The newest entry in the Wizarding World filmography Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore joins the others in showcasing some of the wonders of the Harry Potter franchise. Even if it is not the best-reviewed Potter film ever, it brings a lot of the magic that fans have adored for twenty-plus years to the screen, including through beloved spells and charms.
There are so many awesome spells showcased in the franchise and some of the very best have been ranked on Ranker by way of votes from Potterheads, all of whom clearly have a handful of magical favorites.
The Flying Charm
This is simply down as the Flying Charm on the site, pointing to it not being the iconic Levitating Charm ("Wingardium Leviosa") or another variation of it, but rather the charm placed on broomsticks and other objects to allow them to fly.
While audiences and readers see the spell in use constantly, it is scarcely mentioned as a charm and does not have a known incantation. Flying is one of the many spectacular elements of the Harry Potter franchise, and this is the charm that brings that wonderful vision to life, so it is no wonder that Ranker and its users have it rated so highly.
Fire-Making Spell - "Incendio"
The Fire-Making Spell is one of the very first spells that audiences get to see in the Harry Potter movies as Hagrid lights a fire at the Dursley's hut. With its incantation "Incendio," the spell conjures a jolt of flames to set things alight.
Fire is always a cool, striking image when done well in fantasy, and seeing a jet of flames emerge from one of the iconic Wizarding World wands is certainly enthralling. That is likely why it ranks so popular despite rarely being used compared to some other more prominent spells. It is used a lot more outside of the movies and proved to have some great, practical uses, as well as be a tool for evil, such as the Death Eaters who burned the tents at the Quidditch World Cup.
The Extension Charm - "Capacious Extremis"
One of the most useful spells used in the Golden Trio's hunt for Horcruxes was the Undetectable Extension Charm, which extended the internal body of an object without affecting the external appearance, such as Hermione's seemingly infinite bag.
There were stringent Ministry of Magic laws in place surrounding the charm, yet it is used on numerous occasions; Newt Scamander uses it on his suitcase to home the many brilliant magical creatures he finds on his travels and Arthur Weasley uses it on the Ford Anglia to fit all the Weasleys. It's also one of the most practical - and muggle-desired - spells in the series.
The Mending Charm - "Reparo"
This charm is also known as the Repairing Charm and does exactly what the title suggests. It was used by a variety of witches and wizards to mend all manner of broken objects and proved useful to little irritations.
Both successful and failed attempts at the charm have been shown in the films, as has its scale, from whole apartments being fixed to small pieces of china being mended. The charm will likely always be on the minds of fans due to its variant charm, Occulus Reparo, used by Hermione on Harry on the Hogwarts Express. When a memorable spell pops up in such a well-known moment, it is always going to remain popular as fans grow up, even if it lacks the excitement of other spells.
The Unlocking Charm - "Alohamora"
Like so many famous Harry Potter spells, the first that audiences get introduced to the Unlocking Charm is through Hermione Granger, who proved herself such an amazing witch even as a young first-year student.
The charm could simply be used to unlock things such as doors and windows, as well as acting as a counter-charm to the Locking Spell ("Colloportus"). The spell is perhaps held back in popularity due to its limited use, it cannot be used with any great use when it comes to exhilarating battles, for example. However, looking forward to Hogwarts Legacy, this will be one of those spells that will prove invaluable in the exploration of Hogwarts which will likely make it shoot up in popularity.
Teleportation Spell
It is not made clear whether or not Ranker is referring to the Teleportation spell which vanished objects and made them appear elsewhere, or if it is instead referring to the much more well-known art of Apparition.
The latter is the more iconic and common and is a wizarding form of transportation that sees the user transport instantaneously from one place to another. Teleportation is the kind of fantastical brilliance that fantasy and sci-fi fans always love to see when it is done well, so it is no surprise that it is so popular amongst Potterheads. The Teleportation spell is unquestionably cool but pops up far less, only used a couple of times, such as Dumbledore transporting Harry's belongings to the Burrow in the Half-Blood Prince.
The Disarming Charm - "Expeliarmus"
Alongside the Killing Curse ("Avada Kedavra"), which Ranker does not have in its top ten, the Disarming Charm may well be the most iconic spell in all of Harry Potter.
It sees the user blast the wand (or whatever else they were holding) out of their opponent's hand. A whole host of characters used the spell - perhaps most notably when Draco disarmed Dumbledore in the Astronomy Tower. Still, it is most synonymous with Harry himself who uses it in his various great duels, which is why it is always one of the first spells fans think of and has obviously led to "Expelliarmus" being a popular incantation. Between Harry's influence and some of the bold images and terrific scenes involving the spell, there is no doubt it earns its popularity.
The Wand-Lighting Charm - "Lumos"
The Wand-Lighting charm illuminated the tip of the user's wand, acting as a sort of torch in the dark, it is an extremely simple yet loved spell that does not do much else but has a few variations.
The light cast by the spell can be diminished by "Nox," the Wand-Extinguishing Charm, and the three variations of the charm are "Lumos Solem," "Lumos Duo," and "Lumos Maxima," all producing different types and ferocities of light. The spell does not do much, which may go against it when put up against more narratively important or physically impactful spells, but perhaps its beauty is in its simplicity.
The Summoning Charm - "Accio"
Arguably one of the most useful charms in the Harry Potter films is the Summoning Spell, with "Accio" popping up throughout the films and books to aid the heroes. Due to this usefulness and memorability, it has become a fan favorite spell.
The spell is one of the oldest known to modern wizarding society, and known uses include Newt summoning the stolen jewelry from Niffler in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them and Harry summoning his broom in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. With moments like these unquestionably playing into its hands regarding popularity. On top of that, when a spell offers so many possibilities and uses, the imagination of fans runs wild and the popularity of said spell shoots up.
The Patronus Charm - "Expecto Patronum"
The likes of "Expelliarmus" and "Avada Kedavra" may be the most iconic incantations and spells in Harry Potter, but there may not be a more iconic singular moment of a wizard using a spell than Harry's "Expecto Patronum" in The Prisoner Of Azkaban.
It is ancient magic and the most famous defensive charm in the Wizarding World, producing a Patronus that could come in both corporeal or incorporeal forms. It is easy to see why this spell is so adored. Not only does it produce a couple of iconic moments, but it is a way for fans to connect themselves to the franchise, with many hardcore Potterheads having tested for their own Patronus before, hoping it gives them a cool animal that reflects who they are.