Scrying

• Incantation: None specified in canon; likely non-verbal.
• Pronunciation: Not applicable.
• Wand Movement: None specified; a wand does not appear to be required.
• Light: Not applicable.
• Effect: Allows a witch or wizard to perceive visions of the future or of distant, concurrent events by gazing intently into a suitable medium.
• Type: A specialized branch of Divination.

Scrying is a method of fortune-telling taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as part of the Divination curriculum, most notably by Professor Sybill Trelawney. The practice involves “unfogging the Inner Eye” to see visions in a medium such as a crystal ball or fire. In Harry Potter's third year, his Divination class began learning to use crystal balls. Professor Trelawney instructed her students to relax their conscious minds and eyes to perceive shapes and symbols within the orb. Most students, including Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, found the practice to be pointless and resorted to inventing predictions. Hermione Granger viewed scrying, and Divination as a whole, as an “imprecise” and illogical branch of magic, which ultimately led to her dropping the subject. During this first lesson, Professor Trelawney claimed to see the Grim, a death omen, in Harry's crystal ball. Another form of scrying, pyromancy (fire-gazing), was also practiced by Professor Trelawney. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she mentioned having seen a vision in the flames of a “grim, tight-lipped man” who was struggling against his master, a vision which likely depicted Barty Crouch Sr. fighting against the Imperius Curse.

Scrying is an advanced and difficult form of magic that requires a natural aptitude for Divination. Professor Trelawney asserted that not everyone possesses the Inner Eye necessary for such arts. The difficulty of the practice is underscored by the fact that many accomplished wizards, such as Professor McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore, hold Divination in low esteem due to its general unreliability and lack of concrete results. There are no known counter-spells for scrying, as it is not a direct magical assault. The primary defense against its predictions is the inherent ambiguity and frequent inaccuracy of the visions themselves. The ability to interpret the symbols seen is just as important, and often as difficult, as seeing them in the first place.

The term “scry” is derived from the Old English word descry, which means “to catch sight of,” “to discern from a distance,” or “to reveal.” This origin directly reflects the purpose of the magical art, which is to discern and reveal events that are hidden by time or distance.

Scrying is a real-world practice found in the folklore and occult traditions of many cultures throughout history. Practitioners, often called seers, have used a wide variety of media, including not only crystals and fire but also water, mirrors, smoke, and polished stones, to induce visions. The portrayal of scrying in the Harry Potter series is consistent with these traditional esoteric beliefs.