Dark Magic (+ a little Marietta)

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 176794


lizzyben: 
 And IMO *that's* why we 
> see more examples of Gryffindors using dark/violent magic against 
> Slytherins than the other way around - it's more amusing & enjoyable 
> that way. Slytherin students are the "bad guys", and also 
> the "whipping boys" for the Gryffindor students. One role serves the 
> other. If they weren't so bad, it wouldn't be so much fun to beat 
> them up. 
> 
> 
> lizzyben
>

Prep0strus:

I still think that Slytherins are the whipping boys for JKR, and for
the reader, but not necessarily for the Griffindors.  She clearly
hasn't done a good enough job in showing what she expects us to
believe, but I think it's clear that the Slytherins DO deserve
whatever they get, and probably more.  She scatters just enough
moments through the series to remind you that Draco takes something
away from helpless Neville, is plotting to kill the headmaster, etc.,
while the Griffindors act more in a more retaliatory manner, which
gives it the feel of being acceptable.

Also, the way you describe 'dark magic' through you post is still just
one interpretation.  I think it's valid, especially considering how
terrible a job JKR did explaining herself, but I still (irrationally
based on what we were shown, I admit) believe that somehow there is a
difference between the 'dark' magic we are told slytherins are
interested in and the curses hexes and million other little things we
see done in the series.  I know we weren't really shown that, and
there's no way to make it consistent, but we were 'told' it, and I do
think that is what JKR meant to do, even though she failed.  And so
while it bothers me in her storytelling, it doesn't bother me in a
sense of moral ambiguity - not that there aren't more than enough
examples of that as well.

Since I'm hovering near the topic... Marietta.  Is it primary canon
that the scars remain, or is that JKR in an interview?

Because I don't remember thinking there would be permanent scarring,
and I would prefer to simply ignore that out of book canon statement
(if that's where it's from).  Because the curse itself didn't bother
me.  It may have made more sense to warn people about it, especially
if Hermione didn't think it could be circumnavigated, and I think
there should have been more of an alarm associated with it (was there?
 I'm blanking and can't find the book)... but really, I was ok with
the curse itself.  A nasty, very visual way to punish someone.

And let's not pretend she didn't deserve it.  She may not be 100%
certain Voldemorte is back, but she knows what Umbridge is like.  I'm
sure by that time more than enough students have come back with
bleeding hands, and seen how worthless their DADA courses were to
understand how she was... and what was in store for the students she
was telling on.  Cho included.  They weren't going to get detention
cleaning for Filch.  It was going to be BAD.

But, to get back to the curse... a powerful, long standing, difficult
to treat curse... fine.   But actual lasting scars?  So few things
cause lasting scars in this series.  Harry can lose all the bones in
his body - people get broken, sliced up in every way, and are healed.
 Hermione mucks up the polyjuice potion and takes forever to heal, but
recovers as well.  The offhanded way JKR can say Marietta doesn't
recover from the scarring seems unnecessarily severe  - yeah, maybe
it's funny to her because Marietta is a traitor, but it's really way
more problematic in the sense that Hermione would be participating in
magic that could have that much of a permanent impact - which is
something i HAD associated with dark magic.

So, I'm going to pretend that wasn't said, and that the hex was hard
to cure and took a while... but still, it wasn't the kind of dark
magic that can be comparable to George never getting his ear back.

~Adam (Prep0strus)