Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Obliviate

Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Magic
Obliviate
Type Spell (Charm)
Features Memory erasure or modification
First Appearance Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Overview

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Obliviate is the verbal component of the Memory Charm, a spell which allows the erasure or modification of memory.

Extended Description

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Beginner warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.

First seen when Gilderoy Lockhart attempted to use it on Harry and Ron, this spell, when done correctly, apparently allows a substantial amount of control over the subject's memories. We see it used a number of times through the series. The most prominent times are:

Like so many spells, a large part of the effect of this spell very likely depends on what the caster is thinking at the time the spell is cast. Presumably the caster must hold in their mind a representation of the memories needed to be changed, along with what the memories should be changed to.

Analysis

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Apparently, this spell is most often used to clean up any 'spillage' in front of Muggles. The International Statute of Wizardry is specifically designed to try and keep the Muggles unaware of the Wizarding world, so this spell is apparently reasonably often used on Muggles to keep them unaware of what the wizards have been doing.

Questions

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Study questions are meant to be left for each student to answer; please don't answer them here.

  1. Is there a way to reverse the effect of this spell?

Greater Picture

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Intermediate warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.