Harry Potter Wiki  Quintessence: A Quest  11,510pages on this
wiki Quintessence: A Quest Publication information  pre. 1996
Quintessence: A Quest is a book about Charms. In 1996, Filius
Flitwick instructed his Sixth year N.E.W.T. Charms class to read
this book.  Harry pretended to be absorbed in this book, so as
not to have to respond to Ron's complaints about Hermione having
snogged Viktor Krum.[1]   Quintessence comes from the Latin
quinta essentia, literally meaning "fifth essence". Though the
term can have a number of meanings, the most likely one being
referred to here is the concept of a fifth classical element
(the other four being air, water, fire, and earth) that makes up
the regions of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. This
element is more commonly referred to as æther, although
different mythologies have differing standards, the Japanese
godai, for example, designating it as the void, and the film
"The Fifth Element" (1997) deeming it humanity.   Notes and
references  Charms (class) Wi