The Shocking Number Of Spells Harry Potter Actually Casts In Sorcerer's Stone

While the "Harry Potter" movies have maintained their popularity thanks in large part to their unique and intriguing cast of characters, there's arguably a bigger reason for their level of success. At the end of the day, the limitless potential of the magical world they present is what brings many back again and again. Through the eyes of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), fans can get lost in the wizarding world as it is revealed through his time at Hogwarts.

As many fans know, the "Harry Potter" films show off magic in various ways, most prominently through casting spells by means of a magic wand. This concept is introduced fairly early in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," with Harry acquiring his wand during his trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) before the start of term. However, some fans may be shocked to learn just how many spells Harry actually casts throughout the movie.

On Reddit, u/BirminghamBuffaloes made a post pointing out something that many fans maybe did not realize before. During the events of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," we don't actually see the eponymous protagonist cast a single spell. Expanding on this, u/Sere1 said, "It isn't until the Dueling Club scene in 'Chamber of Secrets' that Harry casts his first intentional spell, Rictumsempra. Everything prior to it he either failed (he couldn't get Wingardium Leviosa to work in the first film), accidental magic (the vanishing glass at the zoo), or used a pre-enchanted item (flying the brooms). Harry doesn't cast a single intentional spell for the entire first movie and halfway through the second."

One might be able to make the argument that Harry says the word "up" to summon his broom during his first flying lesson, but that doesn't require a wand at all to do and is used more to showcase his natural gift for flying and the game of Quidditch. Harry also unintentionally performs some magic before he finds out he's a wizard, but again, not through the use of a wand. Something else of note is that only three spell incantations appear in the film at all: Alohomora, Petrificus Totalis, and Wingardium Leviosa.

However, this doesn't mean that Harry doesn't actually cast any spells; it's just that the film never makes it a point to show viewers. It's an interesting creative choice, indeed.