[HPforGrownups] Re: Does Viktor Krum become an important character?

[Janet Anderson]

No: HPFGUIDX 119986

Catching up, I see that Carol asked:

>That's where *my* problem with Krum arises. He's a Durmstrang student
>and has therefore been taught the Dark Arts. Does that include the
>Unforgiveable Curses? And if he's been taught to cast them (he didn't
>have any trouble casting a Crucio under the Imperius Curse) does that
>mean he's used them on other people? Surely not. Even Karkaroff
>wouldn't teach his students to torture and kill each other. That would
>be suicidal. How do they practice the Unforgiveables, then? Do they
>cast them at dummies or mirrors or targets? And do they Imperio each
>other? (Is that the way the DEs learn them, too?) So much of it is
>mental--you have to really want to hurt someone to cast an effective
>Cruciatus Curse. You have to be a cold manipulator to cast an
>effective Imperius Curse. And you have to either hate deeply or be
>wholly indifferent to human life to cast an AK. At least that's the
>way I understand it. It's the mindset required as much as the effects
>of those curses that makes them Unforgiveable.

Well, we have already seen the Unforgiveable Curses being taught -- by 
Crouch masquerading as Moody.  I think all the Hogwarts students present now 
know *how* to cast one, but even if they wanted to, they undoubtedly don't 
have the mindset.  (Okay, maybe Draco.)  Based on Krum's Crucio attack on 
Fleur, I think an Imperio will serve as a substitute for the mindset 
required (but probably wouldn't provide knowledge of how to cast the Crucio 
itself).

>But I worry about him. He's been taught the Dark Arts, apparently
>including the Unforgiveables. He was Karkaroff's favorite boy, and we
>know what Karkaroff is or was. Is it safe to have Viktor on the good side?

We already have Snape on the good side (in my opinion). Everything you could 
say about Viktor regarding the Dark Arts, and a whole lot worse, can be said 
(and undoubtedly has been said, to Dumbledore and others) about Snape.  So 
if we can trust Snape (and some of us can, while at the same time thinking 
he needs the occasional swift kick), then we should be able to give a 
seventeen-year-old boy the benefit of the doubt.


Janet Anderson