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

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 161391

Magpie
<snipping>
> I guess the difference with many universes is usually Dark Magic
> comes from a different place.  The Dark Side is a different side 
of 
> the Force than the Light Side.  Black Magic calls on different 
> sources that White Magic, lets say.  The Potterverse seems to have 
> all magic basically be the same, and define it more on how you'd 
> judge the person's actions--if it seems kinda evil and bad, it's
> Dark.  It's not about showing good people seduced by evil magic 
> (even Crouch who one could say went bad, wasn't exactly seduced by
> Dark Magic that I can see).  It's more like any baddie who's also a
> Voldemort baddie is by definition seduced by the Dark Arts.

Jen:  Here's my take on the three main paths to Voldemort, the way I 
glean JKR's presentation of characters who are his followers:

1)  Wizards like Lucius who place the pure blood issue above all 
else, 
who think Voldemort's goal is to rid the WW of muggleborns.
2)  Those who are coopted into service out of fear like Peter.
3)  Those who have immersed themselves in the study of the Dark Arts 
and view Voldemort as a path to magical knowledge.  My assumption is 
Snape fits here.

Not all DE's in his service are 'seduced' by the Dark Arts in the 
sense they hold this discipline above all else.  All may use dark 
spells to do his bidding and even someone like Peter has to learn 
how to AK. And others don't fall into these categories, they have 
personal reasons to be a DE much like Crouch Jr. who probably 
initially wanted to get back at his father and only later became a 
fantatic.  His hook was a substitute father rather than pure blood 
ideals or interest in dark magic.

Voldemort recruits in the same way he recruited Draco: he finds the 
one thing a person can be lured by and uses it to his advantage.  In 
the case of Draco, glory for himself and his family by following in 
the footsteps of his father was probably the initial hook. 

Snape, who values intellect & and study, including the study of dark 
arts, was probably recuited in a similar way--'let me show you all I 
know, you will be a Master one day of the Dark Arts, above all 
others with no equal.'  Snape aleady has the anger, but he also has 
a growing belief the Dark Arts are the path to something more than 
what he's accomplished in his regular studies at Hogwarts, something 
that will give him not only intellectual glory but power over his 
enemies.  Thus he's seduced by the siren call of the Dark Arts as 
the end and Voldemort as the means.


Jen R.