Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Episkey

Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Magic
Episkey
Type	Spell
Features	Heals small injuries
First Appearance	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Overview

Episkey is a healing charm that works well on broken bones. We see it used on facial injuries, but it may have other uses as well.

Extended Description

We first see this spell when it is used by Tonks on Harry's nose in the Hogwarts Express at the start of the sixth year. Harry later uses it to cure Demelza's mouth on the Quidditch pitch in that same year.

Analysis

Used as it is, this is clearly a healing spell, but we cannot be entirely certain as to its function. When Tonks uses it on Harry, it works to mend his nose which had just been broken by Draco Malfoy. Demelza's injury, caused by a thrown Quaffle, is not likely as severe, so probably does not include any broken bones, which implies more of a general healing spell rather than something specific to bones.

We must wonder somewhat about the necessity of visiting the Hospital Wing in cases of broken bones, if the spell to mend them is simple enough to be used by a sixth-year Charms student. (Our assumption is that this is a Charm, as the nature of the thing acted on does not change; it is still, for example, a nose, just one that is no longer broken.) We cannot argue the need for the Hospital Wing, as magical injuries so often seem to be more severe than a simple broken bone, but there should have been no need for Neville to go to the Hospital Wing for his broken wrist after he fell off his broomstick. It is possible that Madam Hooch is unable to work this charm, she may not have reached NEWT-level in Charms, but this is not explained.