Lexi tore her eyes from her desk and turned to give the girl a nod of the head. Yes. Kindred spirits indeed.

"Perhaps you can look at Dark Arts that way. It doesn't mean that everyone has to. I personally believe that you either approve or disapprove of them. I never said that the arts themselves were simple. Just the fact that using them is wrong to ME. And let me ask you something... do YOU practice Dark Arts?" she said in a pleasant tone as she shifted her gaze to Cedric.

Emily couldn't help but overhear the HUfflepuff prefect...
She cleared her throat lightly before interupting...
"Erm... excuse me, but I have to disagree with you. See I know it doesn't seem all that fair to see it as black and white, where there are usually shades of grey. But the thing is... we're talking about the DARK Arts... DARK... DARK ... DARK arts. It is dark... and therefore if a witch or wizard makes the choice to use it they are DARK just because of the nature of the spells etc. It doesn't matter who their friends with or what house they're in if they make that CHOICE to use the dark arts. You may no doubt understand that dark arts and study it... hell I know I'm curious!... but to make the conscious decision to USE it... makes you a DARK person."....
Emily paused for effect...
"Am I making this clear enough? In this matter I do not think there is a grey area... and if there was it would apply to those who understand it... undertsand but do not use it."

"Cedric right?" Sakura asked as she looked over at the boy. She remembered him from her first year of school, he'd been good for gossip back then. "I really think that with Dark Magic there is a black and white. Dark Magic is evil, end of story. A spell that tortures someone until they go insane is not something one could ever consider to be right, at least not a sane person. I think the shades of gray come into consideration when we talk about the individuals who choose to practice it." Sakura paused and took in more of what the boy said.

"I don't believe we can classify someone as Dark because of their associations with people, if that was true then I would be a Dark Witch because my family delved into the Dark Arts and we're worse off for it, it destroyed my family... And even when we come to the practitioners of the Dark Arts I believe there are gray areas. A lot of them weren't necessarily bad people, they were just corrupted by the Dark Arts and their original intentions, no matter how good they were when the person started out are lost."

I really do sometimes wonder if there is even such a thing as bad at all.

"And Cedric, there's definitely such a thing as a bad thing. Forcing your child to learn the Dark Arts is bad, killing someone is bad. I'd love to say that there was no such thing as evil in this world but I've seen too much to ever contemplate there being no such thing as evil or bad things. It's our choices that define us, and I'm sorry but if you decide that your going to kill people in cold blood just to get what you want I don't care what your circumstances were but you aren't in your right mind and you need help. And I do believe that it is up to others to offer them that but eventually they need to be locked up or something so that they can't hurt anyone anymore." She really shouldn't have come to this class. It was bringing up too many bad memories and she was really going to start crying soon.

Chloe turned when she heard a boy speak a rather interesting point but it seemed to be slightly flawed to her and as much as many seemed to respond she felt she wanted to say her two sense too. "Professor, I do kinda agree with the Hufflepuff prefect but it kinda depends on the person what they consider as bad. I think many of us have a different opinion on what is bad but among some backrounds people are raised to fight on a certain side. The only good thing they know is to fight aganst what may be the good side to you fororthe side of their family and freinds. There are also people who convince themselves doing what they do however evil you may seeit is for the greater good in their mind. Thats why saying something is bad is kind of a contraversial thing.Cause there is also the instance where somepeople riseupagainst a regime the majority of people think is good. Does that make these people bad?".

The lesson had taken a turn, and Patroclus rather liked it.

Today was a study not so much on the Defence, but the Dark Arts side of Defence against the Dark Arts.

Listening to the others around him, Patroclus decided it was time to pipe in, leaning back in his chair and running both hands through his hair and bring them to rest on the back on his neck, before placing them on the table, the boy began.

“You can’t pin whether someone is dark or not, on whether they were loved as a child, or came from a good family, sometimes people are just born evil. It’s a mental thing, a chemical thing. They are just born with their sense of right and wrong, just wrong. People throughout history, muggle and magical have been seen to come from loving families, had so called happy lives, but could just not silence the voice in their head that told them to be bad.” Patroclus had learnt many a story from his Law Studying brother. “Some just wake up one day and are from then on bad, or others it is a slow building, but ever present thought. Like a cancer that grows within, relishing in the pain of ours, thirsting for the rush they get when they hurt, or kill. Some of the worst Dark Wizards of all time were evil from the beginning.”
To Patroclus, family and morals were important, not because he had been taught they were, but because he knew they were.

