Dark Arts (Harry Potter)

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The Dark Arts, in the Harry Potter series, are magical spells and practices designed for evil purposes. Practitioners are referred to as Dark Wizards or Dark Witches, the most prominent of whom is Lord Voldemort. His followers, known as Death Eaters, also practise the Dark Arts.

1 Dark Magic
- 1.1 Curses
- 1.2 Others
2 Dark Wizards
3 Dark Items
- 3.1 Other Dark Items
4 Dark Creatures
- 4.1 Known Dark Creatures

[edit] Dark Magic

It is unclear what exactly constitutes Dark magic in the wizarding world, but it is implied that magic is Dark if it may only be used for evil or criminal purposes. In magical duelling, for example, there are any number of spells that may be used to attack, immobilise or disarm an opponent without causing pain or lasting harm; only Dark spells like the Cruciatus Curse or Sectumsempra actually wound or seriously distress a victim.

Magic in the Harry Potter universe appears to be intrinsically moral. A Dark spell such as "cruciatus" is inherently evil by its very nature and thus cannot be effectivley used with any other motivation than the pleasure in the suffering of others. Some Dark magic can corrupt the soul and body, and it is magic of this kind that Lord Voldemort has used to prolong his life and grant himself great power. Most Dark wizards are Pure-Blooded, or at least prejudiced against those who are not, but since all Dark wizards encountered in the books are Death Eaters this may be an attitude particular to Voldemort's followers.

The Dark Arts are illegal, but prevalent enough in society that even before the rise of Lord Voldemort, many schools (including Hogwarts) taught Defence Against the Dark Arts as a subject. Techniques include anti-curses and simple spells to disable or disarm attackers. It is rumoured that some schools (particularly Durmstrang) actually teach Dark Magic.

[edit] Curses

Curses are usually offensive spells that cause harm to the subject, though like most magical terms in Harry Potter it is not clear precisely how they are distinguished from other spells. Not all curses are considered Dark magic; some, like the Body-Bind Curse (Petrificus Totalus), can be used for defence, while others are unpleasant but essentially harmless and used as pranks. However, the three darkest spells known to wizards are the Unforgivable Curses:

The Imperius Curse (Imperio) - allows a wizard to make victim to do their unquestioned bidding.
The Cruciatus Curse (Crucio) - inflicts excruciating physical pain in the victim.
The Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) - kills the victim outright. Only one person (Harry Potter) is known to survive it.

Other clearly Dark curses encountered in the books include:

Sectumsempra - a nasty curse which causes slashing wounds on the victim.
Antonin Dolohov's Curse (incantation unknown) - this curse causes serious internal injury without leaving external marks.
Horcrux Curse (incantation unknown) - an evil curse that allows the caster to store a fragment of their soul into the target object, making it a Horcrux. However, the caster must commit murder, a truly evil deed. As long as the object is not destroyed, the wizard cannot die. It is often used by Dark wizards to avoid death.
Hurling Hex (incantation unknown) - a dangerous (potentially even deadly) hex that causes a broomstick to try to buck its rider off by making violent vibrations in the air.
Morsmordre - conjures the Dark Mark. It is used exclusively by the Death Eaters to signify that they have killed or to lure someone into a dangerous (even fatal) trap.
Petrification - a "Dark Magic of the most advanced kind" (Dumbledore). Petrifies the victim.
Possession - Dark Magic which enables spiritual possession of victim. While the target is possessed, the spellcaster can completely control the person's actions. When the person wakes up from being controlled, they have no memory of what they did while being possessed.

[edit] Others

Some spells are still considered Dark Magic, even though they are not meant to cause injury. A love potion can be classified as Dark Art, since it overrides the victim's true feelings.

