Dark Magic and Snape / Dark Creatures

[cindiknits]

No: HPFGUIDX 161538

> > a_svirn:
 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.
> 
> Pippin:
> But we can't, because that would be saying that there is no good 
and
> evil, only power and those too weak to use it. 

Cindi's bit:  While I agree that there is "good" and "evil" in the 
abstract, it is sometimes very difficult to label specific things as 
being 100%, always evil or 100% always good in reality.  What is 
evil in one situation (killing someone who doesn't want to die by 
giving them an overdose of a drug) might be merciful and "good" in 
another (IMO physician assisted suicide).  The difference here is 
the intent of the person doing the act.  What seems to make 
something a "dark" art is the intent behind the action.  Thus, for 
example, you have to really want to torture someone for "Crucio" to 
have an effect.

I do think, as a_svirn suggests, that to a certain degree, dark 
magic is what the MM says it is, even it the idea makes me a bit 
uncomfortable. Three things come readily to mind; I'm sure there are 
others:

1.  The use of polyjuice potion.  Not considered a dark art to the 
MM, but certainly it's hard to imagine that most people would use 
this for benevolent purposes. It would almost certainly be used to 
spy on others.  If used for "good" spying, it's OK, if used by Barty 
Crouch, it's not.

2.  Memory modification: Surely an argument can be made that it's 
just wholly inappropriate to mess with someone's mind like that, 
even as a means to an end, but the MM doesn't see it that way. I 
understand its value, but there's something really violative in the 
act of manipulating someone's mind. But MM folks seem to use this 
tactic at the drop of a hat.

3.  The use of veritus serum. This reminds me a bit of the imperious 
curse. Both involve taking over another person's mind and forcing 
them to do things they would not normally do.  

So I think that, yes, to a large extent, there is no inherent good 
or evil attached to specific spells, but the intent of the caster 
can make something evil/dark. Even AK has its benificent purposes, 
if Snape was indeed acting out of good intent when the used it on 
Dumbledore.

Just some thoughts on a very interesting topic.