Wind in the Wizarding World

In the wizarding world, wind exists as both a natural meteorological phenomenon and a direct or indirect manifestation of magic. It plays a significant role in setting the atmosphere of many scenes, from the howling gales around Azkaban to the eerie breezes in haunted locations. Magically, wind can be created by spells, generated by the movement of magical creatures, or be an intrinsic property of an enchanted location or object.

While witches and wizards are subject to natural weather, they also frequently encounter and create wind through magical means.

Specific spells can conjure gusts of wind, while others produce it as a secondary effect.

• Unnamed Windy Spell: Hermione Granger uses a non-verbal hot-air Charm on multiple occasions, which produces a jet of warm wind to dry clothes or clear a path through Devil's Snare.
• Weather-Modifying Charms: These powerful enchantments can control the atmosphere over a large area. They were used to prevent rain from falling on the Top Box at the Quidditch World Cup in 1994, which implies control over air currents and wind.
• Concussive Force Spells: Many spells that forcefully move objects or people, such as the Banishing Charm (Depulso) or the Stunning Spell (Stupefy), create a blast of displaced air that functions like a powerful, short-lived gust of wind.
• Powerful Elemental Magic: Highly advanced magic can generate immense winds. When Albus Dumbledore cast his fire spell to repel the Inferi in the crystal cave, it was accompanied by a “great, whipping wind”.
• Ventus: A Jinx that shoots a jet of strong, spiralling wind from the caster's wand. (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game), The Crimes of Grindelwald (screenplay))

The movement of large, winged magical creatures is a common source of powerful, magically-influenced wind.

• Dragons: The beat of a dragon's wings creates a tremendous downdraft, capable of flattening grass and kicking up debris, as experienced by Harry Potter during the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
• Hippogriffs and Thestrals: The powerful wings of creatures like `Buckbeak` the `Hippogriff` and the skeletal `Thestrals` generate significant wind upon takeoff and during flight.
• Thunderbird: This North American beast is intrinsically linked to weather, capable of creating storms and gales simply by flapping its wings. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (book/film))

Certain locations and objects are characterized by the presence of magical wind.

• The Shrieking Shack: Located in Hogsmeade, its name originated from the terrifying howling sounds that emanated from it. These sounds were a combination of the natural wind and the howls of a young Remus Lupin during his werewolf transformations.
• The Veil: Within the Department of Mysteries is an ancient, veiled archway from which a constant, cold breeze and the sound of whispering voices emanate, suggesting a magical wind from another plane of existence.
• Quidditch Pitch: Natural wind is a major strategic factor in the game of Quidditch, affecting the flight of the players, the `Quaffle`, the `Bludgers`, and the `Golden Snitch`. Commentators frequently remark on the windy conditions during matches.
• Azkaban: The fortress is surrounded by a chilling, unnatural wind that contributes to the despair-inducing atmosphere of the prison, amplifying the effects of the Dementors.

Outbursts of raw magic from young or untrained wizards, especially during moments of high emotion, can manifest as a telekinetic force. This force can feel like a sudden, violent gust of wind, capable of shattering glass or throwing objects across a room. The most extreme example of this is an `Obscurus`, a destructive, hurricane-like force of suppressed magic. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film))

Wind has been a key atmospheric element in many pivotal moments of the series.

• Hagrid's Arrival: A violent storm with howling wind battered the `Hut-on-the-Rock` on the night Rubeus Hagrid arrived to deliver Harry Potter his `Hogwarts` letter.
• The Dementor Attack: During a Quidditch match in Harry Potter's third year, a match played in torrential rain and high winds was interrupted by the arrival of numerous `Dementors` on the pitch.
• The Death of Dumbledore: On the night `Albus Dumbledore` was killed on the `Astronomy Tower`, a strong wind billowed the cloaks of the `Death Eaters` and snatched away Dumbledore's final words to Severus Snape.
• Voldemort's Rebirth: An eerie, whispering wind blew through the yew trees in the Little Hangleton graveyard as Lord Voldemort was restored to his body.
• The Battle of Hogwarts: During the final battle, `Lord Voldemort` used magic to project his voice over the grounds, and it was described as being carried on the wind to all the defenders of the castle.

In the film adaptations of the *Harry Potter* series, wind is often used as a strong visual and auditory cue to signify the presence of powerful or dark magic. The dramatic billowing of cloaks, rustling of leaves in the `Forbidden Forest`, and howling gales are frequently exaggerated to heighten tension and atmosphere beyond what is explicitly described in the novels.