THe nature of the Unforgivables(was Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: Bang!You're dead.)

[entropymail]

No: HPFGUIDX 86712

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at y...>
wrote:
> Angel: But this raises an interesting question. In Moody's lesson he
talks about using AK, and said he wouldn't get a nosebleed if the whole
class did it. If Neville had had the torture of his parents uppermost
in his mind and all the hatred at Crouch, could he have killed Moody,
at that point, because of it?

> Carol: I don't think the identity of the person you're aiming AK at
matters--only the anger and hatred of the person casting the spell.
the Death Eaters undoubtedly AKd anonymous Muggles and some of the DEs
> tried to AK Harry's friends in the MoM without knowing who they were.
> Barty Jr. if he had known who he was and what he had done...remember,
> Harry couldn't successfully Crucio Bellatrix, who had just killed
> Sirius and was gloating about it. The same thing would have happened
> to Neville if he had tried to AK Imposter!Moody knowing the full
truth. <snipping liberties taken>


It might be helpful to think of the Crucio or AK curses as similar to
producing a patronus. Harry's experience with the patronus has been
written about extensively in the books, so it's a good point of
reference.  Three things are needed to successfully produce a patronus:

1. Power. We know that it usually takes a fairly powerful, full-grown
wizard to produce a patronus.  Harry, whose powers have been magnified
by Voldemort's attempt on his life, has the magical ability to produce
it.  
2. Good thoughts. Happy memories must be recalled. 
3. Practice.  A great deal of practice and effort in learning to use
the spell are necessary as well.  

The Crucio and AK spells could be thought of as anti-patronus.  The
power and practice are necessary elements, but instead of good
thoughts, the wizard must produce and direct a great deal of hatred
and evil as well.  Given that Harry has an abundance of both hatred
(at the DE's and Voldemort for the death of his parents and now
Sirius) and evil (supposedly as a result of Voldemort's failed AK at
him), Crouch!Moody was probably underestimating Harry when he said no
one in the class could successfully AK him.  With a bit of work, Harry
seems to have all of the elements of a wicked AK in him.

:: Entropy ::