The Four-Point Spell

• Incantation: Point Me
• Pronunciation: POINT-mee (Standard English)
• Wand Movement: Placing the wand flat upon the open palm of the hand.
• Light: None described.
• Effect: Causes the tip of the caster's wand to point due north, functioning as a magical compass.
• Type: Charm

The Four-Point Spell is a navigational charm that causes the caster's wand to point north. It was first introduced in 1995 when Hermione Granger taught it to Harry Potter to help him prepare for the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. Its most significant use was by Harry during the Third Task inside the magically constructed maze. The maze's hedges confused a wizard's sense of direction, making conventional navigation difficult. Harry cast `Point Me` multiple times to orient himself and determine the correct path to take through the labyrinth. Harry used the spell again in 1996 during the battle at the Department of Mysteries. After being separated from his friends in a circular room with identical, spinning doors, he cast the spell to regain his bearings and determine which door he had just entered through, in an attempt to find the others.

The spell appears to be relatively simple to learn and master, as Harry Potter successfully cast it immediately after Hermione Granger demonstrated it to him. It is not mentioned as part of the standard Hogwarts curriculum, at least not by the fourth year, suggesting it may be a more obscure or specialized charm. There are no known counter-spells for this charm. Given its function as a personal utility spell, it is unlikely that a direct counter-spell exists or would be necessary. The spell's main limitation is that it only points north; it cannot guide a user to a specific, non-cardinal destination.

The spell's formal name, The Four-Point Spell, is a direct reference to the four cardinal points of a compass: north, south, east, and west. The incantation, `Point Me`, is notable for being in plain English rather than the Latin-based phrasing common to many spells in the wizarding world. It functions as a direct command to the wand, instructing it to point in the correct direction.

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry uses the spell in the maze. When he casts it, his wand levitates slightly above his palm and spins rapidly before settling to point north (film). This spell also appears as a navigational aid in several *Harry Potter* video games (video game).