The Unforgivables Curses : what about Petrificus Totalus ?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 94997

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...>
wrote:
> x
> Del wrote: 
> snip
> > Another point I've been bothered with is the use of some other 
> curses
> > that have not been described as either unforgivable or even 
> forbidden.
> > Petrificus Totalus, in particular, disturbs me a lot. It seems to 
> me
> > that it should fall in the Unforgivable category as well, because :
> > 1. It annihilates one's freedom of action
> > 2. It can easily allow some horrendous crimes to be committed. 
> snip
> 
> Potioncat:
> This is something I've been trying to get a handle on for a while.  
> There are a lot of hexes, jinxes, potions, etc that seem to have 
> nothing but bad intentions. Yet, children are doing them!  What must 
> the adults know!  And every book it seems we learn some new charm or 
> magic. I've always wondered at what the Dark Arts were that Snape 
> came to school knowing how to do.
> 
> It seems to me that the Unforgivable Curses, however they may also 
> fall into the WW morality/religion, are Legal Issues.
> 
> I think, to summarize, I'm confused on this too.
> Potioncat

Carol:
Part of it, I think, is that hexes and jinxes are easily reversible
and will wear off quickly on their own. The counterjinxes are also,
evidently, easily mastered, at least by Hermione. More important, the
hexes and jinxes don't require a desire to dominate, torture or
kill--just momentary revenge or spite--or keeping a friend from
following you if you're determined to do a little rule-breaking
(Hermione hexing Neville in Book 1).

The Unforgiveable Curses, according to our two DE experts, Bellatrix
and Crouch!Moody, are complex and difficult. They require practice,
power, and cold hatred or indifference to another person's humanity.
They are the tools of Death Eaters and other criminals--or corrupt
aurors and administrators like Crouch Sr., who have succumbed to their
enemy's values and methods.

I do think there's way too much hexing and jinxing going on in the
book, especially in the Hogwarts Express on the way home (why is no
adult present? Are they only deterred from performing similar hexes in
the school corridors by fear of detention? Good thing Snape is there!)
and I do think that teaching children hexes and jinxes (or allowing
them to learn such nasty little tricks) reflects a different set of
values than out own. But you can't do permanent harm with Petrificus
Totalis (unless you use it to immobilize your opponent and do
something else to him, like modifying his memory). Even then,
apparently, it wouldn't be a crime. (Shouldn't Lockhart be in Azkaban
for modifying all those memories? But in his case, intent and results,
rather than a spell that's evil in itself, would be what mattered.)

Carol, who's still certain that the Unforgiveable Curses are
Unforgiveable for a reason