CHRM-101 Lessons

Welcome to your final Charms lesson of the year! We're going to do a quick summary of the year and then on to the final exam! Please keep in mind that your final journal is also due today. I have full confidence in every single one of you and am sure you will all pass the final with flying colors. Keep in mind that this review is not to be used as a replacement for studying and you should still review your notes and the lessons on your own time. There will be questions on the final that are not covered in this review lesson.

Let's Review

We began the year by going over some basic Wizarding Law that applies to all students, no matter their age. We also discussed the origin of modern-day spells and the wand, our primary tool for casting spells. We learned the Wand-Lighting and Wand-Extinguishing Charms as well.

In Lesson Two we talked about where our magical power comes from and conducted an exercise to tap into it and feel it flow through and out of us. We discussed what makes us magical, the difference between different types of magical blood, and some of the spells I call the "flight" charms, because they somehow cause the target object to move into the air a significant distance. Finally, we introduced the four spellcasting components we'd be studying the rest of the year.

In Lesson Three we discussed what wands are composed of and how their movements affect spells. Wand movements often share some similarity with the charm they are used for. It's also important to ensure that your wand is pointed toward your target at the end of the movement if the charm is targeted. We also discussed the biggest limitation of magic, which is the amount of precise spell information that can be remembered. The spells that we learned were the Unlocking and Mending Charms.

For Lesson Four we spent a brief time discussing the origin of incantations, specifically Latin incantations, though other cultures obviously have their own spells. We learned that incantations require very precise pronunciation and the result of incorrect pronunciation can be unpredictable and dangerous. We learned how to cast the Fire-Making Charm and Locomotor.

Lesson Five we went over concentration, which describes the act of centering your mind and centering your spell’s effects on the target in order to make the spell happen. It can be short or extended, but must be present in every spell. We also learned how to increase our concentration in order to cast better spells. We learned two modifiers of the Wand-Lighting Charm as well.

Willpower was the primary topic for Lesson Six. We learned about how willpower, for witches and wizards, is the amount of mental "push" we give to a spell. It is the mental equivalent of physical strength. Some spells require a great deal of magic, and in these cases we have to provide the required mental effort. Unlike concentration, not every spell requires willpower in order to work. We did, however, learn how to increase our willpower for those spells that do require it. We also covered the Levitation Charm and Sticking Charm.

In Lesson Seven, we went over static and dynamic spell categorization. We learned that static spells are those in which concentration does not need to continue after casting. Dynamic spells are those in which concentration needs to continue after casting in order to make the spell work as desired. We learned the Severing and Softening Charms as well.

In Lesson Eight, we learned how to put all of the components together and create our own spells! We learned how spells are created and got a brief overview of how to create spells ourselves. We capped this lesson by learning the Warming and Chilling Charms and how they can be tools to increase our concentration for other spells.

And with that - time for your final exam! As part of your final exam, you will also have a mini-practical involving a pineapple. I won’t give too much away, but be sure to carefully review all of the spells we learned this year. I know exams can be stressful, but you have worked very hard this year, and I have every confidence in your success. For those of you that have been keeping up your Charms journals, you will also have your Final Journal Turn-In. Finally, I am asking everyone to submit an evaluation of the course. This is your chance to let me know how you feel about Year 1 of Charms (and to earn a few extra, easy house points!). I welcome all constructive feedback, but please remember to be respectful.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the assignments or the course, please feel free to contact me, as always. Good luck on the final everyone! I look forward to seeing you next year!