Torches

• Type: Magical Device, Lighting Fixture
• Owners: Widely used throughout the wizarding world; notably at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and within the Ministry of Magic.
• Maker: Unknown; a common form of magical construction with likely numerous makers.

Torches are a common source of illumination in the wizarding world, serving as the magical equivalent of Muggle electric lighting. They typically consist of a flaming torch held in a metal bracket, often made of wrought iron or brass, which is mounted to the stone walls of corridors, dungeons, and halls. While many torches burn with a standard yellow-orange flame, the fire they produce can be magical in nature and color. For instance, the torches in the circular entrance room of the Department of Mysteries burn with a distinctive blue light. They are an essential element of the architecture and atmosphere in many magical locations, contributing to their ancient and medieval aesthetic.

The primary magical property of these torches is their ability to produce a continuous flame, seemingly without consuming any physical fuel or producing smoke. This suggests they are enchanted with a variation of Everlasting Flames or a similar charm. This makes them a clean, safe, and perpetual source of light for large institutions like Hogwarts. Their most notable and complex magical behavior is demonstrated in the Department of Mysteries. In the black, circular room that serves as an entrance hall, the wall-mounted torches flare to life when a door is closed, bathing the room in blue light. When the occupants are disoriented by the spinning of the room, the torches extinguish, plunging them into darkness, only to relight once the room has settled and a new door is presented. This enchanted behavior serves as a magical security measure designed to confuse intruders. While wall-mounted torches are a fixed installation, the principle of magical, contained fire is also seen in portable forms, such as the waterproof Bluebell Flames that Hermione Granger often conjures and carries in a jar.

Torches have been used as a primary light source in magical buildings for centuries, long before the invention and widespread adoption of electricity in the Muggle world. Their continued and ubiquitous presence at Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, and other wizarding establishments underscores the wizarding world's general preference for magical solutions over technological ones. They are an integral and traditional component of magical architecture, unchanged for generations.

Throughout the *Harry Potter* series, torches are primarily a world-building element, crucial for establishing the ancient and magical atmosphere of the settings. They are frequently mentioned to set the scene and are the main source of light in many of the locations Harry Potter explores. Key locations where torches define the environment include:

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: They illuminate the castle's many corridors, the staircase to the dungeons, the antechamber to the Great Hall, and the passage leading to the underground harbour for first-years.
• Chamber of Secrets: The long, dark tunnels of the chamber are lined with “slimy walls” and lit by an unseen, magical source that gives the impression of torchlight.
• Gringotts Wizarding Bank: The deep, cavernous tunnels leading to the vaults are lit by flaming torches.
• Department of Mysteries: Torches play an active role here, lighting and extinguishing as part of the room's disorienting security enchantment, making them a direct obstacle for Harry and his friends.

• In the film adaptations, torches are a significant element of the production design, heavily contributing to the Gothic, magical aesthetic of locations like Hogwarts. Their warm, flickering light is used to create a visual style that is distinct from the mundane world. (film)
• In several *Harry Potter* video games, torches are interactive objects that the player can light with spells like Incendio or extinguish with spells like Aguamenti to solve puzzles or find secrets. (video game)