Taking a look at the board, the Prefect decided to touch on another point. “Peter Pettigrew in my opinion is not a Dark Wizard, evil yes, but not Dark. You may say there is not difference, but to me Dark Wizards are ones who sought to enslave others, to control, manipulate and generally rule. Whereas with Peter, what he did was evil, but it came from a place of extreme fear, and a need for self-preservation, his fatal flaw was his weakness to be lead, to follow blinding. He was evil for the simple fact that someone else stronger than he was told him to be evil, and to me that doesn’t signify a Dark Wizard, it signifies a minion.”

Listening to Lexi and her discussion with James about the lines of Dark and Light, the LionBoy had to side with James, “I think that there can never be to separate sides to what is Dark and what is Good. Molly Weasly killed Bellatrix Lestrange, yes it was for self defense and in the protection of others, but it was murder. Murder that we are OK with…now how can that be considered Good?” he asked before contining, “Molly Wealsy was a good person, don’t get me wrong, but it was the Dark side of her inner most slef, which we all have, that silenced the voice that told her murder was wrong. She killed for survival, but murder is murder, and we have been raised to believe that it was wrong. But yet personally I would not consider her a Dark Wizards. So there is a bit of darkness in all of us, what makes a wizard Dark is how much they let the balance tilt in the wrong favour.”

Trust Tate to get Patroclus launched into one of his rants.

Satine's eyes widened with all of the questions the Headmaster was throwing at them. She wasn't completely sure if he was asking the class as a whole or if he was just asking the individual peeps that had brought up the original subject. She scribbled quickly already knowing that her notes were going to be illegible when she went back over them. Finally she glanced up and raised her hand...she felt it might be time to ask her question from earlier.

"Headmaster, I have an odd thought and...well...I was wondering what you thought." she paused and then continued, "OR well what anyone might think....the muggles have had some bad peeps in their time, as well, such as Hitler, Stalin, etc..." she glanced around hoping that the Headmaster and some of their students knew a little bit about Muggle History, "Well, is it possible that they had some kind of connection to the dark arts....or maybe someone around them did....?" she asked him quickly.

Caroline thought about it for a moment. "I don't think that being in slytherin makes you prone to dark magic. I really don't think that anyone is prone to being who they are. It depends on how you are bought up, and who you assocate with." she paused for moment to think. "The simpler connection is the ones who used their powers for dark magic and there cause, was the ones who feared something, death, muggles, good magic, love and so on. And the ones who's magic maybe wasn't as powerful but had the same fears, but hind behind the big guy"

Jaina wrote down the list of Dark Wizards on the board and the ones that Benjamin had said. She glanced at Belle and smiled. Then she proceeded to write in the margin *must ask Ben for stories on these.* She waited to hear if anyone else would mention some more Dark Wizards or why these wizards would go dark and their common traits.

"That's a really interesting question, and I'd like to suggest that there is no way one could give a definite answer on it. I think that some of them may have had connections to the Dark Arts, but then on the other hand it could come down to the simple idea that some of them had ultimate power, and that power corrupted them. It doesn't matter if you're muggle or magical if you get too much power you can be tempted to use it to do evil, and the amount of destruction you cause is only really limited by the technology and knowledge available to you," she hoped the girl didn't mind her offering an opinion on the matter.
"I disagree with you about there not being lines, or whatever...I can't agree with your last point. What makes the person a Dark Wizard is that they use their skills for evil, they kill innocent people for no reason other than their own pleasure, or because they disagreed with their views. Obviously in times of war we make exceptions. Molly Weasley did not kill Bellatrix in a time of peace, and she didn't kill her in a terribly painful way. They were at war and it was kill or be killed and Bellatrix Lestrange was evil and insane. It is our choices that are important, in some circumstances we don't have choices but when it comes to whether we are dark or light we do have a choice. Maybe we can't always speak out against beliefs, especially if we've grown up with them, but with actions we can show that we aren't evil. Maybe some people are born inherently evil but even they can fight against the voice inside, there is help available for them." Was she making sense?

"My point is, there is a line and it is crossed. Not all Dark Wizards start out evil, a lot of them start out as innocent people but they cross a line and most of them never even attempt to stop being Dark. Daily they make a choice to do evil, so yes our choices, and how far we let ourselves go, do matter, but there is not a blurred line. It is something that is clearly there."

Emily's eyes lit up. "You know I actually heard a rumor that Hitler was in league with werewolves. Apparently a group of high class, pure blooded werewolves known as loup garous were directly involved in Hitler's rise to power. Though Hitler fought for what he called an Arian race... his werewolf counterparts wanted to rid their society of mixed bloods and muggle humans."
Emily paused, hoping nobody would think she was insane.
"I really did hear about it soemwhere... possibly even read it somewhere. And they were nasty... I'd suspect involved in the dark arts."

