Potterheads cast a spell

Pic/Wikimedia Commons

Expecto Patronum

Nascimento Pinto, 27, votes for the Patronus charm. It was introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book, and is used through the series until its final instalment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. "It is not only a defensive spell but also one of the most powerful ones out there. During this pandemic, many people do not have the luxury to work from their homes and have to now do it from their offices, so it would protect them at least while they travel," he says.

The media professional, who has been a Potterhead for two decades, also adds that the spell helps a wizard to communicate with another. So, it would facilitate discussion while maintaining social distancing norms.

Another fact, he shares, is that Expecto Patronum can be conjured only through a happy memory, and thus it can help people who have been feeling low right now. "The more they have to go out, the more they would have to think of the happiest moment in their life, which will help them stay positive, hopefully, till the pandemic ends. The spell essentially protects people from the Dementors who feed on happiness (which in this case is the pandemic)," he says.

Bubble-Head charm

In the series, they [the characters] use it to produce a bubble over their heads that enables them to breathe under water. But it will work just as well to keep out Covid," quips Asif Khan.

A programme officer with the Bombay Natural History Society, Khan, 35, has been a fan of the franchise for 15 years. The only unfortunate thing about the Bubble-Head charm, he says, is that there is no incantation mentioned in the books or movies.

Episkey

In 2004, when Krutika Rao was eight, the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban had released. And she turned into an ardent fan. She reckons Episkey, a healing spell that helps cure minor injuries and relieve pain, might be super helpful to anyone at this point who requires the medical treatment but is either too scared to get it during the pandemic and/ or cannot afford it. "Thus, it reduces the risk of going out and exposing oneself to other viruses as the solution is at the wand's tip!" she says.

Interestingly, Episkey is derived from the Greek word "episkevi" which means to "repair". The spell was used to fix Harry Potter's nose in the book and because of this instance Potter himself used it to fix a broken lip.

Up your HP knowledge quotient

Quidditch Through The Ages - A companion book for the HP series, authored by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Kennilworthy Whisp, who is supposed to be an expert on matters of the wizarding sport played on broomsticks.
Log on to amazon.in

Harry Potter - A Journey Through A History of Magic: Curated by the British Library, the book comprises manuscripts by Rowling, illustrations by Jim Kay, and both facts and secrets
about Hogwarts.
Log on to snapdeal.com

Harry Potter: The Character Vault - The title by Jody Revenson details the creative process behind the filmmaking. It covers costumes, make-up and weaponry, too.
Log on to flipkart.com

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide - A collection of short reads, this e-book offers an intricate sketch of Hogwarts' residents.
Lon on to amazon.in

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