Worrying about Unforgivables

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 175551


> Oryomai:
> I don't think we can give Harry and the Order a free pass because 
they're the "good guys"? A questionable wizard once said that it's 
our choices that make us who we are -- how far can the good guys go 
and remain unshakably good?

zgirnius:
For me, the answer to this question is found in "The Prince's Tale", 
in which Dumbledore attempts to convince Snape to kill him. The 
relevant snippet of conversation:

> Deathly Hallows:
> "And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?"
> "You alone know whether it will harm your soul to help an old man 
> avoid pain and humiliation," said Dumbledore.

zgirnius:
As we know, Snape consented, and went on to kill Dubledore with the 
(Unforgivable) Avada Kedavra curse. In my own opinion, Snape acted 
ethically in this instance, for the reasons outlined by Dumbledore. 
That he used one spell and not another does not make his action any 
more or less wrong.

So to me, it is incorrect to make a blanket condemnation of the "good 
guys'" use of these spells, or to give a blanket defense of such use. 
The use of these spells is right or wrong based on exactly when, why, 
and how they were used.

For example, McGonagall's use of the Imperius Curse on the Carrows I 
find entirely acceptable. She needed to do something to immobilize 
them, as they posed a danger to her and the students. She has a right 
to self-defense and to defend innocents from the danger they posed, 
and the Imperius Curse achieved that in this case, without directly 
causing the Carrows lasting harm.

Harry's use of Crucio on Amycus is less justifiable to me, because he 
is clearly using it in anger. On the other hand, he stops quickly, 
and he has really, really good reasons to be angry at that moment. 
I'd class it as wrong, but understandable. The use of some form of 
violence at that moment was fine, but to the extent that Harry chose 
Crucio over other options because he wanted to hurt Amycus, he was in 
the wrong. But not nearly as much as Amycus himself, when he forced 
students to use that same spell on other students as a punishment, a 
cold blooded decision undertaken for his own enjoyment and to 
intimidate the students, or even worse, Bellatrix, who used the spell 
so excessively she caused her victims permanent and terrible harm.