Unforgiveable and dark magic

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 79048

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "David" <dfrankiswork at n...> 
wrote:
> 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. 
> 

David:


> 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.


Dark magic is surely magic used for an evil end. Can you suggest 
situations where the Cruciatus Curse, the Imperius Curse or the Avada 
Kedavra Curses could be used to constructive ends? I believe they are 
implicitly dark and evil and, hence, unforgiveable.

Geoff