Constant Vigilence!

I think to a certain extent they are worth looking into. I think everyone should know the extint of damage the Dark Arts can do, especially how much they hurt people by taking away their family and friends. I don't think they should be taught or promoted in a good way at all.

So in other words, you believe in Defense Against the Dark Arts, rather than learning the arts themselves?

Pretty much. I think we should have knowledge of the damage they can do and how to protect ourselves.

But you wouldn't be tempted at all to learn them, even if it might prove useful to you at some point? I mean, there's no denying they have their uses.

They do have their uses. I personally wouldn't be tempted at all, not in the slightest. I think teaching like fake-Moody in GOF was a good way. But you have to remember people like Neville who because of the DA have suffered greatly in life. Like I said having some of the knowledge, but there are probably spells on the "good side" that can be used instead of DA spells such as Avada Kadavra. Why else would Voldemort be so scared of Dumbldore??

Well, I would think a wizard like Dumbledore DOES have experiance and knowledge of the Dark Arts, to a deeper extent than he shows. Simply because you know HOW doesn't necessarily mean that you do.

And Dumbledore admitted that simple death would not satisfy him, as far as a punishment against the Dark Lord. I think that was a glimpse at some of the darkness Dumbledore has seen in his many, many years...he is human, after all, and not without the darker feelings that lurk within all of us.

But my thought is...why should what happened to people like Neville affect another individual's interest in something so powerful and potentially helpful? Yes, it's very sad, but it happens. Power is often given to those who would abuse it. Why would that stop me from wanting to use it?

why should what happened to people like Neville affect another individual's interest in something so powerful and potentially helpful?

Put yourself in that other persons' shoes. I think it comes down to wheather you have a heart and a concious to help you make decisions. Power is a drug, true, but hopefully your gut will help you decide the right think to do.

Well, yes, like I said, it's a very sad thing. I feel slightly sorry for Neville, of course. Who doesn't, really?

But what does that have to do with having an interest in the Dark Arts? Is that to say that if the Lestranges had burnt his parents up with gasoline and a matchbook, I should feel morally wrong about striking a match at some point later in my life?

Only if your setting someone or something on fire.

Well obviously if I'm striking a match, I'm intending to burn something, aren't I? Not much point in striking the match, otherwise...other than to sit there and gaze into the pretty, pretty light til it goes out and burns my fingers but I haven't done that in ages.

Most of the Dark Art spells seem to be about hurting or manipulating others. So the only interest I have in them is how to defend myself against them. Besides, there's so many more branches of magic that are more interesting.

Rebecca, Hufflepuff

Well, what if a situation arose where the Dark Arts could be useful in getting you and the people you care about out alive? For instance, if you could only save them and yourself by Avada Kedavra-ing someone who was intending to harm you?

Why couldn't I Stun them instead of killing them? Or use another self-defense mechanism? Or think of a creative use for a spell I do know, rather than one I probably couldn't cast (I don't like hurting people, and doubt I could muster the will to cast an AK even if I knew how). It's hard for me to imagine a situation where those are the only two options, given the sheer versitility of the HP universe's magic.

True enough, but could you think up a number of spells at the ready in a short amount of time with very little room for error or chance?

What I'm saying is that one could possibly use the Dark Arts under nobler pretenses. If you are simply one of those people who would choose any other way, short of doing another person harm, then that's all I'm really trying to find out.

...not that I really understand that logic, myself, but to each their own. ^^

Harming people is something you can't take back. I mean, what if the person I'm attacking is under coercion (like the Imperius Curse, or under threat of death of themsleves or their families)? If I harm them, then I'm going to feel horrible afterward, espeically if I could have taken them down without harming them (or thoguth I could). And that goes triple for killing them.

So, yeah, violence is a complete last resort for me.

Then of course, they could always be people like the Dark Lord (well, presumably less powerful, so you COULD hurt them, in theory) and completely deserve it.

I have no qualms, personally, about hurting those who've hurt me, or intend to. Eye for an eye.

