Magic in Harry Potter: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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==Dark Arts==

The '''Dark Arts''' are magical spells and practices that are usually used for malicious purposes. Practitioners of the Dark Arts are referred to as Dark Wizards and Dark Witcheswizards. The most prominent of these is Voldemort, known to them as the Dark Lord. His followers, known as [[Death Eater]]s, practice the Dark Arts while doing his bidding.

The type of spells characteristic of Dark Arts are known as ''curses'',<ref>{{cite web |titlelast=View extra stuffRowling |websitefirst=J. K. Rowling's|title=Spell official siteDefinitions |url=http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124192524/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=24 |archive-date=24 January 2008 |website=J.K. Rowling Official Site}}</ref> which usually cause harm to the target. All, to a certain degree, are in some circumstances justifiable. The motivation of the caster affects a curse's result. This is most clearly outlined for the ''Cruciatus'' curse: When cast by Harry, angered by the death of his godfather at Bellatrix's hands and desiring to punish her, it causes a short moment of pain. As Bellatrix herself comments, righteous anger does not allow the spell to work for long. When cast by figures such as Voldemort, who desire to inflict pain for its own sake, it causes intense agony that can last as long as the Dark witch or wizard persists.

Use of Dark Magic can corrupt the soul and body; Voldemort has used such magic in his quest to prolong his life and obtain great power. The Dark Arts also cause Voldemort to look deformed and inhuman, a side effect of splitting his soul into Horcruxes.

According to Snape, the Dark Arts "are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal ... unfixed, mutating, indestructible".<ref>{{HPref|book=6|chapter=9}}</ref> In magical dueling, there are any number of spells that may be used to attack, immobilise, or disarm an opponent without causing pain or lasting harm; however, spells such as the Cruciatus Curse{{efn|also ''Sectumsempra'', judged to be Dark by reliable authorities{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} }} wound or seriously distress a victim in some way. Dark spells can be classified into three groups: Jinxes, hexes, and curses.

In the wizarding world, use of the Dark Arts is strongly stigmatised and extreme forms are illegal; however, these spells are prevalent enough that even before the rise of Voldemort, many schools (including Hogwarts) taught Defence Against the Dark Arts as a standard subject. Techniques include anti-curses and simple spells to disable or disarm attackers, or fight off certain creatures. Some schools, such as [[Durmstrang]], teach Dark Magic. A Dark Arts class is also taught at Hogwarts while it is under Death Eater control.

===Unforgivable curses===

The '''Unforgivable Curses''' is a wizarding law category for the three worst known spells of the Dark Arts. They were first so-classified in 1771. These curses are used by the books' villains, such as Voldemort and the [[Death Eater]]s, and in some cases the Ministry of Magic; their use inspires horror and fear among other magical persons. They are so-named because their use is legally forbidden and unpardonable in wizarding law, and is punishable by a life sentence in [[Azkaban]]. The only exception is if a person is proven to have done them under the influence of mind control. These curses are thus normally used secretly.

* The '''killing curse''' (incantation: ''avada kedavra'') manifests as a jet of green light that causes immediate death. The killing curse has no cure, and cannot be blocked by most magical means. However, it can be blocked by love (e.g. Lily Potter giving up her life for her son created a reflex charm that defeated it, but since she died, how she did it is not known); further, the green energy bolt is shown as being dodged, blocked by solid objects, and deflected with a few other powerful and fast spells, in particular stunning spells.{{efn|