help with JKR quote/ Children's reactions

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 176538

> lizzyben:
> 
> I've always had a suspicion that the Maruaders were pretty 
into "Dark
> Magic" themselves. First of all, they created the Marauders Map, 
which
> was a very sophisticated magical item. The Map seems to even think 
for
> itself to a certain degree, just like Riddle's Diary - both 
respond to
> questions w/written answers. The Map comes up w/insults for 
Professor
> Snape, seemingly of it's own accord. Snape, the Dark Arts/DADA 
expert,
> says that the Map is "full of Dark Magic," and he would know. 
> 
> Second, the Marauders all became Animagi, which is apparently also
> very complicated magic that isn't taught at Hogwarts. How would 
they
> learn how to do this? I'm thinking some visits to the "Restricted
> Section" of the Hogwarts library - where Dark Arts volumes are 
stored.
> Third, Lupin is a werewolf, which is a Dark creature. He's a nice 
guy,
> a Gryfindor, and also a "Dark Magic" creature. Fourth, James & 
Sirius
> use hexes, jinxes & curses w/abandon. They used an *illegal* hex to
> swell another student's head to twice its normal size. Where'd they
> learn all those "amusing" hexes? Some dusty old "Dark Arts" volume
> that Sirius found in the library, or among his family's books, 
perhaps? 
> 
> All this combined, I'd say that the Marauders were pretty well-
versed
> in the "Dark Arts" while at Hogwarts. But of course James just 
*hated*
> the Dark Arts, even though he used Dark Magic himself. So... this
> really just means that he hated Slytherins, & Snape especially. 
<SNIP>


Alla:

No, it really does not mean that to me. It is your conjecture that 
Marauders Map and Animagi are dark magic, and as far as I am 
concerned it is not supported by canon. My opinion obviously.

So, when James just hated Dark Arts that means to me precisely that -
 that he just hated Dark Arts. Of course it seems that jinxes and 
hexes Marauders used widely, just as Slytherins did, but using the 
jinx that has a minor touch of Dark Magic to me is not the same as 
being well versed in Dark Arts, like at all.

And aren't animagi taught in Hogwarts, just later than Marauders 
learned how to do that? ( do not have PoA with me right now) I guess 
Mcgonagall is really into Dark Arts as well, by your definition.

Again IMO.