Facilis descensus Averni---Snape's little problems

[ericoppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 140422

It occurs to me that a big part of what ails Snape is that he's been 
mixed up with the Dark Arts for so long.  In many (most?  I am no 
scholar of the occult) magical and magickal traditions, those who 
palter with evil for easy power pay a price.  While the power comes 
easily, much more easily than it does on the "good" side of things, 
there are always side-effects, and nasty ones.

Forex, the classical "deal with the Devil" a la Faust offered 
whatever one's greasy little heart could desire---the only little 
catch was that when the time came, you were bound for Hell for sure, 
by your own will and signed request.  

Or in Tolkien, the Great Rings made with Sauron's might (the Seven 
Dwarven Rings and the Nine for Mortal Men) offered their wearers 
great power, but at the price of being susceptible to Sauron's 
wiles.  And as for the One---yes, it gave power, but at a price no-
one sane would pay. Nobody even remotely sane would want to trade 
places with Gollum, which was the fate of any mortal who tried to use 
the One.  The Great and Good could master its power, but its nature 
was such that they would inevitably become evil themselves.

So, does this apply to JKR's "Dark Arts?"  I would say that it does.  
Look at Voldemort---he was once handsome as a young god, and a 
powerful wizard, but his magical experiments altered him horribly, 
and although he survives, he does so in a form that nobody could 
love.  

Which brings us to everybody's favorite puzzle character, Severus 
Snape.  We are informed that he knew more "curses" when he got to 
Hogwarts than many seventh-year students---what does this tell us 
about the sort of magic he had been swotting up on his own?  Not to 
mention the ones he invented---the one Harry used on Malfoy, forex.  
_Not_ nice magic at all.

One reason that I think D'dore kept Snape away from DADA, even though 
he's a stone expert, is because in JKR's world, the Dark Arts are not 
only corrupting to the body and soul, they're _addictive._  Snape 
might be like a dried-out alcoholic, who's okay as long as he doesn't 
start drinking again.  But if he fiddles with Dark Arts, even in 
passing, he's already done himself enough damage for them to be much 
more dangerous than they might be for someone who'd never had 
anything to do with them.

Would the Big V have been able to put a curse on the Herbology 
professor's job, or the Astronomy professor's?  Maybe not, or at 
least not as easily.  

Comments, anyone?