The Harry Potter Compendium

"They were supposed to be practicing the opposite of the Summoning Charm today - the Banishing Charm. Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room. Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldn’t hurt anyone if they went off target. It was a good theory, but it wasn’t working very well. Neville’s aim was so poor that he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room - Professor Flitwick, for instance...he Banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soared into the air and knocked Parvati’s hat off)."
—The Charms Class on the Banishing Charm.[src]

The Banishing Charm (Depulso) is the countercharm to the Summoning Charm. As Accio summons objects to the caster, Depulso sends objects away[1].

Fourth year students studying Charms at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry learn this spell. 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.

Unlike the Summoning Charm, which can summon specific objects from anywhere (Accio candy), the Banishing Charm banishes whatever the wand is aimed at.

Known practitioners[]

Behind the scenes[]

Etymology[]

From the Latin “depulsio”, meaning “driving away”. Also is similar to repulse meaning "drive away with force". It could also be seen to be derived from the English word pulse (as in a pulse of energy.) and the prefix "de" which would make it mean "a negative pulse of energy."

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The Standard Book of Spells
Books: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 · The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 · The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 · The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4 · The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 · The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6
Charms included in the series: Fire-Making Spell · Levitation Charm · Locking Spell · Mending Charm · Softening Charm · Severing Charm · Unlocking Charm · Dancing Feet Spell · Disarming Charm · Engorgement Charm · Freezing Charm · General Counter-Spell · Memory Charm · Tickling Charm · Summoning Charm · Banishing Charm · Substantive Charm



Charms (class)
Professors: Filius Flitwick
Textbooks: The Standard Book of Spells · Achievements in Charming · Quintessence: A Quest
Charmbook writers and charm developers: Miranda Goshawk · Scarpin · Felix Summerbee · Randolph Keitch · Basil Horton · Mnemone Radford · Elliot Smethwyck · Jarleth Hobart
Charms studied at Hogwarts: Levitation Charm · Fire-Making Charm · Softening Charm · Cleaning Charm · Cheering Charm · Glacius · Summoning Charm · Banishing Charm · Silencing Charm · Mending Charm · Reductor Curse · Colour Change Charm · Growth Charm · Water-Making Spell · Aresto Momentum · Locomotion Charm