The term Dark Arts is used to mean any magic that is mainly used for harm. The Dark Arts encompass many spells and actions ranging from the Unforgivable Curses to hatching Basilisks. Practitioners are referred to as Dark Wizards or Dark Witches, the most prominent of whom is Voldemort. His followers, known as Death Eaters, also practise the Dark Arts.
Known Dark Arts Spells
The following spells are identified as being Dark. Where possible, an explanation for this classification is given.
- Avada Kedavra (Killing Curse): Causes instant death to the target. One of the three Unforgivable Curses.
- Crucio (Cruciatus Curse): Tortures a victim. One of the three Unforgivable Curses.
- Fiendfyre: A form of cursed fire that can take the form of fabulous beasts that seem to have a will of their own. This fire is apparently impervious to the Aguamenti charm. It has the ability to destroy Horcruxes.
- Flight: Not definitely known to be a Dark Art, but suspected. Wizards normally cannot fly without the aid of an enchanted broom or other transportation vehicle. However, Voldemort was able to fly by himself, seemingly the first, and he taught Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell (in film) how to do so.
- Horcrux Curse: Unknown Dark Arts curse that detaches a torn soul fragment from the caster's body and encases it in an object to create a Horcrux.
- Imperio (Imperius Curse): Places a victim under total control of the caster. One of the three Unforgivable Curses.
- Inferius reanimation: Unknown spell or spells used by a Dark wizard to reanimate a corpse and turn it into an Inferius.
- Morsmordre: Curse to conjure the Dark Mark, probably invented by Voldemort.
- Petrification: Turns a victim to a stone-like state of unconsciousness. Albus Dumbledore says that petrification is "Dark Magic of the most advanced kind."[1] This is not the same magic as the Petrificus Totalus curse, which can be lifted easily. It requires a powerful antidote such as Mandrake.
- Sectumsempra: Slashes the skin of a victim according to the movement of the caster's wand. This curse was invented by Severus Snape, who himself called it Dark Magic.[2]
Known Dark Potions
The following potions are identified as Dark.
- Voldemort's rebirth potion: This potion is said by Voldemort to be "an old piece of Dark Magic."[3] Its ingredients include a bone from the father, flesh from the servant, and blood from an enemy of the one for whom it is intended. It creates a new mostly-human body for a Dark witch or wizard who has used Horcruxes and lost their original body, as Voldemort did. It apparently requires that the Dark wizard exist within a rudimentary body that can be placed within the cauldron after all the ingredients are added.
- Love potions: Love potions are not Dark in themselves, but if they are used to override another person's will, then this use of them is Dark.
- Polyjuice Potion: though it has good uses, it is dark and probably illegal.
Dark Arts Items
The following items are associated with Dark Magic.[4] Note: This list is incomplete.
- Cursed books: Books can be bewitched to cause harm to anyone who attempts to read them. Examples include Sonnets of a Sorcerer, which causes the reader to speak in rhymes, and an unnamed book that a person can never stop reading. Tom Riddle's diary is both a cursed book and a Horcrux.
- Hand of Glory: A severed human hand with a candle placed within it. It provides light only to the holder.
- Horcrux: Thought to be the Darkest of all objects, a Horcrux is an object (or living being) that contains a fragment of a Dark wizard's divided soul. It is used to provide protection against death.
- Opal necklace: This item turned up in Borgin and Burkes, was apparently purchased by Draco Malfoy, and almost killed Katie Bell. It is cursed very heavily, to the extent that merely touching it causes nearly instant death. It has killed at least 19 Muggles.[5]