[HPforGrownups] Harry's use of Dark Magic WAS: Battle Tactics...
Ronin_47
Ronin_47 at comcast.net
Tue Mar 13 17:03:41 UTC 2007
No: HPFGUIDX 166019
--Alla Wrote--
>>>I think whenever chance comes along is a bit too broad statement, IMO
of course.
Harry tried the dark magic curses when his Godfather and his mentor
were killed right in front of him and when he was defending himself
from one of those nasty curses.
That it NOT to defend his use of dark magic of course. I do think
that if anybody turned him to the Ministry after him trying Crucio on
Bella, he had a pretty good chance to end up in Azkaban.
But **whenever chance comes along** I disagree with.
As to DD statement, well, I do not have a book with me, but doesn't
he say that Harry was never tempted by Dark, his soul was never
tempted by dark magic? I can be wrong. And I thought that DD knew for
sure that Harry tried to use Crucio on Bella when he said that to
Harry and he said it anyway.
So, believe me, I **am** curious why DD says that, while Harry
obviously tried to use Unforgivables. It is to me either that **not
enough intent** or another inconsistency in JKR's description of what
Dark magic is.<<<
--Ronin's Comments--
I digress. Perhaps "whenever he gets the chance", is a bit of an
exaggeration. To me, using unforgivable curses or dark magic AT ALL is too
much (if it really has a bearing on the condition of the main weapon against
the bad guys; Harry's soul). But my wording was a bit off since he's only
really used it on 3 occasions so far.
During the MoM duel, when Harry attempts Crucio against Bella, I believe DD
was still dealing with the DEs in the chamber with the archway. Harry has
his little fight with Bella and then Voldemort shows up. They talk a bit
about what happened with the prophecy and then Bella warns her master that
"He's here", meaning DD. That's when DD and Voldemort throw down. lol
So anyway, my point here is that I don't think DD knew about Harry's
attempts at Crucio. He must surely have been informed of the Sectumsempra
against Draco though. Not an unforgivable curse, but dark magic nonetheless.
As to Dumbledore's statement, I've found the quote in the book and I feel I
was only partly correct.
"It is essential that you understand this!" said Dumbledore, standing up and
striding about the room, his glittering robes swooshing in his wake; Harry
had never seen him so agitated. "By attempting to kill you, Voldemort
himself singled out the remarkable person who sits here in front of me, and
gave him the tools for the job! It is Voldemort's fault that you were able
to see into his thoughts, his ambitions, that you even understand the
snakelike language in which he gives orders, and yet, Harry, despite your
privileged insight into Voldemort's world (which, incidentally, is a gift
any Death Eater would kill to have), you have never been seduced by the Dark
Arts, never, even for a second, shown the slightest desire to become one of
Voldemort's followers!"
"Of course I haven't!" said Harry indignantly. "He killed my mum and dad!"
"You are protected, in short, by your ability to love!" said Dumbledore
loudly. "The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of
power like Voldemort's! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all
the suffering, you remain pure of heart, just as pure as you were at the age
of eleven, when you stared into a mirror that reflected your heart's desire,
and it showed you only the way to thwart Lord Voldemort, and not immortality
or riches. Harry, have you any idea how few wizards could have seen what you
saw in that mirror? Voldemort should have known then what he was dealing
with, but he did not!
"But now he knows it now. You have flitted into Lord Voldemort's mind
without damage to yourself, but he cannot possess you without enduring
mortal agony, as he discovered in the ministry. I do not think he
understands why, Harry, but then, he was in such a hurry to mutilate his own
soul, he never paused to understand the incomparable power of a soul that is
untarnished and whole." - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (1st
American Edition, Hardcover, pgs. 510 - 511)
So, from this re-reading, I devise that Harry hasn't been seduced by the
Dark Arts enough that he'd want to change sides. He would never want to use
the Dark Arts to gain riches, power or immortality. But the logic seems a
little off to me, that it's okay for him to use the Dark Arts for revenge.
I also question the bit at the end about Harry's soul being untarnished.
Certainly, it is still whole, but is it really in the same condition as when
he was eleven? I don't think so. But I suppose if he had been successful in
using one of those Crucios, that would have made the difference in the
condition of his soul.
One last note which I thought of when re-reading this bit;
I found it interesting that Dumbledore says that Harry was able to see the
means to thwart Voldemort in the mirror. Was he referring to that particular
instance, regarding the stone? Or, was he referring to thwarting Voldemort
in the final battle? Because, if memory serves me correctly, all that Harry
could see in the mirror was his mum and dad.
I don't really have any theories as to what this could mean at the moment. I
just found it interesting that he would bring Harry's vision from the mirror
into the equation. Unless, like with the stone, Harry could use the mirror
to see the horcruxes and gain access to them perhaps.
Just my thoughts.
Cheers,
Ronin
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