Chapter 11: The Shades of Magic
In the eyes of the ordinary wizarding public, a Dark Wizard is simply one who uses Dark Magic. But what, precisely, is Dark Magic? According to the Ministry of Magic's own decrees, it is magic that inflicts severe, often irreversible, harm upon the body or soul of the victim. Spells like the Unforgivables, the Blasting Curse, or the Entrail-Expelling Curse are all classified as such due to their devastating and permanent effects.
Solim had learned at Scuol that this definition was a gross oversimplification. The common belief that any powerful, harmful spell was inherently "dark" was a misconception born of ignorance.
To truly understand the divide between light and dark, one must first ask a more fundamental question: what is magic? Is it merely colourful light shooting from a stick? To most wizards, who are users rather than students of the art, it remains a mystery. Scuol had provided Solim with a more profound answer: magic is emotion. Magic is will.
It sounded idealistic, but the evidence was there. A child's magical outburst occurred during moments of high emotion—Neville's fear when dropped from a window, Harry's anger when cornered by Dudley, Solim's own desperate yearning for power. The outburst made their magic manifest, allowing them to manipulate the world. And what were the steps to casting a spell? Channel magical energy, imbue it with intent, and release it through a wand.
So, what then defined Light and Dark Magic? Consider the Patronus Charm, a quintessential Light spell. It required the caster to focus on joy, happiness, and a fierce, protective will. Conversely, the Killing Curse, an absolute Dark Art, demanded a genuine, focused desire to murder. This was why the Unforgivables were so dangerous—frequent use warped the caster, twisting them into a reflection of the malice required to power the spell.
Human emotions could be broadly categorized as positive—joy, serenity, love, courage—and negative—hatred, fear, jealousy, despair. Spells that channeled these specific emotional frequencies gave rise to the concepts of Light and Dark Magic.
Many common spells, like the Disarming Charm or a simple Cleaning Charm, required little emotional charge and were magically neutral. The Ministry's list of Dark Arts, however, was bloated with spells like the Blasting Curse, not because it required negative intent, but because its sheer destructive power was difficult to control and caused excessive collateral damage.
"So, you see?" Solim said, looking at the three faces before him, each processing the information at a different speed. "It's not quite so simple to vilify the Dark Arts now, is it?"
"This... this is what the Dark Arts are?" Hermione whispered, her worldview trembling. The books described Dark Magic as inherently evil, corrupt, and unforgivable. Solim's clinical, almost academic description clashed violently with everything she had read.
"Dark Magic is not inherently evil," Solim clarified, "but acts of true evil almost always require it." He fixed them with a serious look, his gaze lingering on Draco, for whom Dark Arts were a point of perverse pride. "Spells like the Killing Curse or the Imperius, which fundamentally alter or damage the caster's psyche, should be used with extreme caution, if at all."
"But... the Blasting Curse... the Entrail-Expelling Curse... you're saying they aren't Dark Magic?" Hermione asked, her voice laced with confusion. Those spells were Dark Arts staples in every book she'd ever read.
Seeing her struggle, Solim decided a practical demonstration was in order. "Let me give you an example." He drew his wand with his left hand and pointed it calmly at Neville. "Stupefy!"
A jet of red light hit Neville square in the chest. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped in his chair before sliding bonelessly to the floor.
"Hermione, do you consider the Stunning Spell to be Dark Magic?"
Hermione gasped, rushing to Neville's side. "Rennervate!"
Neville groaned, blinking owlishly as he came to. Solim helped him back into his chair.
"According to the Ministry's own definition," Solim said, resuming his seat, "the Stunning Spell is, technically, a form of Dark Magic."
Three pairs of eyes widened in disbelief.
"Don't look at me like that," Solim said, waving a dismissive hand. "The Ministry classifies any magic that directly targets the soul as Dark Arts. That includes not only the Stunning Spell, but also the Cheering Charm, the Calming Draught, and even the Memory Charm."
"Targets the... soul?" Draco breathed, looking utterly bewildered. "The Stunning Spell affects the soul?"
Solim almost smiled at their reaction. "To render someone unconscious, you could hit them on the head with a brick—a physical method. Or, you can use magic, which is far more elegant. It delivers a simplified, harmless shock to the consciousness, which is housed within the soul. Think of the soul as water in a glass. The Stunning Spell just gives the glass a sharp tap, causing the water to slosh violently and briefly disrupt its equilibrium. The Killing Curse, by contrast, shatters the glass and spills the water entirely."
He could see the gears turning in Hermione's head. "These are foundational concepts, tied to the very nature of magical theory—the study of magical runes and arithmancy. It's advanced material, not covered until your third year if you choose such electives."
Having deconstructed the nature of Dark Arts, Hermione, ever the seeker, pressed on. "Then what defines a Dark Wizard? The books say a Dark Wizard is one who uses Dark Magic."
Solim shook his head. "It's not the tools, but how and why you use them. Do you think Dumbledore is incapable of casting Dark Magic? Reaching a certain level of mastery requires an understanding of all facets of magic, light and dark. Is Dumbledore a Dark Wizard? Of course not. The difference lies in their methods."
He crafted another scenario. "Suppose a white wizard and a dark wizard both need information from a person. The white wizard might use Legilimency, Veritaserum, or other, gentler means of persuasion. The dark wizard would use the Imperius Curse without a second thought, or the Cruciatus to extract the information through pain. One approach leaves room for the victim's will; the other utterly obliterates it. That is the distinction. One has scruples; the other is unscrupulous."
"By that standard," Solim concluded, "the Aurors who use these very spells in the line of duty could be considered dark wizards. But are they evil? The methods do not solely define the wizard. It is naïve to paint the world in such simple strokes of light and dark."
"Solim," Hermione asked, her voice full of awe, "did you learn all of this from the books in your trunk?"
"On that subject, I think Neville can enlighten you." Solim stood and stretched. "I need to attend to some personal business. Draco, since you're determined to make a change, we begin today. No time like the present."
"Oh! Do you need any help?" Hermione asked eagerly.
Solim, who had been heading for the door, stumbled. "I mean I'm going to the lavatory!"
A deep blush instantly coloured Hermione's cheeks. "Oh!"
As the door closed behind Solim, Draco and Hermione turned their full attention to Neville, who suddenly found himself the centre of attention.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Neville began. "I... I have an uncle who teaches at Scuol. He's the one who told me about it."
"Wait, Longbottom, you have an uncle who teaches at Scuol?" Draco interjected, impressed despite himself. "What does he teach?"
"Magical History, I think. I don't see him very often," Neville admitted. The Longbottom family, though small in his generation, had many branches.
"Don't interrupt!" Hermione scolded Draco, her curiosity burning. "What is Scuol? I've never heard of it. The books only mention the three major European schools!"
Draco scoffed. "Scuol is a school for the gifted. You can't just go; you have to be invited."
"I know a bit," Neville said, gathering his courage. "My grandmother and my uncle have told me things. And so has Solim." Under their intense gazes, he began to recount everything he knew about the secretive, elite school that had shaped the boy they were only just beginning to understand.