Type: Curse
Pronunciation: pe-TRI-fi-cus to-TAH-lus
Description: Used to temporarily bind the victim's body in a position much like that of a soldier at attention; the victim will usually fall to the ground.
Pronunciation: pe-TRI-fi-cus to-TAH-lus
Description: Used to temporarily bind the victim's body in a position much like that of a soldier at attention; the victim will usually fall to the ground.
Seen/Mentioned: First used in 1991 by Hermione, who was trying to prevent Neville from stopping her, Ron, and Harry from leaving the common room to hunt for the Philosopher's Stone, used in the Hall of Prophecy in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to petrify one of the Death Eaters pursuing the group, used on Harry by Draco Malfoy in the train in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and used also in Pottermore.
Etymology: Latin petra, meaning "stone", and fieri (past participle factus), meaning "to become"; totalus comes from Latin "totus", meaning "complete".
Note: Albus Dumbledore used Petrificus Totalus on Harry during the first Battle of Hogwarts while Draco Malfoy disarmed him.