster to make an object float and manoeuvre it through the air.
The Lifting Charm, as described in //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//, seems to have a more limited function: simply to lift an object "a few inches from the ground." This may indicate it is a less powerful or less versatile version of a levitating spell, possibly lacking the fine control offered by //[[Wingardium Leviosa]]//. [[Hermione]]'s choice to research this specific "simple" charm, rather than rely on the [[Levitation Charm]] she had known for years, supports the idea that it is a separate and distinct piece of [[magic]].