[HPforGrownups] Uses for imperius (was: Motivations for Joining DEs)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 141245

Mira:

> I am probably exaggerating, but I find the idea of
> using Imperius-like control on mental patients
> particularly horrible. To take possession of a
> person's free will is utter de-humanization. In fact,
> I believe that this is what connects and sets apart
> the three unforgivables: they effectively annihilate a
> person, either by physically destroying her (AK) or by
> transforming her into a slave (Imperio) or into a
> beast, incapable of coherent thought because all
> resources are concentrated into taking the pain
> (Crucio). I cannot think of any other curse that might
> have a similar effect. Which is why I believe that any
> discussion of a 'positive' use for one of the
> unforgivables is misguided.

Magpie:

I suspect the whole idea of imagining uses for these things in mental health 
is probably...well, not a waste of time, but not something that really tells 
us anything about canon.  But in the case of Imperius, as with AK, it 
actually is possible to cast it without taking away their will: if they ask 
you to do it.  If someone is harming themselves and asks you to Imperio them 
not to do that then it becomes an act of trust and perhaps very scary for 
the person doing the Imperio, but it's not really taking away the person's 
will.  They already feel their will is being taken away from them by their 
compulsion and they are asking you to help them do what they really want to 
do.

Mira:

> Imperius turns its victim into a tool. I don't believe
> that it is possible to perform partial control under
> the Imperius curse, i.e. to tell your victim: 'be
> yourself, except for the bad habits', for the simple
> reason that the person who is possessed does not have
> a self anymore.

Magpie:

I think, based on canon, that you actually can do this because it doesn't 
seem like people under the spell necessarily become zombies.  It seems more 
like movie!hypnosis to me with post-hypnotic suggestions making the person 
ready to take new instructions, as opposed to real life hypnosis which has 
no such powers.  If you couldn't just be yourself except for certain things 
I'd think they'd have been able to sniff out all the people under it in the 
first war.

-m