[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's Use of an Unforgivable Curse

[Tim Regan (Intl Vendor)]

No: HPFGUIDX 96036

Hi Jim & All,
 
<Jim>Do you feel Harry should be charged?</Jim>
 
<me>Yes, he should. Sure, if it had been an attempted Avada Kedavra I'd
say he was justified (though Dumbledore sets a very different role
model). But torture?</me>
 
<Jim>I disagree. Harry didn't torture; he turned out not to have it in
him to torture Bellatrix.</Jim>
 
Hmmm, then why did he choose the Cruciatus Curse? Avada Kedavra would
have been safer for Harry (c.f. if someone more powerful than you was
intent on killing you, and you had a gun, where would you shoot them:
torso or leg?) But perhaps I'm being too clinical, perhaps Harry's
revulsion at killing  prevented him trying AK, and so Crutiatus was all
that was left. But what about other counter-attacks or disarming spells?
If Cruciatus was his only remaining alternative, I'd agree with Snape
when he says (PoA) "I shall make a point of informing Professor
Dumbledore how very behind you all are".
 
Which brings us back to nmjenson's original post, was Harry's Cruciatus
another sign of just how angry Teen!Harry can get, a way for Harry (and
us the readers) to vent our anger at Bellatrix for killing Sirius, or
was it a sign that Harry is capable of needing to inflict pain?
 
<Jim>the issue wasn't a lack of skill, but of malice sufficient to truly
agonize Bellatrix Lestrange, despite having witnessed her kill his
godfather and torture (for real) his friend. Even after all that, he
couldn't muster the cruelty.</Jim>
 
Bellatrix says "You need to really want to cause pain - to enjoy it -
righteous anger won't hurt me for long", which really backs up your and
karenoc1's points. But I'm still  intrigued about his choice of curse.
Would righteous anger lead one to want to inflict pain? Remember how
Moody!Crouch  introduced the curse:
 
"Pain," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to
torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse"
 
So Cruciatus is akin to the use of thumbscrews - hardly the realm of
self-defense or righteous anger.
 
Cheers,
 
Dumbledad.
 
PS I don't think he should be sent to Azkaban though, first offense from
a minor and all that. But it was wrong.


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