Motivations for Joining DEs (Was: Bullying)

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 141116

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Kemper <iam.kemper at g...> wrote:

>  Kemper now:
> Snape suggests Sectumserpra is Dark Magic:
> "Who would have thought you knew such Dark Magic?"
> Sure, Reducto used on someone (if it works on living beings) could 
> be could be used for Dark purpose, but it is not Dark Magic. Dark 
> Magic is about the intent of the Magic being created. Sectumserpra 
> cut always?) wasn't created to shred paper, it was created with 
> the intention of hurting/maiming another human being, and that is 
> what makes it Dark.  Is there any consensus?

Upthread someone else asked about Obliviate, so now I think I have 
what could be used to make a distinction, although I'm not sure I buy 
it.  It's the classic difference between necessary and sufficient; or 
another angle on the same idea is whether it has any other 
purpose/use.

I believe you are right in saying that Sectumsempra is necessarily 
Dark--it has no other good uses, and it always hurts/maims another 
human being.  Obliviate *can* be used to harm another human being, 
but it's not necessarily used that way.

This is by no means airtight, but I think it's a criterion worth 
considering.

-Nora wonders about the impetus to create and power such a spell...