Dark Magic and Snape (was:Re: CHAPDISC: HBP24, Sectumsempra)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 161367

BetsyHP:
> IIRC, Hermione gets into an argument with Umbridge over this exact 
> thing: what makes a spell bad or dark?  Hermione seemed to 
conclude 
> that it depended on current fashion.


Magpie:
Do they have that discussion?  I may be thinking of the wrong scene 
but, the only discussion I remember between the two is that exchange 
that drives me crazy where Umbridge asks what Slinkhard says about 
counter-hexes and Hermione reports that he says counter-hexes are 
hexes but that people use that name to make themselves feel better 
and pretend they're really not hexes.  Which having read the books I 
would agree with.  Counter-hexes do always basically seem to be 
hexes that you throw at other people rather than, for instance, 
blocking spells.  Hermione then continues on to say that she doesn't 
agree, followed by a total non-sequitor of "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't 
like hexes, does he?  But I think they're quite useful, especially 
in self-defense."

Which drives me crazy because whether or not counter-hexes are 
actually different things than hexes (rather than just a hex you're 
calling a counter-hex because the other person hexed you first, or 
has done something to deserve it) has nothing to do with whether or 
not one likes hexes or thinks they're useful. If Hermione wants to 
disagree with Slinkhard, at least the bit quoted there, she should 
be explaining how counter-hexes are different. (Though since 
Umbridge just tells her to shut up it seems like she won some sort 
of argument.) This is like if I said shooting someone in self-
defense was still shooting them (which I think is true) and someone 
translated that into "I don't like guns and don't think they are 
ever useful in self-defense."

So looking at the whole exchange it reads more to me like Slinkhard 
is being associated with pacifism and Hermione is saying that she 
thinks violence is sometimes justified (which we readers obviously 
already know!).  I honestly don't remember any place where they 
discuss what Dark Magic is, I guess because I assume if they did 
have that discussion fandom would have pulled it apart by now 
because we'd all love to know.

-m