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Just a quickie, on the Unforgivables.
Tex asked:
Why would a dark(i.e. one who is already on the sheet for using an UC, so it doesn't matter if he uses more) wizard cast any other spell than AK? Is it more difficult? What spells would one use in a serious duel, other than the UC's?
Crouch/Moody claimed that AK was difficult, and I see no reason to suspect his word on that issue, at any rate.
More to the point, though, I think, is the fact that AK targets only one person. It is unblockable, which is good, and it does kill instantly, which is also good, but in a combat situation, I can easily imagine why you might want to use something with a wider effect, even at the expense of a little bit of "BANG -- You're Dead!"-dom.
AK might also require careful aim, which would make it a far less appealling option if visibility were limited, or if your enemy had cover.
Something like whatever Pettigrew used to blast all those muggles might be a more tempting alternative, if you got yourself into a situation that wasn't one-on-one combat, or if you didn't have a clear line of sight to your target.
About Imperius, Gray Wolf wrote:
We're discovering recently that the Imperio has big disadvantages (like people throwing it off at will, and it always looked implausible to me that the wizard who made the curse could have the imprisioned one do ANYTHING while under the curse...
Yes. I suspect (on the basis, admittedly, of no very strong canonical evidence) that Imperius victim's chances of throwing off the curse start to rise exponentially once he is being asked to perform acts to which he is deeply and fundamentally opposed.
I think that canon does suggest this in places. His fury at seeing Lucius Malfoy (and the rest of the ex-DEs) all smug and happy and successful at the QWC would seem to have acted as the catalyst for Crouch Jr's ability to overthrow his Imperius: being called upon to sit there silently and watch the game, rather than to act on his sense of fury and outrage, would seem to have been the straw that broke that particular camel's back. And I feel certain that Crouch Sr.'s ability to throw off the curse was greatly aided by the fact that (whatever one thinks of his methods) he was a fanatical opponent of Dark Wizardry—and so probably not the best candidate for forcing to aid with a plot to restore Voldemort.
That said, though...
The latest developments in Canon seem to point out at "Imperioed" people need constant supervision...
I don't think that I agree. Crouch Sr. isn't under supervision during his appearance at Hogwarts for the selection of the Triwizard Champions, and while he does seem to be trying to fight it off (I assume that this is why Harry keeps noticing him looking sicker and sicker throughout the meeting in the antechamber off of the Great Hall), he doesn't succeed. Unsupervised Crouch is still unable to disobey his (rather complicated) orders, even though the original caster of the Imperius is miles away at the time. He can't even manage to accept Dumbledore's invitation to tea, although I'm sure he would have liked to.
(I do think that one of the major reasons that Moody/Crouch stomped in on that meeting was to be on hand in case Daddy did succeed in throwing off the Imperius. What he planned to do about it if that had happened, though, I have no idea.)
So constant supervision does not seem to be necessary to maintain the Imperius. It would also seem that Imperio'ed people are capable of following rather complex commands—even ones that rely on a certain degree of thought and volition. What were Crouch's "orders?" I get the impression they were something along the lines of: "Act like your normal self, don't tell anyone what's really going on, fulfill your function as an official for this event, and then come straight home, Barty -- no stopping for drinks."
—Elkins
Posted to HPfGU by Elkins on February 12, 2002 3:40 PM
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