Dark Arts (Harry Potter)

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The Dark Arts, in the Harry Potter series, are those magical spells and practices mostly used for malicious purposes. Practitioners are referred to as Dark Wizards or Dark Witches, the most prominent of whom is Lord Voldemort. His followers, known as Death Eaters, also practice the Dark Arts.

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[edit] Dark Magic

It is unclear what exactly constitutes Dark magic in the wizarding world. According to Severus Snape, the Dark Arts "are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal...unfixed, mutating, indestructible." (HBP, p.169). It also appears to be the most common form of magic used by criminals, and dangerous spells used by others in the books are frequently labelled Dark. In magical duelling, for example, there are any number of spells that may be used to attack, immobilise or disarm an opponent without causing pain or lasting harm; spells such as the Cruciatus Curse or Sectumsempra, judged to be Dark by reliable authorities, actually wound or seriously distress a victim.

The motivation of the caster affects the effect of a spell. This is most notable in the case of Cruciatus: when cast by Harry, angered by the death of his Godfather and desiring to punish the murderer, it causes a short moment of pain; when cast by figures such as Lord Voldemort, who desire to cause pain purely for its own sake and without any greater primary motive, it causes intense agony. Use of Dark Magic can corrupt the soul and body; such magic has been used by Lord Voldemort in his quest to prolong his life and grant himself great power.

Use of the Dark Arts is strongly stigmatised, and possibly illegal; however, they are prevalent enough in society that even before the rise of Lord Voldemort, many schools (including Hogwarts) taught Defence Against the Dark Arts as a subject. Techniques include anti-curses and simple spells to disable or disarm attackers. It is rumoured that some schools (Durmstrang being a named example) teach Dark Magic.

[edit] Curses

Curses are usually offensive spells that cause harm to the subject, though like most magical terms in Harry Potter it is not clear precisely how they are distinguished from other spells. Not all curses are considered Dark magic; some, like the Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus), can be used for defence, while others are unpleasant but essentially harmless and used as pranks. All, to a certain degree, are in some circumstances justifiable, and the use even of the Unforgivables by Aurors was sanctioned during the closing years of Voldemort's first rise.

The three darkest spells known to wizards are the Unforgivable Curses:

  • The Imperius Curse (Imperio) - the victim is placed in a trance-like state, and can be either left powerless, or controlled by the caster.
  • The Cruciatus Curse (Crucio) - inflicts excruciating physical pain in the victim - the pain varies according to the desire of the caster.
  • The Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) - kills the victim immediately and painlessly. Only one person (Harry Potter) is known to have naturally survived it (Lord Voldemort survived it - his body did not - through his use of horcruxes to sustain him; phoenixes 'die' according to their nature upon being struck by it, being forced to reincarnate).

Other curses identified as Dark in the books include:

  • Sectumsempra - a curse which causes slashing wounds on the victim.
  • Antonin Dolohov's Curse (incantation unknown) - this curse causes serious internal injury without leaving external marks.
  • Horcrux Curse (incantation unknown) - a curse, apparently abhorred by most wizards, that allows the caster to store a fragment of their soul into the target object, making it a Horcrux. However, the caster must commit murder, a truly evil deed. As long as the object is not destroyed, the wizard cannot die. It is often used by Dark wizards to avoid death.
  • Morsmordre - conjures the Dark Mark. It is used exclusively by the Death Eaters: to signify that they have killed or to lure someone into a trap.
  • Petrification - a "Dark Magic of the most advanced kind" (Dumbledore). Petrifies the victim.

[edit] Others

Some spells are still considered Dark Magic, even though they are not meant to cause injury.

A love potion can be classified as Dark Art, since it overrides the victim's true feelings.

[edit] Blood Magic

Blood has been shown to be an important element to Dark Magic. Jars of blood were found amongst the Dark paraphernalia in the Black House, for example. More importantly, blood of the foe was an essential part of Lord Voldemort's resurrection ritual, along with human flesh and bone.

In addition, when entering a chamber that once contained one of Lord Voldemort's horcruxes, Dumbledore had to slash his arm to put blood on the door, which caused it to open. Dumbledore remarks that this is a "crude" method, which can either be interpreted to mean malicious or basic.

