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Dark Arts

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The Killing Curse, considered very Dark magic.
"The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."
—Severus Snape to a Defence Against the Dark Arts class[src]

The Dark Arts, also known as Dark magic, refers to any type of magic that is mainly used to cause harm. The Dark Arts encompass many spells and actions ranging from using the Unforgivable Curses to hatching Basilisks, and its practice is generally illegal. Practitioners are referred to as Dark wizards or witches, the most prominent and powerful of whom was Lord Voldemort. His followers, known as Death Eaters, also practiced the Dark Arts.


Contents

[edit] Nature of the Dark Arts

Dumbledore: "You call it 'greatness,' what you have been doing, do you?"
Riddle: "Certainly. I have experimented; I have pushed the boundaries of magic further, perhaps, than they have ever been pushed -"
Dumbledore: "Of some kinds of magic. Of some. Of others, you remain...forgive me...woefully ignorant."
Riddle: "The old argument. But nothing I have seen in the world has supported your famous pronouncements that love is more powerful than my kind of magic, Dumbledore."
— Albus Dumbledore and Tom Marvolo Riddle[src]
Lord Voldemort after his transformation by the Dark Arts.

The Dark Arts are generally regarded as corrupting those who use them. After engaging in them extensively for many years, even Tom Marvolo Riddle's appearance demonstrated his corruption — he lost his former handsomeness, eventually taking on serpentine physical qualities and red eyes[1]. Albus Dumbledore, in particular, suggested that engaging in the Dark Arts was damaging to the soul; for instance, he told Severus Snape that Draco Malfoy's soul was "not yet so damaged" that he would be capable of murder, and that if he did go through with murder, his soul would be "ripped apart"[1]. This suggests that using very Dark magic, such as the Killing Curse, damages an individual's soul. The Dark Art of creating a Horcrux involves literally splitting the soul for the unnatural purpose of achieving immortality.

Powerful Dark spells also require malicious intent in order to be successful. To cast the Cruciatus Curse, for instance, one must truly desire to cause pain in and of itself, according to Bellatrix Lestrange[2]. The Dark Arts can also be difficult to control; for example, Vincent Crabbe lost control of the cursed fire he created in 1998 and was killed by it[3]. Injuries caused by Dark magic never fully heal, such as George Weasley's ear after it was cut off by a Sectumsempra he was struck with during the Battle over Little Whinging[4].

Dumbledore: "...you have never been seduced by the Dark Arts, never, even for a second, shown the slightest desire to become one of Voldemort's followers!"
Harry: "Of course I haven't! He killed my mum and dad!"
Dumbledore: "You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort's! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart..."
— Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter in 1996[src]

According to Albus Dumbledore, the only power strong enough to enable a person to resist the temptation of the Dark Arts, and to defeat them, is love. This is the reason Harry Potter triumphed over Lord Voldemort — first, because his mother willingly sacrificed her life for his, and then because Harry sacrificed his own for those he loved[3].

[edit] The Dark Arts and the Law

"When a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore..."
—Rubeus Hagrid[src]

The Dark Arts are generally illegal to practice in the wizarding world, but this prohibition is not universal; for example, while Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry teaches only Defence Against the Dark Arts, Durmstrang Institute teaches the Dark Arts itself. Also, in times of war, the British Ministry of Magic has been known to permit Aurors to use Dark magic against its enemies. When Lord Voldemort was in control of wizarding Britain in late 1997 to mid-1998, the Dark Arts were legalized and taught at Hogwarts by Death Eater professor Amycus Carrow[3]

In addition, there is a matter of degree. The three Unforgivable Curses are punishable by an automatic life sentence in Azkaban Prison[5], except when permitted in wartime, whereas some types of magic can have Dark as well as more benign uses and, thus, are presumably not always illegal.


[edit] Known Dark Arts

[edit] Dark Spells

"Magic, especially Dark magic ... leaves traces."
—Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter on Dark spells[src]

The following spells are identified as being Dark. Where possible, an explanation for this classification is given.

