Sectumsempra/DancingOnHisGrave/PickingOn/Hagrid/Risk/TrelawneySlyth/Forgive

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 141377

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)" 
<catlady at w...> wrote:

Catlady:
> > Why does << The very use of the "-sempra" suffix implies that 
this 
> was meant as an attacking spell >> ? I can think of Good uses for
> 'always', as in charms for good health (or at least immunity from
> specified diseases) and charms for holding up a house like the 
Burrow
> and charms for protecting a place from malicious intruders. 

Geoff:
The implication is because of what I wrote in the preceding 
paragraph, without which the point of my comment was missed. I wrote:

<quote>
This may have been a fairly harmless spell but its structure is of
note. "Rictus" is a "grin" or "open mouth" and "sempra" is derived
from "semper" meaning "always". "Sectumsempra" shares part of its
name. "Sectum" is the supine of the verb "secto" - to cut and
means "in order to cut". Add on "sempra" and you have a spell which
apparently makes permanent cuts. It is fortunate that Snape was
around otherwise I think it possible that Draco could have bled to
death. It was certainly very stupid of Harry to use an untried spell
without attempting to determine its meaning.
</quote>

The very use of the "-sempra" suffix implies that this was meant as
an attacking spell and that is underlined by what is written in the
Potions book...
</quote>

The comment about "sempra" has to be read in conjunction with my 
observation about "sectum" for the possible danger of this spell to 
be appreciated.

I am a great Harry supporter but, like all of us, there are times 
when he shoots first and asks questions afterwards which, in this 
situation, was a very dangerous approach.