[edit] Dark Wizards

Only Dark Wizards use Dark Magic or Dark Items. Most of the Dark Wizards can be found in the Death Eaters and are sorted in Slytherin. Here are the (possible, some highly unlikely) Dark Wizards apart from the Death Eaters:

Bloody Baron
Mr Borgin
Caractacus Burke
Grindelwald
Herpo the Foul
Araminta Melifua
Salazar Slytherin
Severus Snape
Marvolo Gaunt
Lord Voldemort
Willy Widdershins
Morfin Gaunt

[edit] Dark Items

Just as normal wizards create items of power, so do those who practise the Dark Arts. Of these, the most notable is the Horcrux, an object infused with a piece of the creator's torn soul. Creating a Horcrux is one of the darkest magical acts, as the creator must commit murder to tear their soul as part of the process. This item bears a striking similarity to a phylactery, a fantasy object that contains a spellcasters soul turning them into a lich. The phylactery too can resurrect the creator. The Dark Items can be divided into two main uses:

To aid the user of the item.
To curse or manipulate unsuspecting users.

[edit] Other Dark Items

The Diary of Tom Riddle (A Horcrux)

Forbidden Books including:
- Moste Potente Potions
- Sonnets of a Sorcerer
- a book that burned your eyes out
- a book that you couldn't stop reading
- a book that shrieks when you open it

The Hand of Glory (a mummified hand that can hold a candle, the light from which being visible only to the holder of the Hand)

Marvolo Gaunt's Ring (A Horcrux)

Unnamed items which can be found in Borgin & Burkes
- blood-stained playing cards
- a staring glass eye
- evil-looking masks
- human bones
- rusty, spiked instruments
- a Vanishing Cabinet linked to the one at Hogwarts (possibly not a dark item per se)
- long coil of hangman's rope
- opal necklace that is cursed and has claimed the lives of nineteen Muggles--and nearly killed Katie Bell
Items which can be found in Knockturn Alley
- shrunken heads
- live gigantic black spiders
- poisonous candles
- human fingernails

Items which can be found in Number 12 Grimmauld Place
- biting silver snuffbox filled with Wartcap Powder
- a spidery instrument, rather like a many-legged tweezers, which scurried away and tried to puncture Harry's skin
- a music box that played a sinister but compelling tune which would have put all the listeners into an enchanted sleep, if it hadn't been stopped
- a heavy locket that no one could open (possibly Slytherin's Locket, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes)
- a large golden ring with the Black family crest
- china with the Black crest and motto Toujours Pur ("Always Pure" in French)
- a grandfather clock that shot heavy bolts at passers-by
- an ancient set of purple robes that tried to strangle Ron
- an ornate crystal bottle with a large opal set into the stopper, full of what looked like blood
- boxes, made of tarnished silver and inscribed with languages Harry did not understand
- claws
- rusty daggers
- several ancient seals
- coiled snakeskin

Dolores Umbridge's skin-lacerating quill

[edit] Dark Creatures

Dark creatures are distinct from magical animals in the Harry Potter universe in that they do not use their power to survive. Many creatures, such as manticores and erklings, possess great amounts of dark magic, but, nonetheless, are not "dark creatures;" they are merely natural predators, utilising their power in their quest for food and reproduction. A dark creature seeks to harm others simply because it is its nature to do so. A hinkypunk doesn't kill to eat, it leads the unwary into bogs purely out of malice. Boggarts do not feed on their victims, but seek merely to scare them. They are, essentially, physical embodiments of dark magic. Dark creatures do not reproduce, but appear to spontaneously generate from places of evil or where a particularly evil act has been committed. Red caps, for instance, appear on battlefields or other locations where blood has bene spilt. Dementors "grow like fungi" according to JK Rowling, in the foulest, darkest places. Most dark creatures are virtually mindless, though some (werewolves and vampires, for example) are capable of fighting against their Dark natures. It is also possible for other magical creatures, especially those considered "beings" by the Ministry of Magic (and thus theoretically equal to humans), to learn and use the Dark Arts. Some reflect the magical bent of their masters, for example Kreacher, the house-elf of the Black family of Dark wizards.