Flying

Flying is one of the primary methods of magical transportation, along with Floo powder, Portkey and Apparition. It involves a person or persons using a magical object bewitched with a Flying Spell to journey through the air to another location. Magical objects used for this purposes are Broomsticks and Flying carpets.

Compared to other methods, Flying is the slowest method of transportation available. However, some bewitched objects can fly much faster than others and it is the most common method of transportation, as witches and wizards who cannot or do not want to Apparate or use Floo powder use it. Flying itself is a class taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Madam Hooch, for first year students.

Flying is also used in magical sporting events, such as the popular game of Quidditch.

In defiance of magical law (that states that a wizard can only fly using a vehicle, which itself can only have a flying charm), the most infamous Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort somehow discovered a way to fly without any form of magical vehicle (though some form of magical assistance is certainly required to do this). This was witnessed in battle with Order of the Phoenix operatives in 1997, and by Harry Potter during his connection with Voldemort's mind. This method can be duplicated, as Voldemort taught his (supposedly) most loyal Death Eater Severus Snape how to fly the same way.

Behind the scenes

 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Professor Quirrell, most likely by learning the skill from Voldemort, flies clear across a chamber towards Harry during their encounter for the Philosopher's Stone.
 * When Hagrid is asked how he arrived to pick up Harry from the Dursleys in the first book he states that he "flew" (due to his motorbike being enchanted), he later stated in the seventh book that brooms and Thestrals cannot take his weight.
 * In the films, as early as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Voldemort's Death Eaters appear to be able to effectively fly by partially disapparating.
 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the members of the Order of the Phoenix seemed to fly, their body partially becomes smoke and they leave a smoke trail behind them, and whilst Death Eaters' trail was black, theirs was white.It should be noted that in the beginning of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Death Eaters flew in London and severed a bridge's wires while they were flying around it. This instance is therefore contradictory to the laws that wizards can only fly using a vehicle.
 * In the films, Dementors can fly freely without physical support. This is in contrast to their novel counterparts, who glide, rather than fly.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
 * Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape