CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 3: The Knight Bus

[Susan A]

No: HPFGUIDX 189468

Joey:
> > > Well, then it could have been Deprimo or Confringo as well, I
> > > suppose. Not sure if they can *kill* though. Probably the effect
> > > on Muggles is quite different.

Mike:
> > Uhh, Deprimo? Confringo? I don't remember those. What do they do? 
> > What would they do in this situation, for Pettigrew I mean?
 
Joey:
> I remember both as used by Hermione in DH. Deprimo at Lovegood's 
> place to blast a hole to make the DEs see Harry and Confringo at 
> Bathilda's place to blast Nagini and flee for life (but ended up 
> blasting quite a few things including Harry's wand). Both blasted 
> things which is why I said they might have been used by Pettigrew 
> as well.


SSSusan:
Yes, per the Lexicon, Confringo is a Blasting Curse.  It was used by Harry in DH to blast the sidecar that had fallen off the flying motorbike and, as Joey said, by Hermione in Bathilda's house.

Again per the Lexicon, Deprimo "[b]lasts a hole through the target object."  The only reference given is Hermione's use of it at the Lovegoods' house.

http://www.hplex.info/gate/magic.html

I think Joey is correct that either could have been used by Pettigrew to cause the explosion, particularly if there was a gas line and he knew about it.

Siriusly Snapey Susan,
poking her head around the place for old times' sake