The Killing Curse.
Fiendfyre
Viktor Krum under the Imperius Curse.
The Dark Mark.
Voldemort's rebirth potion.
Spell Effect Notes
Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) Causes instant death. One of the three Unforgivable Curses, Avada Kedavra has no counter-curse and cannot be blocked with any spell. It is implied that it is the spell that Quirinus Quirrell was going to use on Harry before he died. Harry Potter is the only known survivor of it.
Cruciatus Curse (Crucio) Causes excruciating pain. One of the three Unforgivable Curses, Crucio can torture a victim into insanity.
Imperius Curse (Imperio) Places a victim under the total control of the caster. One of the three Unforgivable Curses, Imperio can cause serious brain damage if used wrong.
Fiendfyre Unleashes 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 impervious to the Aguamenti charm and has the ability to destroy Horcruxes. It can only be controlled by a very experienced Dark Wizard.[3]
Horcrux Curse Detaches a torn soul fragment from the caster's body and encases it in an object or living thing to create a Horcrux. Described as "the wickedest of all magical inventions"[1].
Inferius reanimation Unknown spell or spells used to reanimate a corpse that does the caster's bidding. Inferi are highly resistant to spells, but because they are Dark creatures, they are sensitive to light and warmth.[1]
Morsmordre Conjures the Dark Mark. Likely invented by Lord Voldemort.
Petrification Turns a victim into a stone-like state of unconsciousness. Albus Dumbledore called petrification "Dark Magic of the most advanced kind"[6]. It requires a powerful antidote such as Mandrake roots.
Sectumsempra Slashes the skin of a victim according to the movement of the caster's wand, can amputate limbs if the wand is pointed instead of slashing. This curse was most likely invented by Severus Snape, who himself called it Dark Magic.[1]
An unnamed curse used by Antonin Dolohov Causes unspecified, severe internal injury that is potentially fatal if the incantation is said aloud. Death EaterAntonin Dolohov used a nonverbal version of this curse on Hermione Granger in 1996, but she still suffered significant damage, according to Hogwarts nurse Poppy Pomfrey.[2] Dolohov may have used it to kill Remus Lupin during the Battle of Hogwarts.


[edit] Dark Potions

The following potions are identified as Dark:

Vials of Polyjuice Potion.
  • Rudimentary Body Potion: A potion used to or used in combination with other magic to create a rudimentary body that can be inhabited by a non-coporeal wizard.
  • Voldemort's rebirth potion: This potion is said by Voldemort to be "an old piece of Dark Magic"[5]. 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 body for a Dark witch or wizard who has used Horcruxes and lost their original body, as Voldemort did. This new body is replica of the old one and has its former powers too. 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. If the blood of the enemy contains infections or protections, like a love sacrifice or lycanthrophy, it will also poison or protect the wizard or witch reborn with it.
  • Polyjuice Potion: allows the drinker to take on the physical form of another person. Though it has good uses, it is Dark and is illegal, most likely for the one who wants to brew it must commit crimes to gain the necessary ingredients.
  • Emerald Green Potion: a Potion used in a basin in which the locket Horcrux was hidden. Its consumption caused the drinker to see "terrible things", dehydrate, and experience excruciating burning in one's insides. Because of the 'terrible things', it has an effect similiar to the presence of a Dementor. [1]


[edit] Dark Items

Tom Riddle's Diary, a Horcrux.
"Of the Horcrux, wickedest of magical inventions, we shall not speak nor give direction–"
—the introduction of Magick Moste Evile[src]

The following items are associated with Dark Magic:[7]

  • 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
  • Hand of Glory: A severed human hand with a candle placed within it. It provides light only to the holder.[6] It is able to penetrate Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.


Horcruxes: Although this locket is R.A.B's substitute for the Slytherin Horcrux
  • 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.[1]


Opal necklace
  • 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 nineteen Muggles.


[edit] Other

Some other actions that would be considered Dark include:

[edit] Known Practitioners

Death Eaters at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.

The following wizards and witches are known to have practiced the Dark Arts:

[edit] Known Texts

The following texts are known to discuss the Dark Arts:

[edit] Behind the scenes

  • Some spells may not be considered Dark magic in and of themselves, but may be used for Dark purposes. For example, the Taboo curse allows the caster to track anyone who says a certain word or name. This gives the caster a great deal of power over people's speech, and spreads fear. It may thus be considered to have Dark applications, such as when it was used by Death Eaters to track their enemies during the Second Wizarding War[3].
  • The Dark Arts are similar to magic known as maleficium, which is used in a similar manner.

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  4. ↑ Deathly Hallows, Ch. 5. Also, in Ch. 17, Harry mentions "the injuries from Dark Magic...you can't repair the damage."
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  7. ↑ Harry Potter Lexicon: Dark Magic Items
  8. ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
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