Emily was thoroughly enjoying this class discussion.

Satine smiled and nodded her head towards the girl, "O I think are you are completely right about everything. Especially the part about power corrupting you...I actually think that is one of the traits that all Dark Art followers share...they like the power and then it ultimately corrupts them." she said with one final nod at the girl.

Satine turned and glanced at the girl and her head slowly cocked to the right. "Wow, I have never heard that before...that's an interesting story and insight..."

"Yes, but sir can you truly count Peter Pettigrew? He was a pawn in a Dark man's quest for power. In the end he was a man with remorse. When he killed himself, or technically his arm did, Harry Potter said he did so with regret. He's betrayl was not one of power, but of cowardice. How can a cowardly motivation count when he, at the end, was full of regret with his betrayl. A real dark wizard has no remorse."

"As for your other question, when someone is brilliant they have the ability to grow cocky. This gives them a higher sense of self worth. When this happens a person cannot help but feel cheated in some cases. I suposse these wizards belived that they could ccomplish so much and that social conventions where holding them back.". The little redhead finished.

Chloe cocked her head when she heard a one girls muse and it sounded interesting. she was surprised when one gorl had a supposed real insight. Chloe had nother idea and reponded, "I don't know about werewolves but I do believe it is possible Hitler and other horrible people knew witcheds or were perhaps wizards themselves. I mean for Hitler to take control of the entire nation Germany it almost seems like he or someone messed with the heads of these people to make it to the top. Could it be werewolves,I don't know but just him as a charismatic speaker gaining hisway to the top seems unlikely to me.".

Jake eyed Neptune with a raised eyebrow, but he couldn't help but smile at her as well. She was super cheeky, but she got away with it where Jake was concerned.

AND she agreed with him, so that made things EXTRA better.

As for some of the others...


Once he'd gently nudged Neptune back, Jake chipped in. "So... what a few of you guys are saying is that if someone is a Dark wizard... they're a bad wizard? Like... evil. It just means they use Dark magic, and not all Dark magic is cast on people to harm them or something... not necessarily. People use it to protect as well. To be a truly evil person, which is what I think most people are actually referring to as 'Dark', I think that one must have intentions of hurting or killing people either individually or in large amounts for their own gain or just because they want to, like Voldemort's plan to be rid of muggles. And of their own free will. Then, of course, go through with the attempts to hurt or kill. You are not an evil person if you merely have certain beliefs after all."

WOW. That was a lot of words.

"I think THAT is what makes a wizard an evil one. A Dark wizard merely utilizes Dark magic... and not all of those wizards, or witches, are evil."

Bam.

"I never said you weren't entitled to your own opinion....just expressing mine." Which was VERY different from Lexi's. She shook her head. "Nothing is that simple, least of all dark arts." Lazi's last sentence had her pausing in speech, feeling as if the girl was speaking from experience. She was almost hesitant to speak again. "That's true, but it doesn't change that things aren't that simple."

Arya briefly wondered why the older girl didn't meet her eyes while they spoke, her own still on the girl. "When I said the world, I was including dark arts. Just because it has the word dark in front of it, doesn't make the practice of bad, just the use of it against others. There's a stigma connected to wizards proud to be pureblooded. There is a reason for that as well, but it doesn't mean that everyone who is proud is anti-muggle. Just like it doesn't mean that everyone who's capable or practice dark magic is wrong." Even though she couldn't see her, Arya was nodding her head in agreement. Everyone WAS entitled to her own opinion.

Again, she shook her head. "No, the use of dark magic doesn't make a wizard dark. I could choose to practice dark magic right now." She wouldn't. "But that wouldn't make me a dark wizard." It wouldn't. "Its what Cedric said, his intentions, choices, purposes, beliefs that make them a dark wizard. If they're weak minded or easily swayed, then their friends could be a contributing factor for them turning dark as well. Or at least bring them to the dark side. Its never just one thing that turns a person dark."

"I don't think there is a clear line between what makes a person a dark wizard and what just makes the a evil person. There are wizards that do evil things everyday, but can we really classify them as DARK? I do think at some point they cross a line and we start to classify them as dark, but I don't think we could ever pin point when they crossed that line. Voldemort did 'evil' things all his life, but he wasn't always classified as a dark wizard. The line is just as blurred as the use of dark magic itself."

