Defintion of Dark Arts / Dark Mark

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 31404

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "leslesaja" <Lesaja at g...> wrote:
> Hello to all,
> 
> is there a definition of what _exactly_ the Dark Arts are?
> First of all it is because of the name: for me "dark" is not totally 
> the same as "evil". And "arts" seems to implicate that there is 
> something "admirable" to it, something that deserves appreciation.

"Dark" - hidden, secret. Like the Dark Side of the Moon, keep someone 
in the dark... opposite of light. Hmm... I think some "good" dark arts 
could be Invisibility, animagi & others used to hide! Even Fidelius 
Charm might be a Dark Art in this context - only few know of it and 
even fewer have the ability to cast it!

> It seems to contain a psychological component, like to control 
> someones acting (Imperius) or to visualise the biggest fear 
someone's 
> got - what means to read his/her mind, doesn't it? - but is a 
torture 
> like Cruciatus only a psychological one, that makes someone only
> think 
> that he/she is feeling pain?

Um.. I believe it is psychological. It is possible not to feel pain 
caused by physical injury if your mind is focused on other things - 
I've had some bruises/cuts with no idea when I got them and where. But 
it is also possible to feel pain without injury, even by nothing more 
than a mind believing it's in pain. Hypnosis has shown this... I've 
also heard of people who have been able to end their own lives by 
meditating at their own will.
 

Nature of Dark Arts...

Well, it's hidden. It requires a lot of power. It's not what could or 
should be done lightly. (So it's done darkly ;-) ) Hm - I think Dark 
Arts [i]force[/i] the person to do something against their will. They 
are aimed against mind... The book made of human skin or other covered 
by blood? Definately Dark Arts! Worst of them require death of an 
innocent being etc.
 
> And at last about the Dark Mark: It "burns black", does that mean
> that 
> it hurts?

I think it does hurt!

> Is this Mark done by Dark Arts? The Dark Mark is a sign of LV's 
power 
> over the DE's, too, but a mark that would allow a kind of 
> communication (bidirectional would be better, I think) / bondage
> could 
> be very useful for the good guys (e.g. as use for a silent cry for 
> help working over long distances).
> 
> What do you think?

It's Dark Art because only death-eaters and Voldemort know how to cast 
it!