Stunning Spell (Stupefy)

• Incantation: Stupefy
• Pronunciation: STOO-puh-fye
• Wand Movement: None known
• Light: Jet of brilliant red light
• Effect: Renders a living target unconscious; can also halt moving objects.
• Type: Charm

The Stunning Spell, commonly known as a Stunner, is one of the most practical and widely used spells in the wizarding world, particularly in duelling. Its effect is to render a target unconscious. While a single Stunner is generally non-lethal, receiving multiple simultaneous hits can cause serious injury or even death, as was feared when four Stunners hit Minerva McGonagall at once. The spell sees extensive use throughout the series, especially from the Second Wizarding War onward.

• Quidditch World Cup Aftermath: Ministry of Magic wizards use Stunners to subdue the crowd during the Death Eater riot and later cast it upon Winky the house-elf, who was found holding Harry Potter's wand.
• Triwizard Tournament: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley practiced the spell in preparation for the Third Task. Harry later used it successfully against a Blast-Ended Skrewt in the maze and attempted to use it against Voldemort in the Little Hangleton graveyard, who deflected it with a Shield Charm.
• Dumbledore's Army: The Stunning Spell was a fundamental part of the defensive magic curriculum taught by Harry to the members of Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement.
• Battle of the Department of Mysteries: Members of the D.A. used Stunners as their primary offensive spell against the Death Eaters. Numerous combatants on both sides were stunned during the conflict.
• Battle of the Astronomy Tower: After disarming a weakened Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy stunned him. Harry, immobilized by Dumbledore's Freezing Charm, was unable to intervene. Later, Harry's repeated attempts to stun a fleeing Severus Snape were all effortlessly blocked.
• During the Horcrux Hunt: The trio frequently relied on Stunners for self-defense. They used it to defeat Antonin Dolohov and Thorfinn Rowle in a café on Tottenham Court Road and during their infiltration of the Ministry of Magic.
• Battle of Hogwarts: The spell was used extensively by nearly every combatant on the side of Hogwarts, including professors, students, and members of the Order of the Phoenix. Aberforth Dumbledore was noted to be particularly adept at casting powerful Stunning Spells.

The Stunning Spell is considered standard curriculum for Hogwarts students by their fourth or fifth year and is essential for passing the Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. exam.

• Counter-Spell: The specific counter-spell that revives a stunned person is Rennervate. It must be cast directly on the victim.
• Defensive Methods: The Stunning Spell can be blocked by a Shield Charm (Protego), deflected by other spells, or physically dodged. Solid objects can also serve as effective shields against it.

The incantation, “Stupefy,” is directly derived from the Latin verb stupeō, which means “to be stunned, numbed, or astonished.” It is also the root of the English word “stupefy,” which means to make someone unable to think or feel properly, perfectly describing the spell's effect of rendering someone unconscious.

• In the film adaptations, the Stunning Spell is often depicted with a more forceful, concussive effect, physically throwing the target backward with considerable force. This is a more dramatic visual than the books, where victims typically just slump to the ground unconscious. (film)
• In many of the Harry Potter video games, Stupefy is a primary combat spell available to the player. (video game)
• The counter-spell's incantation was originally printed as Enervate in early editions of the novels. It was later changed to Rennervate to avoid confusion with the English word “enervate,” which means “to weaken,” the opposite of the spell's effect. (J.K. Rowling)