I've always thought that an eye for an eye will just leave both people blind. It's a personal choice, I think -- the thought of violence just bothers me when I see me doing it, but I won't force that decision on others. So far, no one's done anything to me that makes me even want to give them a papercut. Now sending a bunch of Howlers via email would make me a very happy person -- I far prefer using words over violence. Or a spell to drop a few people on a South Pacific island somewhere...

But if it's an eye for an eye, they're only half-blind, and therefore equal once again.

I, unfortunately, can't say the same...I suppose it's only those who've had first-hand brushes with darkness that truly see the appeal and power in it. It's my opinion that until you've felt that hatred, that ill-will, that sense of truly being done wrong by, you can't really grasp what makes people want to strike out so violently.

A baser human instinct, perhaps, but there for a perfectly good reason.

I honestly would be very interested in it. I know that I wouldn't be a Death Eater and I would most definitely not support Voldemort, but since even in real life I can't help but admire the measures he went to in order to ensure his "immortality", I know that I'd feel the same way in the wizarding world. But anyway, back to Dark Arts. :-P

I'm sure I'd be interested, and I know that I would research it and gain as much knowledge about it as I could. But I would not participate in it. I learn by others' examples, and knowing what has happened to people because of the Dark Arts, I wouldn't want to be involved directly. But there is something attractive about the initial power that they hold, don't you think?

Jeri//Slytherin

I always thought so...and it doesn't necessarily mean you go around AK-ing ants for the fun of it, and just being an arse about it. But having that knowledge, that potential, seems alot wiser than turning a blind eye to it and putting yourself at a disadvantage against it.

And I know what you mean. I wouldn't be a Death Eater either, I couldn't see myself willingly going into that kind of utter enslavement, submitting my will to another.

Especially when he's not even that good looking or charismatic. *snickers*

It also looks like the Dark Arts are an older form of magic. With Voldemort, it appeared as if the Dark Arts were running in his veins. Towards book four, that's what it was. It was a mixture of Harry and him. To be able to have that much power would be amazing.

Even though it would be enticing, I wouldn't become a Death Eater. The power and the glory would be grand, but the enslavement as you said just doesn't work out.

Karina, Slytherin

That was always my major arguement against it. Nevermind the morality of it all, I just like keeping my sense of free will, thanks.

And there's nothing to say you couldn't strike out on your own and gain power and glory for yourself, without having to follow anyone. The Dark Lord might be the strongest bet, but he can't be the only option, if that was the road you were going to take, as a wizard or witch.

What if you could keep your free will? Or are the Dark Arts like heroin, where you just need more of it? Does it soon become an addiction, in your opinion?

I agree with that. I would much rather fight my own way to the top than be a flunky. Better to rule in Hell than follow in Heaven. That was me badly paraphrasing.

But true enough, howevever badly paraphrased.

My theory is power is addictive, in just about any form. We as humans have an instinctive need and want for control and power in our lives, as much a psychological need as anything.

As deep and as powerful as the Dark Arts run, I would think that yes, they would prove addictive after a while...weaker wizards would fall prey to their need of it, and the stronger wizards could harness it for greater things (for example, Dumbledore and the Dark Lord).

You have a great point. Mind if I friend you? You have really interesting ideas.

Not at all. Go for it. ^_~ I'll friend you back, even.

Exactly. That's why I was jumping for joy in HBP, during their first DADA lesson when Snape was explaining the importance of the knowledge of the Dark Arts. Everything he said was true. You can't fight what you don't know.

Hahahaha. Wow, charasmatic is just about the last adjective I would use when describing Voldie.

Snape knew what he was talking about, I'm more than sure. *nods*

Tom Riddle was charismatic. That, I could see, in the way he managed to charm everyone around him...with the exception of Dumbledore.

Now, however? I can't think of a single reason I'd follow him, to be honest.

Other than the cool tattoos you get for signing up. I could see that as a key marketing strategy. XD

Oh, man, I would be all over that tattoo thing.

And when I saw the GoF movie, from the very first time I saw Barty Crouch Jr., I was all, "ZOMG sign me up! Who do I have to kill to get a tattoo? Can I just make out with him instead? Please?!"

