Lifting Charm

• Incantation: Unknown
• Pronunciation: Unknown
• Wand Movement: Unknown
• Light: Unknown
• Effect: Lifts an object a few inches from the ground.
• Type: Charm

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.

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.

The name of the charm is plainly descriptive, derived from the English verb “to lift,” which means to raise something to a higher position.

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.