Harry Potter: 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About The Unforgivable Curses

Harry Potter’s Unforgivable Curses – Imperio, Crucio, and Avada Kedavra – are the three worst spells known to wizardkind, but we have some questions.

You Are Reading :Harry Potter 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About The Unforgivable Curses

The Unforgivable Curses in Harry Potter — Imperio, Crucio, and Avada Kedavra — are considered the three worst spells known to wizardkind, and were supposedly penalized with the worst possible punishment in 1717. Interestingly, the magical government saw fit to allow its own employees, the Aurors, to freely employ these three spells against anyone associated with Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War.

Although Lord Voldemort’s political takeover overturned the ban on these curses entirely for a short period, his death and the subsequent inauguration of Kingsley Shacklebolt as the Minister for Magic reverted their Unforgivable status. This list considers a few things about these curses that are still not clear to fans.

10 Why Do They All Look Different?

In the Harry Potter movies, this spell triplet is depicted in different ways — while the Cruciatus and Imperius curses are more or less invisible (save for a wisp of smoke emanating from the latter), the Killing Curse is identified by the green band of light that shoots out of the caster’s wand.

Now, the first two make sense, so it would have been technically more accurate to depict Avada Kedavra without its iconic calling card, which would honestly make the spell far more threatening if nobody could see it coming.

9 How Is The Fidelius Charm Resistant To Them?

The Fidelius Charm is not explored in great detail as part of the main plot, but suffice it to say that it is as powerful as the Unbreakable Vow in terms of magical bonding.

It has been said that this spell is immune to the most extreme and invasive attacks, including Veritaserum and the Unforgivable Curses: unless the Secret Keeper willingly hands over the information, there is no getting it out. This feature is a little bizarre, as the Imperius curse is supposed to wield absolute control over an individual, which should also include their thoughts and actions.

8 Are These The Only Unforgivable Ones?

Technically, yes, but there is other magic in the series that is pretty nasty in its own right. For instance, whatever the Dementor’s Kiss does is certainly far worse than any of these three, but all one needs to avoid it is a hefty dose of Expecto Patronum!

There are others: Petrificus Totalus, while seemingly innocent, is a terrible fate to leave someone in, producing Fiendfyre, the most destructive flame in the Wizarding World, and also whatever spell is required to produce Horcruxes, to name a few.

7 Can Non-Human Magic Stop These Curses?

Human magic is weak, so weak that creatures like House-elves have been shown to effortlessly bypass or deflect the most powerful charms in the world, including knocking wands out of the hands of powerful dark wizards, jinxing theoretically un-jinxable locations, or even disapparating within the bounds of Hogwarts Castle.

This could also mean that their magic might have the potential to negate the Unforgivables, although the poor House-elves are so terrified of their human abusers that they wouldn’t even think of fighting them.

6 How Do Wands Work With Them?

Wands are, at least to some extent, aware of their user’s actions, and make their own decisions (of allegiance, for example) accordingly. Does casting dark spells have an impact on their integrity? Does it take a toll on their relationship with their master?

Or are they completely fine with whatever the wizard chooses, regardless of how much damage they intend to cause? On the other hand, what happens when an evil wizard’s wand changes its loyalty? Do they retain “memories” of all the horrible things they have done? Does it influence the new owner’s magic? Too many points are left hanging here.

5 What Are The Motivations Required?

The Unforgivable Curses demand intense amounts of mental fortitude, as well as magical ability so as to produce the required outcomes. As Barty Crouch, Jr./Professor Moody explains, Avada Kedavra used without the right focus wouldn’t create “so much as a nosebleed.”

Harry tries to use Crucio against Bellatrix, but his justified rage is not efficiently converted into the pain he thinks he wants her to experience. Later, however, he uses the Imperius curse to great effect, after Hermione fails to convince the snooty Gringotts officials of her Lestrange identity.

4 Which Is The Worst?

Although Avada Kedavra gets the most hatred, this is because people, like Tom Riddle, assume that there is nothing worse than dying.

One might argue similarly on behalf of the Cruciatus curse, which condemns poor Frank and Alice Longbottom to a life of mental emptiness at St. Mungo’s Hospital, or Imperio, which literally strips away a human being’s free will (a murky metaphor for the immorality of slavery.) What is worse, though: instant death, lingering agony, or enforced submission?

3 Why Was The Ministry Allowed To Use Them?

Voldemort gleefully allowed his minions to employ any and every means at their disposal to complete his missions, including free use of the Unforgivable Curses. To counter this, the Ministry in charge during the “First Wizarding War” allowed its Aurors to employ them as well, raising far too many ethical conundrums for comfort.

Then again, it’s not like politicians are beyond stooping below common decency, as they also permit Dolores Umbridge to commit horrifying atrocities against the students at Hogwarts, all without even having to raise her wand.

2 Are They Only Illegal To Use Against Humans?

The law makes it crystal clear that the employment of any one of these three spells in a fight, no matter how violent, leads to a “one-way ticket to Azkaban.” Sounds terrible, but does this rule not apply to other sentient beings that also call the world their home?

The Fountain of Magical Brethren suggests that witches and wizards consider the other three to be part of the same magical community, but would they raise a single eyebrow if a Centaur was subjected to the Cruciatus curse? Or if someone used Imperio on a Goblin or if a House-elf was killed?

1 How Did Dumbledore Block Avada Kedavra?

Avada Kedavra is the end of Dumbledore, that much is known, but that is not the only time he faces the Killing Curse. In fact, during the Battle of the Ministry Atrium, Voldemort shoots volley after volley of his green lasers at the old Headmaster, which the latter mostly dodges by simply disapparating out of the way.

When he isn’t able to, for whatever reason, the enchanted statues circling around them take the spell head-on and either explode or allow it to harmlessly bounce off their surfaces. So why is Avada Kedavra referred to as unblockable? Just because it can’t be stopped by magic? Who needs magic when you can just duck behind a gravestone?

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-10-unanswered-questions-we-still-have-about-the-unforgivable-curses/