Homorphus Charm

• Incantation: Unknown. The spell is only referred to by its name.
• Pronunciation: N/A
• Wand Movement: Unknown
• Light: Unknown
• Effect: To force a transformed werewolf to revert to their human form. The actual existence and efficacy of this spell are highly dubious.
• Type: Charm

The Homorphus Charm is mentioned only once in the entire series, in a book written by the fraudulent wizard Gilderoy Lockhart. In his autobiography, Wanderings with Werewolves, Lockhart claims to have used this spell to cure the Wagga Wagga Werewolf. He wrote that after blasting the werewolf back, he used his “famous Homorphus Charm” to force the creature back into a man. However, the sole source of this information is Lockhart, who was later exposed as a charlatan who stole other wizards' achievements and erased their memories. All other canonical information regarding werewolves, primarily from Remus Lupin's experiences in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, suggests that a werewolf's transformation is an involuntary and powerful magical change tied to the cycle of the full moon. The only known method to manage the condition is the complex Wolfsbane Potion, which allows a werewolf to keep their human mind during transformation, but does not prevent it. The absence of any other reference to such a simple and powerful reversing charm strongly implies that the Homorphus Charm was likely an invention of Lockhart's to make his fictional exploits sound more impressive.

As the charm's existence is unverified and likely fictional, there is no known information on how one might learn it. Similarly, no counter-spells or blocking methods are known.

The name “Homorphus” is a portmanteau, likely created from Latin and Greek roots to sound authentic.

• Homo: Latin for “man” or “human being.”
• Morphus: Likely derived from the Greek word morphe (μορφή), meaning “form” or “shape.”

When combined, “Homorphus” translates literally to “human form,” which perfectly describes the charm's alleged function. The direct and somewhat simplistic nature of the name is characteristic of Lockhart's contrived persona.

• In the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video game, the Homorphus Charm appears as a learnable spell. However, its effect is completely different from the book's description. In the game, the spell is used on gnomes, transforming them into inanimate objects like watering cans to aid in their removal from the Weasleys' garden. This usage is exclusive to the game and is considered non-canonical. (video game)