Avada Kedavra

Spell Name: Killing Curse

Incantation: Avada Kedavra

Pronunciation: /əˈvɑːdə kəˈdɑːvrə/ ə-VAH-də kə-DAH-vrə

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Description: Causes instant, painless death to whomever the curse hits. There is no countercurse or method of blocking this spell; however, if someone sacrifices their life for someone else, the person who was saved will not encounter any adverse effects of any curses by the specific attacker (e.g. when Lily Potter sacrificed her life for Harry Potter at Voldemort's hands, Harry became immune to curses cast by Voldemort). One of the three Unforgivable Curses.

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Etymology:

References: First said (not by name) at the beginning of the first book when Harry arrives at the Dursleys' home. Seen first in Goblet of Fire against Muggle Frank Bryce, and in every book following.

Notes: Only two people in the history of the magical world are known to have survived the killing curse – Harry Potter and Voldemort; the latter was only saved by his horcruxes. Harry was hit twice directly. Phoenixes can also survive a killing curse. They burst into flame as they would do in old age and are reborn from the ashes. This occurred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.