Charms
Charms are spells used to perform non-violent tasks. There are many varieties, including household charms and property-changing charms (like a color-changing spell). Aguamenti and Episkey are examples of charms.
Potions
Potions are combinations containing liquidated ingredients with magical properties. Not all components need to be magical, but in order to classify as a potion it must contain something unique to the magical world as a primary ingredient.
Potions often require very precise measurements, ingredient preparation, and cooking time. An example of a potion is the Draught of Living Death, which uses the magical ingredient wolfsbane (also know as nightshade) to put the
drinker into a deep sleep that, from the outside, appears like death.
Transfiguration
Transfiguration is the magical practice of transforming one thing into another. Muggles used to call it 'alchemy', but now that term is only sometimes used by wizards from the east. There are four branches of transfiguration:
inanimate-to-inanimate, animate-to-animate, inanimate-to-animate, and animate-to-inanimate.
Arithmancy
Arithmancy is the practice of mathematically quantifying spells and magical properties. It is used to develop spells and magical theory, and thus is only used frequently in higher-level work. It is said there is a branch connected to
divination that accurately computes the probability of an event, but this is widely-believed to be rubbish untrue.
A Summary of Magic
A project by Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley
(Wicked title handlettering by Stewart Milimu ilondanga.)
Dark Arts
Though there is no official definition for what makes up the Dark Arts, the traditional definition is any form of magic that is powerful and used with ill intent. This excludes Hexes, as they don't take much power. Examples of Dark magic
include fiendfyre, the Unforgivables, and cursed objects.
Curses & Hexes
Curses and hexes are spells meant to cause harm. They are classified based on how much power they are required to cast. Hexes take less power and are reversible. Curses are more powerful and do not always have a countercurse. Curses are a
kind of Dark magic.
Defense
Defense spells are those meant to counteract the Dark Arts and provide protection to the caster and those around him or her. Any spell cast with the intention of protection is considered a Defense spell, but there are different classes, such
as shields, offensive defense spells, and countercurses.
Theory
Magical theory is the understanding of what magic does. It dissects the inner workings of spells and spell creation, and it works to understand the force of magic as a whole. Though little progress has been made in the latter, the former has
been vital to creating new, more efficient spells that take less power from the caster to perform. Theory is an interdisciplanary practice that combines all forms of spells with arithmancy, and it is considered one of the highest-level
fields of study within the Wizarding world.