The Imperius Virus Again

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 144314

Almost two years ago I suggested here that Voldy could easily win the
war by using my invention, a doomsday weapon I called the Imperius
Virus (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/92918
and ensuing thread for details). The principal behind the Imperius
Virus is very simple: all Voldy has to do is imperio one wizard and
give him these three directions:

1. Be a good servant of the Dark Lord.
2. Go and imperio other wizards.
3. Give them these three directions.

As I showed in the original post, the number of imperiused wizards
imperio-ing other wizards will increase exponentially to include the
whole WW population in a matter of weeks, after which it will be a
piece of cake to take care of the muggles too. 

Several members pointed out some bugs in this simple algorithm, but
IMO nothing that could not be solved by some very standard
programming. The main problem with the virus design was that I didn't
have any canon for an imperiused wizard imperio-ing another wizard. I
only had canon for imperiused Krum in GoF crucio-ing Cedric. Some
members countered that this wouldn't be practical for Imperio, either
because most British wizards had never learned to use the
Unforgivables (unlike Krum, who learned them in Durmstrang), or
because (as they argued) Imperius isn't really like programming an
autonomous agent, but more like having to guide him nonstop by remote. 

However, I'm happy to report that in HBP these problems were solved
too. We now have canon that an imperiused wizard can indeed imperio
another wizard. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I've actually
missed it in my first and second reads, because it requires putting
together details from different chapters. In Ch. 27 it was established
that Madam Rosmerta was imperiused by the DEs:


***************************************************
'Very gratifying,' said Dumbledore mildly. 'We all like appreciation
for our own hard work, of course ... but you must have had an
accomplice, all the same ... someone in Hogsmeade, someone who was
able to slip Katie the - the – aaaah
'
 
Dumbledore closed his eyes again and nodded, as though he was about to
fall asleep. 
'... of course ... Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius
Curse?' 

'Got there at last, have you?' Malfoy taunted.
***************************************************


Earlier in Ch. 12 it was pretty much established that Katie was
imperiused (by the imperiused Madam Rosmerta, as it turned out) in the
ladies room of The Three Broomsticks to take the cursed necklace past
the Hogwarts security:


***************************************************
"I've seen that before," said Harry, staring at the thing. "It was on
display in Borgin and Burkes ages ago. The label said it was cursed.
Katie must have touched it." He looked up at Leanne, who had started
to shake uncontrollably. "How did Katie get hold of this?" 

"Well, that's why we were arguing. She came back from the bathroom in
the Three Broomsticks holding it, said it was a surprise for somebody
at Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all funny when she
said it. ... Oh no, oh no, I bet she'd been Imperiused and I didn't
realize!"
****************************************************


We also have the testimony of Katie herself in Ch. 24:


****************************************************
"You definitely went into the bathroom, then?" said Hermione. 

"Well, I know I pushed open the door," said Katie, "so I suppose
whoever Imperiused me was standing just behind it. After that, my
memory's a blank until about two weeks ago in St. Mungo'
****************************************************


It is thus proved that an imperiused wizard *can* imperio another
wizard, and I believe that the plot to take over the world with the
Imperius Virus can commence without further difficulties. As I wrote
in the original thread, I don't think Voldemort is likely to use it in
Book 7, because he just doesn't seem to be very good at programming,
but it's still fully canonical and could be a very good plot for a
fanfic. Also, Just in case somebody in magenta robes points a wand at
you in the street, you'd better dodge it, because I didn't figure out
how to block the virus yet.


Neri