I think if canon!BCJ looked like that, there would be a lot more female Death Eaters. ;-)

"Got Death?" *slurpy tongue noises*

XD

Oh gods, yes. I think I might sign up to be a Death Eater if I could get into the company of that many good-looking guys. I DEFINATELY choose the side with the hottest guys.

...I would say hottest girls, as well, but I've yet to be struck by any of the HP girls as hot, much to my dissapointment, so that's no longer a factor. *snort*

Yum, you know mistful too. :-D

Even when I was first reading PoA, I thought from the beginning that Sirius Black - and remember, this is when we all thought he was a big bad Death Eater - was the sexiest fictional character ever.

The Death Eaters don't have many hot guys, but they have way more than Harry's crew does. Not to mention, all the guys in Harry's crew are pretty much spoken for, and I suppose I would settle for Ron if it came down to it, but I'd really not want to deal with Hermione's vengeance. That girl is mean.

Gah. If I had to 'settle' for Ron, I think I'd just AK myself and be DONE with it.

*shudders* *can't stand Ron, and never could*

Sirius is definately the image of a bad-boy hottie, though, isn't he? Motorcycle and all, come on, how much better could it get? Other than, y'know, him being ALIVE and all that...

...not that being dead really bothers me. I hang out with 'dead' guys all the time. *snicker*

*is currently lusting after Viktor Krum, anyway*

Ron and Draco were the only reasons I kept reading the books. I've always hated Harry. Always. Draco is my first love, only because he met Harry before Ron did. But I have a soft spot for Ron because he reminds me ridiculously of my best guy friend, Kyle. But even without Hermione and her being a horrible human being no matter what anyone else says, if it came down to Ron or no one, I'd go with no one. Just like Kyle, Ron is not boyfriend material. Ever. Except for one girl. We just haven't found that girl for Kyle yet, thank God.

Gah, you have no idea, from PoA to OotP, I was literally falling all over myself about Sirius. He was the first Gryffindor - possibly the first fictional character I ever saw - who ever made me honestly wish I was in that world. Oh, man, if I'd been at Hogwarts with the Marauders, I would be throwing myself at him every minute of every day. Gorgeous, gorgeous man. Who is now dead. Oh, how I cried....

At which point, I became all about Draco. :-)

I don't think I could really be -attracted- to Draco...as I'm far too much like him, and associate myself with him. It'd be a level of narcissism that exceeds even MY tastes.

Though he IS, without a doubt, my favorite character.

I tried to like Ron, I really did, but he just annoyed me endlessly. He's good comic relief, at times, but I don't see how Harry and Hermione put UP with him...I'd have strangled him by now. Or hit him upside the head with a million canaries. I totally understood why that happened, and I think I was in love with Hermione for those few paragraphs.

...but the madness passed soon after.

Harry...I have no interest in, one way or the other, except that he provides me with Daniel Radcliffe to oggle and coo over onscreen, and the fact that my dearest friend/mortal rival is pretty much the Harry to my Draco. So I'm sort of obligated to nod my head and say "Meh, he's alright. When he's not being STUPID." "Hey!" "Well, it's true..."

And Sirius....eh. He was cool, but I wasn't really shaken by his death. It was like reading Cedric's death. I just sort of blinked, shrugged, though "Oh, that's sad" and went on.

Though, like with Cedric, I will probably react far worse when I actually SEE it happen.

Cedric's death in the books did not even phase me. I was just like, "Oh. Well...ok." But then I saw the movie, and I cried. Quite a bit. Mostly because the reactions of the others were so very real and heart-breaking.

My best friend's dad died two years ago, and she said that she hopes in the next movie, when Sirius dies, it's just silence, as he falls through the veil (worst way to die EVER?), because she said that's what goes through your head when you lose a parent - just silence. And I have to agree with her on that idea; I've never felt that, but I can see it.

And yes, Harry is the biggest stupid head (yes, I said stupid head) ever. If he would just LISTEN to an adult - just ONCE - he could save the wizarding world in like 10 seconds.

I have to agree with you about Cedric. When he died, it only bothered me because I knew we'd now have to deal with ANGST!Harry. But in the movie, it almost made me cry.

