What counts as Dark Magic? (was: Marauder's Map, the Marauders, and Voldemort)

[boyd_smythe]

No: HPFGUIDX 108990

> Eleanor wrote:
> This brings up an interesting point.  Does _anybody_ know where
> regular magic ends and Dark Magic begins?
> 
> Is there a definite difference, e.g. you have to be thinking evil
> thoughts to perform Dark Magic?  Does it involve different 
techniques
> from normal magic?
> 
> Or is there a continuum, with (say) the Lumos Charm at one end and
> Avada Kedavra at the other, and a grey area in the middle?
> <snip>
> In some fantasies, magic is magic, and whether it's good or evil
> depends only on how it is used.  In others, there are two separate,
> mutually exclusive kinds of magic, labelled "light" and "dark"
> regardless of the intentions of the people who use them.  Which is
> Harry Potter?  The characters seem to think it's the second kind, 
but
> are they right?

boyd:

IMO, seems that Jo believes that one's rights stop at the tip of 
another's nose.

Dark Magic, as we know it, includes those spells that can only be used 
to impinge on others' personal rights. The diary and Imperio both 
can only be used to remove others' free will, while Crucio can only be 
used to hurt others. AK, of course, can only be used to kill others.

So, while lots of magic has multiple uses, Dark Magic is purely useful 
against others. Which brings up the question, what about all of those 
other spells we've seen that are lesser offenses against others? Such 
as cheering charms, confundis charms, conjunctivitis curses, 
densaugeo, engorgio, expelliarmus, etc. (thanks to the glorious HP 
Lexicon)? Our heroes have used some of these spells, assumedly after 
being taught them in class. And while one can argue that expelliarmus 
is purely a defensive spell, it also enables the user to then attack a 
defenseless wizard.

And what of the many novelties that Forge have dreamt up? Give them to 
an unsuspecting person, and they certainly cause a bit of a bother. 
Dark arts or pranks? Where is the line?

Alternatively, the Dark Arts may be simply those magics that have only 
been pursued by wizards intent on taking over the WW. Note: assumes 
there have been others.

--boyd
who thinks Freg & George will either be a key part of the funny 
defense of Hogwarts or subverted by the Dark Arts they're obviously 
dallying in