======Obliviation======
=====Spell Information=====
  * **Incantation:** //Obliviate//
  * **Pronunciation:** o-BLI-vee-ate
  * **Wand Movement:** Unknown
  * **Light:** Unspecified in the novels. (Often depicted as a jet of green or blue light in the film adaptations).
  * **Effect:** Erases or modifies the memories of the target. The spell's complexity and power determine the extent of the memory alteration, from a single event to a person's entire identity.
  * **Type:** [[Charm]] (Specifically, a [[Memory Charm]])
=====History and Known Uses=====
The [[Memory Charm]] is a crucial spell for maintaining the [[International Statute of Secrecy]], regularly employed by the [[Ministry of Magic]]'s [[Accidental Magic Reversal Squad]]. It is used to erase the memories of [[Muggle]]s who have witnessed magical events. The charm has also been used by individual [[wizard]]s for both protective and nefarious purposes.
  * **[[Gilderoy Lockhart]]:** Lockhart was a highly proficient user of the [[Memory Charm]], which he used to steal the credit for heroic deeds from other [[wizard]]s for his autobiographical books. In 1993, his attempt to use the charm on [[Harry Potter]] and [[Ron Weasley]] with Ron's broken [[wand]] backfired, causing him to suffer severe and permanent memory loss.
  * **[[Barty Crouch Sr.]]:** He placed a powerful [[Memory Charm]] on [[Ministry of Magic]] employee [[Bertha Jorkins]] to make her forget she had discovered his son, [[Barty Crouch Jr.]], was alive and hidden at his home. The charm was so strong it caused permanent brain damage. [[Lord Voldemort]] later broke the charm through torture, which destroyed her mind and body in the process.
  * **[[Hermione Granger]]:** In 1997, Hermione used a complex and powerful [[Memory Charm]] on her parents to protect them from [[Death Eater]]s. She modified their memories to make them believe they were Wendell and Monica Wilkins and sent them to Australia. She also successfully used the charm on [[Death Eater]]s [[Antonin Dolohov]] and [[Thorfinn Rowle]] after they ambushed the trio in London.
  * **Ministry Obliviators:** At the 1994 [[Quidditch World Cup]], Ministry [[wizard]]s had to perform [[Memory Charm]]s on the [[Muggle]] site manager, [[Mr. Roberts]], and his family repeatedly due to the numerous magical disturbances.
=====Learning and Counter-Spells=====
Obliviation is a difficult [[spell]] that requires considerable skill. Improper use can result in irreversible damage to the target's mind, as demonstrated by the fates of [[Gilderoy Lockhart]] and [[Bertha Jorkins]]. A skilled caster can precisely modify memories, removing specific events or completely altering a person's identity.
There is no known direct counter-spell for a [[Memory Charm]]. The effects can sometimes be broken through powerful magic, such as intense [[Legilimency]] or torture, but this method is highly destructive to the victim's mind. [[Hermione Granger]] expressed hope that she could reverse the charm on her parents, suggesting that a skilled caster who performed the modification may also be able to undo it.
=====Etymology=====
The incantation //Obliviate// is derived from the Late Latin verb //oblivisci//, meaning "to forget." It is the root of the English word "oblivion," which refers to a state of being forgotten or of complete unawareness.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//, the backfired spell is shown as a powerful blast of blue energy. In //[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1]]//, [[Hermione Granger]]'s use of the spell on her parents is depicted as a silent, non-verbal charm that causes their images to fade from family photographs (film).
  * In the film //[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]//, a mass Obliviation of New York City is performed using a potion containing diluted [[Swooping Evil]] venom dispersed by rain, a method far different from the standard wand-based spell (film).