Sirius, I dunno, I liked him, but once again my main concern was avoiding angst. Sadly, it was not to be.

And Harry bugs the hell out of me. He is the definition of stupid head. If he'd just shut up and LISTEN to other people....

Harry's always bothered me. From the very beginning. It's a wonder I held out long enough to meet Draco and Ron.

The thing about angsty Harry in OotP...Ok, the first two times I read that book, I hated it because of Harry's attitude and all the angst, like you said, and it just seemed unnecessary. But the third time, it was right after I'd read HBP the second time, and for some reason, I totally felt for him. It honestly makes perfect sense that he would feel like that. I mean, he shouldn't have taken it out of his friends like that, that was out of line, but really, I think if any of us were in harry's position and had gone through what he had, we'd be exactly the same. And at the end of the book, after Sirius died and Harry was freaking out in Dumbledore's office, throwing crap, and Dumbledore was just sitting there going, "Oh, yes, keep breaking my possessions, I dare say I have too many"...You have NO IDEA how angry I was at DD at that time. How patronizing was that, to sit there while Harry is so mad that he's throwing things, and to just act completely unphased and to egg him on in a very gentle, soft tone. If I was Harry, I would have lunged at DD at that point, for saying that to me. Most patronizing man on the planet. UGH.

I'm sure I would have reacted the same way as Harry, which is probably why I hate it so much. I just hate angst, and I thought that Harry's sort of took over the book, which didn't make it as fun to read as the others. I was relieved at how little angst there was in HBP, at least of the "I killed Sirius!" sort, which made it rather more enjoyable, if less realistic.

I was very worried about HBP too, because as much as the angst in OotP was understandable, it was very annoying, and the entire book was emotionally exhausting because of it. HBP was so nice and calm for the most part. I was happy about that too. :-)

I personally would be interested in them, though not to use for any ill purposes. I just simply would find them intriguing and would like to understand more about them, what can be done with them, what to look out for. I think it could be beneficial to learn to be more aware of the malice that is behind these types of spells. I don't even think I could use them, because I think it takes some true, raw, pure hatred to use these types of spells effectively against someone. As such I find Defense Against The Dark Arts to be a very useful class. I think it could all help one be more prepared if it came down to fighting up against these dark arts. But the spells themselves are not something I'd myself would wish to actually use.

Shawna / Hufflepuff

Again I'm curious on this point...even if it were a situation where the Dark Arts might help you save someone you cared about? Would you still be utterly opposed to using them, at the risk of losing that person?

As I said, I really am not sure using killing spells and the like are fully effective unless you truly have the sort of pure hatred and malice to use them. I would think I'd use some other kind of spell to be able to attempt to get away, or even push my loved one out of the way, or I'll even take the hit myself. This is easy to say now though I'll admit. I realize in an absolutely desperate situation, I do think anything can happen, too. As such, it is entirely possible I could end up using an AK for purely defense purposes. In this case I don't think it's wrong to use the dark arts exactly, but that doesn't mean I'd personally would've liked having had to use them. To me, it's just a terrible power to use, or ever have to use, even if more justifiable in this case.

Shawna / Hufflepuff

(oops, apparently accidentally posted a new comment instead of replied before, sorry)

Don't all people who go through Hogwarts study the Dark Arts? It's no use trying to defend them if you know nothing about them. ;)

Kristina//Hufflepuff

That wasn't the question, though. ;)

And they didn't really study the Dark Arts side to magic til their fourth year, and even then, the Ministry wouldn't have been too happy about it. It's clear they don't view it as necessary...or were afraid to admit that it was.

Another reason the Wizarding Community gets screwed over, in my opinion, but that's another topic entirely....

I think it would be interesting. Well I'm not sure if this is what you meant but I find like WWII and the holocaust interesting. i like to learn about it. So if this is kind of what you mean...I think it would be a learning experience.

(If i'm way off sorry haha)

cerah.huffle

I would. I can't help it, I have this serious interest in why people do what they do, and how they do it. If it's about Dark Magic, well, same thing. Besides, what better way to defeat the bad guys than to really understand the magic that they use?