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Albus Potter: "Bombarda?"
Scorpius Malfoy: "And wake up everyone in Hogwarts?"
— A discussion over how to best destroy a Time-Turner[src]

The Bombardment Spell,[3] or the Exploding Charm (Bombarda), was a charm[2] that detonated the target in a small explosion.[2] One use for this explosion was to blast open sealed doors or to blow bars off of windows.[1] The incantation Bombarda Maxima was the strongest variation of this spell.[4][5]

History[]

"Today we will be learning the Exploding Charm [sic], Bombarda. It goes without saying, but please be mindful of your surroundings. And your fellow students. I have prepared a lecture on how to safely execute the Exploding Charm [sic]. Please listen."
— Professor Flitwick to his fourth-year students[src]

During the 19th century, it was believed that scorch marks in the Bell Tower Entrance Hall that outlined a wizard's form was the first known instance of a successful casting of Bombarda, however the date of the spell, the person who cast it, and the person it was cast on were all unknown.[6] During the 1987–1988 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this spell was taught to fourth-years in Charms class by Professor Flitwick.[2]

In the night of 1 May 1998, Amycus Carrow presumably used this spell non-verbally on the eagle door knocker of Ravenclaw Tower repeatedly, in a attempt to get through it to find out what happened to his sister Alecto. His spells were described as "a series of loud bangs, as though somebody was firing a gun into the door".[7]

During the Calamity in the 2010s, volunteer wizards and witches of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force heavily used the Bombardment Spell in their mission to overpower Confoundables to free Foundables. For example, the charm was highly useful at exploding large spheres of water Confoundables which trapped British Ministry of Magic employee Foundables and for fending off large red serpent Confoundables which were guarding baby unicorn Foundables.[8]

During the 2020–2021 school year, Scorpius Malfoy noted that the explosions produced by this charm were rather noisy, and thus inconvenient for when trying to destroy something stealthily, such as a Time-Turner.[9]

Known uses[]

Caster(s) Date Notes
Sebastian Sallow 2 September 1890 Used it before Defence Against the Dark Arts class in a duel against Leander Prewett, and caused the head of the Hebridean Black skeleton in the classroom to fall off.[6]
Ruth Singer Used it to draw the attention of the first troll that attacked Hogsmeade.[10]
Unidentified 19th-century Hogwarts student 1890–1891 school year Learnt the spell from Professor Bai Howin.[11]
Anne Sallow 1891 Used it to destroy Slytherin's Spellbook in Feldcroft Catacomb.[12]
Anne Sallow destroying Slytherin's Spellbook HL
Jacob's sibling 1990 Used it to blast through rocks that were blocking the entrance to the Sunken Vault in the Great Lake.[13]
Corey Hayden Used this charm in the Hogwarts Library in front of Jacob's sibling, allowing them to get detention.[14]

Known practitioners[]

Etymology[]

Based off of the English word "bombard", meaning: attack (a place or person) continuously with bombs, shells, or other missiles.

Behind the scenes[]

Bombarda POA 2

Hermione's non-canonical casting of this spell

Appearances[]

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Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 2 (The Mysterious Madam Rakepick) - Charms Lesson "Bombarda"
  3. The Bombardment Spell at Harry Potter (website)
  4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film), Chapter 20 (Unquiet Escape)
  5. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 42 (A Study in Green) - Defence Against the Dark Arts Lesson "Bombarda Maxima"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Hogwarts Legacy, Main Quest "Defence Against the Dark Arts Class"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 30 (The Sacking of Severus Snape)
  8. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
  9. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Sixteen
  10. 10.0 10.1 Hogwarts Legacy, Main Quest "Welcome to Hogsmeade"
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Hogwarts Legacy, Assignment Quest "Professor Howin's Assignment"
  12. 12.0 12.1 Hogwarts Legacy, Relationship Quest "In the Shadow of the Relic"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 42 (The Final Vault)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 2 (More Questions Than Answers)
  15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 21 (Hermione's Secret)

See also[]

Charms (class)
PS Wingardium Leviosa feather
Charm-book writers and developers
Blagdon Blay · Daisy Pennifold · Delfina Crimp · Miranda Goshawk · Jarleth Hobart · Basil Horton · Helixa Hyslop · Syna Hyslop · Randolph Keitch · Levina Monkstanley · Orabella Nuttley · Mnemone Radford · Scarpin · Elliot Smethwyck · Felix Summerbee · Violeta Stitch
Professors Fortinbras · Filius Flitwick · Abraham Ronen · Unidentified male professor · Unidentified medieval professor
Textbooks Achievements in Charming · Extreme Incantations · Quintessence: A Quest · The Standard Book of Spells
Charms studied at Hogwarts
Anti-Alohomora Charm · Ascension Charm (Ascendio) · Banishing Charm (Depulso) · Blackboard Writing Spell · Blue sparks · Bombardment Spell (Bombarda) · Box Blasting Charm (Cistem Aperio) · Bubble-Head Charm · Cheering Charm · Cleaning Charm · Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Confundus Charm (Confundo) · Counter-charm for hiccoughs · Dancing Feet Spell (Tarantallegra) · Descendo · Disarming Charm (Expelliarmus) · Disillusionment Charm · Drought Charm · Entrancing Enchantments (theoretically) · Eradication Spell (Deletrius) · Engorgement Charm (Engorgio) · Extinguishing Spell · Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Freezing Charm (Immobulus) · Freezing Spell (Glacius) · Full Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus) · General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) · Gouging Spell (Defodio) · Growth Charm · Ice Jinx · Impervius Charm (Impervius) · Knitting Charm · Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) · Leg-Locker Curse (Locomotor Mortis) · Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) · Locking Spell (Colloportus) · Locomotion Charm (Locomotor) · Lumos Solem Spell (Lumos Solem) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Memory Charm (Obliviate) · Muffliato Charm (Muffliato) · Nonverbal spells · Pack Charm (Pack) · Red Sparks (Vermillious) · Reductor Curse (Reducto) · Scouring Charm (Scourgify) · Seize and pull charm (Carpe Retractum) · Severing Charm (Diffindo) · Shrinking Charm (Reducio) · Silencing Charm (Silencio) · Slowing Charm (Arresto Momentum) · Skurge Charm (Skurge) · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Spell for growing legs · Substantive Charm · Summoning Charm (Accio) · Tickling Charm (Rictusempra) · Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) · Vinegar to wine spell · Wand-Extinguishing Charm (Nox) · Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) · Lumos Maxima · Water-Making Spell (Aguamenti)
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