Fake AK Theory

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 134716


> Kathy writes:
>      I may be missing something here, forgive me, but why would it 
be 
> preferable for Snape to hit Dumbledore, a 150 year old man in the 
chest 
> with a different curse. Surely an AK would be a faster, more 
merciful 
> kill than blasting him into the air and dropping him untold numbers 
of 
> feet. 

zgirnius:
If I have not already made this clear, I prefer the Good!Snape 
theories post HBP. (Though actually I trust JKR, I'm sure if she 
chooses differently it will still be a fine read...)

I also have a rather particular opinion of the Unforgivable Curses, 
and what makes them Unforgivable. I think it has to do with state of 
mind. Remember, you have to *mean* it to cast an Unforgivable 
successfully, if we believe Bella. (I see no reason not to, she 
appears to be an expert...) 

Some have speculated for AK you just need to feel hatred of any sort, 
towards a random object, or whatever. But my personal feeling is that 
for a successful AK you either have to 1) hate the target truly and 
deeply, or 2) be so sunk into depravity that you no longer feel the 
repugnance a normal person would at the thought of murder. (Because I 
think most people probably can and do hate *something*, that's not 
unfogivable.) My personal feeling is that Snape cannot AK Dumbledore 
for this reason. Even if he really needs to/wants to for a variety of 
practiccal reasons. It is possible he tries and fails...perhaps the 
blast, etc. is the effect of a failed AK, especially since we can 
presume a lot of magical power is behind the spell, Snape being what 
he is. Or, alternatively, Snape suspects his AK would fail, and fakes 
it, killing DD by throwing him off the tower in order to cover 
himself with the Death Eaters present. (The point of the exercise, if 
we believe a Good!Snape theory).

As an example of a curse I think would be labelled "Dark" but 
not "Unforgivable" is Sectumsempra. It could be effectively used to 
both torture and kill another human being. However, Harry cast it 
successfully in a situation where he was trying to defend himself. I 
don't think his mental state at the time was all about utter hate of 
Draco, but about getting Draco before Draco could get him. I hope 
this clarifies, rather than confuses, my thoughts about Unforgivable 
Curses.