Vanishing Spell

Vanishing Spell
Incantation	Evanesco
Type	Transfiguration
Light	None
Effect	Vanishes things

"The contents of Harry’s potion vanished; he was left standing foolishly beside an empty cauldron."

—Professor Snape vanishes Harry Potter's Draught of Peace

The Vanishing Spell (Evanesco) is a transfiguration spell used to vanish both animate and inanimate objects.

Nature

The Vanishing Spell is one of the most complicated spells taught at Ordinary Wizarding Level.

It becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be vanished; for instance, a snail, as an invertebrate, is rather simple, whereas the mouse, as a mammal, presents a great challenge.

The greatest challenge, however, is the vanishment of a kitten, which Hermione Granger managed to do by mid-year.

Minerva McGonagall stated in May of 1998 that Vanished objects go "into non-being, which is to say, everything".

Practitioners

• Various fifth year students
• Babbitty
• Hermione Granger
• Lee Jordan
• Severus Snape
• Bill Weasley

Teaching

Professor Minerva McGonagall introduced this spell in her very first transfiguration class with the fifth year students, giving them a lecture and then setting them on vanishing snails.

When none of the students except Hermione Granger could perform the spell properly, Professor McGonagall told the students to practise the spell overnight, for a fresh start the next day.

In their second lesson, the students were given questions on the Vanishing Spell for homework. On the 6th, however, the students were given a break from this spell and instead were given a long and difficult essay on the Inanimatus Conjurus Spell.

Later on in the year, Professor McGonagall returned the class to Vanishing Spells, this time working to make mice disappear. However, in the week leading up to the Gryffindor-Slytherin match, she abstained from giving them homework so that the Gryffindor Quidditch team could practise.

Etymology

The incantation "Evanesco" is a Latin word meaning "vanish" or "disappear".

Behind the scenes

• This spell is referred to by Professor McGonagall in its plural form when she introduces it, along with Conjuring Spells, in 1995.
• Harry Potter may have used this spell unintentionally to make the glass at the Zoo disappear. This, however, is unconfirmed.
• After being forced to take a photo with Gilderoy Lockhart for Colin Creevey, Harry Potter wished that he knew a good Vanishing Spell.
• Neville Longbottom may have also used this spell unintentionally in May 1993 during a Transfiguration lesson with Professor McGonagall. Following her announcement that he and the other students would be having exams in one week, his wand slipped and one of the legs on his desk vanished.
• In "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the son of the original owner of the pot tries to Vanish the pot, but the spell has no effect.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First mentioned) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First identified as Vanishing Spell)
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)