Q

Under what circumstances do the spells get italics? Is it all the time or only when they’re being used?

A

Different formatting rules depend on what part of the spell you’re using.

You’re either writing the name of the spell (Bubble-Head Charm, Invisibility Spell, Gemino Curse), in which case, it should be capitalised but not italicised unless you’re adding emphasis to it.

You might write the spell’s incantation (Accio, Crucio, Avada Kedavra), in which case, it should be both capitalised and italicised. However, JK Rowling didn’t always follow her own rules. She wrote ‘Accio’ and ‘accio’, ‘Lumos’ and ‘lumos’, as well as ‘Expecto Patronum’, ‘Expecto patronum’, and ‘expecto patronum’.

A skeptic, I would ask for consistency first of all.

SYLVIA PLATH