Harry, Crucio, and emotion in Spellcasting

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 181651

Jayne wrote:
> <snip> Harry was in the middle of a war. He had to survive and he
knew that Carrow or his sister would summon Voldemort, so I think he
just reacted to stop that and of course to revenge the spitting on one
of the teachers he had a lot of affection and respect for. I have no
problem with the use of the curse..
> 

Carol responds:
Actually, Alecto had already been Stunned by Luna and Voldemort had
already been summoned, as Harry well knew, so the Crucio served no
purpose other than vengeance and *accidentally* knocking Amycus
unconscious. And if he had actually inteded to knock Amycus out rather
than torture him for spitting in McGonagall's face, Stupefy would have
been the proper spell (followed by Incarcio, IIRC, to tie him and his
sister up). Crucio means "I torture," not "I incapacitate" or "I knock
unconscious."

If Crucio were a defensive spell, it would be taught in DADA classes.
Instead, it's illegal until the DEs come to power. It's the weapon of
the bad guys, and Harry's use of it puts him in the same company as
Voldemort, Bellatrix, and the Carrows. Its purpose was revenge, pure
and simple. Self-defense was not even involved. He intended to hurt
Amycus and said so himself. *and* he enjoyed doing so. that's the only
way to administer an effective Crucio. Just ask Bellatrix, the expert
on the subject.

There was no question of Harry surviving at that point. He was under
the Invisibility Cloak! And had he been in danger, either Stupefy or
Expelliarmus would have been a better way of protecting himself and
the equally invisible Luna. Instead, he stooped to Amycus's level.

Carol, who sees no justification for Crucio at all, ever, and
especially not under these circumstances