Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Carpe Retractum====== =====Spell Information===== * **Incantation:** [[Carpe Retractum]] * **Pronunciation:** //CAR-pay re-TRACK-tum// * **Wand Movement:** Unknown. * **Light:** A rope of purple or bluish-white light (video game). * **Effect:** Produces a magical, retractable tether of light that can seize and pull a target object toward the caster. Alternatively, if the target is heavy or fixed, it can pull the caster toward the target. * **Type:** [[Charm]] =====History and Known Uses===== The Seize and Pull Charm, **Carpe Retractum**, does not appear in the seven original //Harry Potter// novels by [[J.K. Rowling]]. Its existence and use are exclusive to the video game adaptations. In the world of the video games, this spell is a versatile and common tool used by students. It is prominently featured in the //[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)]]// and //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)]]//. Students like [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] learn and use the spell to solve various puzzles and navigate their environment. Common uses within the games include: * Pulling out-of-reach objects, such as [[potion]] ingredients or collector's cards, toward the caster. * Activating switches and levers from a distance. * Pulling on tapestries or platforms to reveal hidden passages or items. * Latching onto fixed anchor points to pull the caster across gaps or up to higher ledges, functioning like a magical grappling hook. * In combat, it can be used to pull shields away from enemies like [[Erkling]]s, leaving them vulnerable to other spells (video game). =====Learning and Counter-Spells===== Within the video game continuity, **Carpe Retractum** is typically taught to students as part of their magical education, presumably in [[Charms]] or as a practical spell for exploration. The difficulty is presented as relatively low, making it a standard spell for young witches and wizards to master. As the spell does not exist within the primary canon of the novels, there are no officially documented counter-spells. Logically, a [[Shield Charm]] ([[Protego]]) might be effective at blocking it, or the spell could simply be dodged. The effects might also be broken by a [[Severing Charm]] ([[Diffindo]]) if the magical tether can be cut. =====Etymology===== The incantation is derived from Latin. * **//Carpe//** is the second-person singular present active imperative of //carpō//, meaning "to seize," "to grasp," or "to pluck." It is most famous from the phrase //Carpe diem// ("Seize the day"). * **//Retractum//** is a form of the Latin verb //retrahō//, meaning "to draw back" or "to withdraw." The combination can be translated literally as "Seize and pull back," a precise description of the spell's effect. =====Behind the Scenes===== **Carpe Retractum** is a spell created specifically for the EA/Warner Bros. series of //Harry Potter// video games and has no basis in the books, films, or other canonical material from [[J.K. Rowling]]. The spell was introduced as a core gameplay mechanic, providing the player with a "grappling hook" ability common in many action-adventure games. This allowed game designers to create environmental puzzles and traversal challenges that required more interaction than simply casting combat or utility spells like [[Alohomora]] or [[Lumos]]. The visual effect of the spell in the games is a distinct, tangible rope of magical energy connecting the caster's [[wand]] to the target.
