Unforgiveable and dark magic

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 79002

Elkins wrote:

> (c) dark magic may well have a corrosive power over those 
>     who use it even above and beyond the normal levels of 
>     moral degradation that accompany the commission of 
>     evil acts. 

Well, I have always found it difficult to understand what is meant 
by 'dark magic' if not that.

It seems relatively easy to hurt or kill someone - at least Muggles -
 by magic, but that doesn't apparently make it *dark* magic.  
Whereas some magic (such as hatching a Basilisk, IIRC) is dark 
whatever the intention, apparently.

That said, 'dark' still seems to fall short of 'unforgivable', and I 
think it's plausible that Bellatrix's comment gives something of an 
explanation.  Though I hope in JKR's moral universe evil intent + 
dark magic + actual harm don't amount to actual unforgivability.

David