Babbling Curse

incantation unknown

Exact effect not mentioned, but one can assume it causes the victim to babble.

• Lockhart supposedly cured a simple Transylvanian villager of this affliction (CS10).

Backfiring Jinx

incantation unknown

Exact effect not mentioned, but can be nasty.

• The Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects got wind of one of these in Elephant and Castle in July 1996 [Y16], but it was sorted out by the Magical Law Enforcement Squad before they arrived on the scene (HBP5).

Banishing Charm
reverse of Summoning Charm

incantation unknown

Sends an object away from the caster; the target object is said to have been Banished.

• Harry and his classmates practiced this spell in their fourth-year Charms class. Flitwick found himself being Banished around the room by Neville, whose aim wasn't very good (GF26).

Bat-Bogey Hex

incantation unknown

Engorges an opponent's 'bogies' to bat-size, gives them wings, and sets them to attacking his or her face.

• A speciality of Ginny Weasley's, which she used on Draco Malfoy to escape Umbridge's office. It impresses not only Ron (OP33), but Fred and George, who use Ginny as an example of the principle 'size is no guarantee of power' (OP6)
• Slughorn asked Ginny Weasley to join the Slug Club after seeing her cast a this spell on Zacharias Smith aboard the Hogwarts Express (HBP7).

binding/fastening magic

incantations vary, including Incarcerous

Spells which fasten chains or ropes to restrain someone or something.

• Dragon keepers used this magic to drive stakes into the ground to fasten the dragons to (GF19).
• The chair in the Court of Magical Law magically restrained the accused using ropes (GF30, OP8).
• Snape fired "thin, snakelike cords" from his wand to bind Remus Lupin in the Shrieking Shack (PA19).
• Pettigrew bound Harry to the tombstone of Tom Riddle with a binding spell (GF32).
• See also ROPES, MAGICAL; CHAINS, MAGICAL

Blasting Curse

incantation unknown

Useful spell for duels.

• In the All-England Wizarding Duelling Competition of 1420, Alberta Toothill defeated Samson Wiblin, who was the favorite, using a Blasting Curse (fw27).

bluebell flames

"bluebell" flower with blue blossoms

incantation unknown

Creates a quantity of blue flame which can be directed to a specific place.

• Hermione cast a bluebell flame that could be carried around in a jam jar, sent out a short distance, then retrieved into the jar; she used it to set Snape's robes on fire during the first Quidditch match of her first year (PS11).
• Hermione used this spell against Devil's Snare when working through the challenges surrounding the Philosopher's Stone (PS16).
• Portable, waterproof fires are a speciality of Hermione's (CS11).

Body-Bind Curse

See PETRIFICUS TOTALUS.

Boggart banishing spell

See RIDDIKULUS.

Bogies, Curse of the

See CURSE OF THE BOGIES.

bond of blood

incantation unknown

The bond of blood is an extremely powerful ancient magic which is formed when a person sacrifices himself or herself for a family member, out of love. The sacrifice creates a lingering protection in the blood of the person who was saved. It is not activated, however, until the charm is actually cast, and it is not sealed and functioning until another member of the family accepts the saved person as his or her own. As with most ancient magic, the bond of blood is mysterious and very strong and is not completely understood by most wizards.

• Dumbledore decided to use the bond of blood to protect Harry against Voldemort. He cast the charm on Harry, and Petunia sealed it when she agreed to take Harry into her home. As a result, Harry is protected as long as he can call the Dursleys' house his home.

Some have wondered why it was Lily's sacrifice which created the charm and not James's, or for that matter, why the ancient magic is not in effect every time someone dies for another person. The true nature of the charm is that it requires intentional spellcasting on someone's part to activate the magic and it also requires the decision of a family member to seal it. Without these two things, the magic does not happen. These two required components are clear in OP37 (emphasis SVA's):

Braking Charm

incantation unknown

Charm used on a broomstick to allow it to stop effectively.

• A Firebolt has an "unbreakable Braking Charm" on it (PA4).
• See also HORTON-KEITCH BRAKING CHARM.

broomstick magic

• See BRAKING CHARM, CUSHIONING CHARM, HURLING HEX.
• c.f. QUIDDITCH SPELLS.
• When Harry fell off his Nimbus 2000, it didn't fall to the ground but instead drifted away toward the Whomping Willow, suggesting that it may have had some form of enchantment on it to keep it flying without a rider (PA9).
• Harry's Firebolt, when held and then released, floated at exactly the right height for him to mount it (PA11).
• Early broomsticks had only simple spells placed on them. A model on display in the Museum of Quidditch only moves forward at one speed and will move up, down, and stop (QA1).

bubbles

incantation unknown

Spell which pours non-bursting golden bubbles out of the wand.

• Flitwick used this spell to create decorations for a Christmas tree in the Great Hall (PS12).
• Ron's broken wand was emitting large purple bubbles at one point, but from his dismayed reaction it would seem that this was a malfunction rather than a spell he was casting (CS13).

Bubble-Head Charm

incantation unknown

Encloses the head of the caster with a bubble of breathable air.

• Cedric used this spell to travel underwater and rescue Cho in the second task (GF26).
• Fleur used this spell to travel underwater when attempting to rescue Gabrielle in the second task (GF26).
• This became fashionable during the last month or so of Harry's fifth year, because Dungbombs and Stink Pellets were being used frequently in the corridors (OP30).