What is obliviated?

Obliviated is a term used in the Harry Potter series to describe the process of erasing someone's memories. A wizard or witch can use a spell called Obliviate to wipe the memory of a particular event or piece of information from a person's mind.

Obliviation is often used by the Ministry of Magic to keep the wizarding world a secret from Muggles (non-magical people) who accidentally witness magical events. The Memory Charm can also be used by individuals for personal reasons, such as to cover up embarrassing incidents or to erase traumatic memories.

The effect of the Memory Charm can be temporary or permanent, depending on the strength of the spell and the resilience of the person's memory. In some cases, the erased memories can be restored with a Counter-Curse or a potion called the Memory Restoring Potion.

In the books, Hermione Granger becomes skilled in Obliviation and uses it to erase the memories of Muggles who were accidentally exposed to magic. However, she later becomes conflicted and questions the ethics of using memory charms.