======Household Magic======
=====Introduction=====
**Household magic** refers to a broad category of [[magic]] used to perform domestic chores and manage a home. It encompasses a wide range of spells and enchantments for tasks such as cleaning, cooking, mending, and general organization. While often considered more mundane than disciplines like [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] or [[Transfiguration]], household magic is an essential and ubiquitous part of daily life in the [[wizarding world]]. It is frequently performed non-verbally and with a high degree of skill by witches and wizards in their homes, most notably at locations like [[The Burrow]] and [[12 Grimmauld Place]].
=====Known Applications and Spells=====
Household magic is versatile and its applications are numerous. It serves to greatly reduce the manual labour associated with housekeeping.
  * **Cleaning:** Spells to clean objects and environments are common.
    * The **[[Scouring Charm]] ([[Scourgify]])** is a general-purpose cleaning spell. [[Nymphadora Tonks]] used it to clean [[Hedwig]]'s cage, and [[James Potter]] used it to wash [[Severus Snape]]'s mouth out with soap.
    * At [[12 Grimmauld Place]], [[Molly Weasley]] and others used a variety of cleaning spells to banish dust, scrub surfaces, and launder doxies' curtains.
    * Enchanted items like self-scrubbing brushes are also used.
  * **Cooking and Food Preparation:** Magical shortcuts are frequently used in the kitchen.
    * [[Molly Weasley]] is a master of this, often seen making her [[wand]] chop vegetables, stir potions in cauldrons, and wash dishes in the sink at [[The Burrow]].
    * The kitchens at [[Hogwarts]], run by [[house-elves]], operate on a massive scale of cooking magic, preparing feasts for the entire school.
    * While food cannot be created from nothing, according to [[Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration]], it can be summoned if one knows its location, multiplied, or transformed.
  * **Knitting and Mending:**
    * [[Molly Weasley]] frequently uses enchanted, self-knitting needles to produce the family's annual [[Weasley jumper]]s.
    * Mending spells, such as //Reparo//, are used for common repairs. [[Hermione Granger]] famously used a variant, //[[Oculus Reparo]]//, to fix [[Harry Potter]]'s glasses. [[Arthur Weasley]] attempted to magically mend a teacup split in two.
  * **General Chores and Organization:**
    * **Packing:** [[Nymphadora Tonks]] demonstrates the ability to make items pack themselves neatly into a trunk with a wave of her [[wand]].
    * **Home Management:** The Weasley family's special [[clock]] is a highly complex piece of household magic. Instead of telling time, its hands point to the location or condition of each family member.
    * **Gardening:** Even tasks like de-gnoming a garden can be accomplished more efficiently with magical assistance.
=====Notable Practitioners=====
While most adult witches and wizards likely use some form of household magic, several individuals and groups are particularly noted for their proficiency.
  * **[[Molly Weasley]]:** The most prominent and skilled practitioner of household magic seen in the series. She manages the entire household at [[The Burrow]] almost single-handedly through her magical expertise, which is portrayed as both practical and loving.
  * **[[House-Elves]]:** These magical creatures are bound to a life of service, and their powerful, innate magic is almost entirely dedicated to domestic tasks. The [[Hogwarts]] house-elves, [[Dobby]], and [[Kreacher]] all demonstrate extraordinary abilities in cleaning, cooking, and apparition without the need for a [[wand]].
  * **[[Albus Dumbledore]]:** While renowned for his immense power, Dumbledore was not above using household magic for convenience. He tidied the [[Dursleys]]' living room and conjured armchairs with a simple flick of his [[wand]], demonstrating that even the most powerful wizards find this type of [[magic]] useful.
  * **[[Nymphadora Tonks]]:** A skilled Auror who also showed a casual aptitude for household spells, such as packing and cleaning.
=====Characteristics and Nature=====
Household magic is distinct from more formal, academic magic in several ways.
  * **Non-Verbal and Efficient:** Experienced users like [[Molly Weasley]] rarely utter incantations for their domestic spells, performing them quickly and non-verbally through sheer force of habit and intent.
  * **Practicality over Pomp:** The focus is on achieving a practical result rather than on the precise wand movements or incantations that might be required for more complex spellwork taught at [[Hogwarts]].
  * **Undervalued but Complex:** Despite its mundane applications, household magic can be incredibly complex. The Weasley clock, for example, is a unique and powerful magical object that indicates a deep understanding of enchantment.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations, household magic is frequently and vividly depicted, especially at [[The Burrow]]. Scenes showing a knife chopping vegetables on its own, a sponge scrubbing a pan, and needles knitting a scarf are used to visually establish the magical nature of the Weasley home (film).
  * J.K. Rowling uses household magic to ground the [[wizarding world]] in a relatable, everyday reality. It demonstrates that for wizards, [[magic]] is not just for fighting dark lords or performing epic feats, but is also an integral tool for daily living (J.K. Rowling interviews).