Blood magic has been shown as used by benign characters also. Lily Potter, as part of her sacrifice to save her son, ensured that her sacrifice was carried in his blood - thus, because of her sacrifice, any who touched him with murderous intent would be scalded and pained. This effect was later appropriated by Lord Voldemort, who used Harry's blood as part of his resurrection - due to carrying Harry's blood, he is able to harm him without being affected.

Albus Dumbledore has also made use of blood-magic: he extended the protections Lily laid upon Harry's blood, making it impossible for Harry to be harmed by anyone whilst protected (no matter how unwillingly) by his mother's kin.

[edit] Dark Wizards

Dark Wizards are those who are identified by their use of Dark Magic or Dark Items. Many are Death Eaters, and Slytherin has been identified as the house most accepting of the Dark Arts. Aside from the Death Eaters, other possible Dark Wizards include:

[edit] Dark Items

Dark Items are magical items which have a malign purpose, or which are principally associated with Dark Magic. Of these, the most notable is the Horcrux, an object infused with a piece of the creator's torn soul. Creating a Horcrux is one of the most terrible magical acts, as the creator must commit murder to tear their soul as part of the process. This item bears a striking similarity to a phylactery, a fantasy object that contains a spellcaster's soul turning them into a lich. The phylactery too can resurrect the creator. The Dark Items can be divided into two main uses:

  • To aid the user of the item.
  • To curse or manipulate unsuspecting users.

[edit] Other Dark Items

  • The Diary of Tom Riddle (A Horcrux)
  • Forbidden Books including:
    • Sonnets of a Sorcerer
    • a book that sears the eyes of the reader
    • a book that the reader cannot stop reading or dispose of
  • The Hand of Glory (a mummified hand that can hold a candle, the light from which being visible only to the holder of the Hand)
  • Unnamed items which can be found in Borgin & Burkes
    • blood-stained playing cards
    • a staring glass eye
    • evil-looking masks
    • human bones
    • rusty, spiked instruments
    • long coil of hangman's rope
    • opal necklace that is cursed and has claimed the lives of nineteen Muggles--and nearly killed Katie Bell
  • Items which can be found in Knockturn Alley
    • shrunken heads
    • live gigantic black spiders
    • poisonous candles
    • human fingernails
  • Items which can be found in Number 12 Grimmauld Place
    • biting silver snuffbox filled with Wartcap Powder
    • a spidery instrument, rather like a many-legged tweezers, which scurried away and tried to puncture Harry's skin
    • a music box that played a sinister but compelling tune which would have put all the listeners into an enchanted sleep, had it not been stopped
    • a grandfather clock that shot heavy bolts at passers-by
    • an ancient set of purple robes that tried to strangle Ron
    • an ornate crystal bottle with a large opal set into the stopper, full of what looked like blood
    • claws
    • rusty daggers
    • coiled snakeskin

[edit] Dark Creatures

Dark creatures are distinct from magical animals in the Harry Potter universe in that they do not use their power to survive. Many creatures, such as manticores and erklings, possess great amounts of dark magic, but, nonetheless, are not "dark creatures;" they are merely natural predators, utilising their power in their quest for food, reproduction, and survival. A dark creature seeks to harm others simply because it is the creature's nature to do so. Thus, a hinkypunk kills by leading its victims into marshes, not so that it may eat, but simply because it can. Dark creatures do not necessarily reproduce, often spontaneously generating from places of strong ambient Dark Magic, or where a particularly emotive act has been committed. Red caps, for instance, appear on battlefields or other locations where blood has been spilt. Dementors "grow like fungi" according to JK Rowling, in the foulest, darkest places. Most dark creatures are not, by human standards, intelligent; vampires and werewolves, examples of those who are intelligent, are part-human.

Dark creatures are also those magical creatures created artificially using Dark Magic. One example of this is the basilisk, which is created using Dark magic.

Some magical creatures, especially those considered "beings" by the Ministry of Magic (and thus theoretically equal to humans), are capable of learning and using the Dark Arts.

[edit] Known Dark Creatures

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