Dark Magic and Snape / Dark Creatures

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 161513

a_svirn:
> That's sort of what I think myself. But that's a kind of explanation 
> that prompts further questions. Like what if there are other
creatures, persons and charms that were labelled dark unjustly? Even
more ominous: 
> what if there are charms or potions that *should* have been proclaimed 
> dark, but weren't for some opportunistic reason? In short, what if
Dark Magic is what the Ministry says it is? If so, we can safely
dismiss the notion.
>
Carol:
But what if it isn't? What if "Unforgiveable" means something more
than a lifetime sentence to Azkaban (which would hardly serve as a
deterrent after a person has cast one Unforgiveable). Bellatrix says
that you have to *mean* the Unforgiveable Curses, and surely it's
important that she's such an expert at casting the Cruciatus Curse and
Harry failed to cast one effectively. I also think and hope that Harry
won't resort to using Unforgiveable Curses, aside from Voldemort's
skill at Legilimency and his ineptitude at Occlumency and nonverbals
(if he can't Crucio Snape, how can he Crucio Voldemort?). It's the
sadism, the desire to hurt or control others, that disturbs me. It
also appears that the Unforgiveables corrupt the soul of the caster
(and I'm not talking about Horcruxes and soul splitting murders here).
Both Crouches seem to have been driven mad by them (and Bellatrix is a
psychopath). I think that Snape is right to steer Harry away from Dark
magic, if only to prevent Harry from turning out like him. 

Maybe Dark magic has the potential to corrupt the user, to turn him
evil or to lead him into an obsession with some unnatural goal, such
as immortality or control over others' minds.

I think that at least in JKR's mind, we're dealing with something more
than definitions by the Ministry of Magic, something concrete and
definable if not absolute and fixed. Just as Gandalf wouldn't use the
One Ring because it would destroy him, there are powers that
Dumbledore is too noble (and too sensible?) to use. Barty Crouch Sr.
succumbed to temptation, using the weapons of the enemy against him,
and was destroyed by the very weapons he had used or authorized
(Imperius and Avada Kedavra). Surely, that's not the direction JKR
wants Harry to go.

Carol, concerned that, Dumbledore to the contrary, Harry *has* been
tempted by the Dark Arts, specifically the Cruciatus Curse, and hoping
he'll overcome that temptation in Book 7