She tapped her quill on her parchment, chewing on her bottom lip as she looked at the older girl. "I do believe that it is our choices though. We always have a choice, maybe not with the life your born into, but with other things."

Lexi sighed and shook her head. "See, that's the thing, Arya. Just because you don't see it the same way as me doesn't make me wrong or you right. I think it's simple. You don't... we can agree to disagree. I will ask you the same thing I asked Cedric, though. Do YOU practice the Dark Arts?" she said as she looked back at her desk top.

The subject was something she would not budge on. It didn't matter if Tate himself told her things weren't that simple. To her they were... Don't practice Dark Arts. Simple.

Belle heard her answer and understood what she said and gave her a thumbs up. "Well Jania, i feel they want to cleanse the society so they can be the dominant race and so they can have control over what is going on and not have disorder." that is what she could say in a nutshell.

"That's a highly personal question for anyone. Plus, do you genuinely believe that anyone would answer 'yes' to that question, whether they did or not? They'd get chucked straight out of here," Jake pointed out to Lexi. She had a remarkably straightforward view of this subject. "Plus, there is a stigma that one who practices the Dark Arts is a bad person. I doubt anyone would say yes... with today's society."

The young man shrugged. He hated when there was a stigma.

"Like I said... to some, it could be a highly personal question."

Because in JAKE'S eyes... it was basically impossible or unheard of to lie. So they'd have to answer or refuse to answer, which was always considered a 'no' anyway. Bleh.

" Might add Lucius Malfoy, Crabbbe, Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle on that board too, professor. But as I said, the dark side is easier to choose, because there's not as much work in it. Basically it's not only a decision like black or white, or what'sfair or unfair, orwhat's easier or not, but it just happens to fall in a grey area." He put out both of his hands and moved them as though he were weighing something against another. "Ok. In each hand you have a galleon. Just one. you start to add a galleon to whatever hand you label as bad, and another for whatever you label as good. Each "pro" you add a galleon. The scale shifts. See? And for a con, none get added. So you're in this grey area right now. In order to see the light at the end of your tunnnel is what you choose next. As you see, right now, it hangs at the same height. But you have one more decision to play. Do you value fame, glory, imfamy or do you choose to be recognized, valued and hard work as a decent witch or wizard? It would seem there would be darkness than light. But in this school, we are taught decisions every day, and to make our own path, but it shines more on the white than the black, the light over the dark. At the end of this school carreer, is where the final galleon goes. Now, which would you choose? I'm speaking to the class on this question, Professor. Where would the final galleon fall? The professor's and the headmaster would love for you to place that galleon on the light side. But you see, you've already laid that last galleon to either side the day you stepped in here. From that moment on, you've learnt what you wanted to, you've stepped out of the grey and began your path. So, in conclusion, I tell you to choose your side wisely. The road to your destiny is always a slippery slope." Benjamin sat back in his chair, and put one leg over the other and started back on his doodles of fire breathing dragons.

Lexi didn't turn to look at Jake. She didn't care what he thought or anyone else for that matter. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, it is a question nonetheless. If you don't practice the Dark Arts then what is the problem? I am not sure why YOU are so up in arms about it. It isn't like I asked you anyway. And if someone answers the question I would only ask the follow up of why NOT? Why doesn't someone that can argue the merits of Dark arts parctice them themselves if there is nothing wrong with them?"

He had his views, she had hers. And if he didn't like her question he didn't have to answer SIMPLE as that.

Same parallels between them? They had all been classed as dark wizards!
Emily wasn't even sure what she was saying or who she was saying it to, but raised her hand and said:
"Well, I think people become..." she didn't like using the word "become 'dark wizards' because something happened to them. Like" this was completly out of think air "they had no family, or friends. No-one could have showed them love and fairness, so that's all they knew. I don't think anyone could just be born 'dark'."

There she had said it, although she wasn't quite sure if that was the question. There had been so many she was quite confused.

"Also, just because your a slytherin dosn't mean your prone to dark magic. I mean, Slazar Slytherin was. And they only ever married pure-bloods, so the dark arts were probably just tought in each family generation. But just because your in his house, dosn't mean you are."

Ah, she was way to political for one so young.

Jake could only shake his head in disbelief. "Class discussion, Lexi. If I hear something I don't agree with, I'm quite within my rights to mention it. That question is extremely personal in my opinion. Why make it personal when this is a general discussion?"

Jake turned back to Tate and leaned back in his chair, giving a neutral 'whatevs' shrug before continuing the discussion with everyone else.

"Guys... answer me this. I'll do a little personal thing. Rhetorically, if I were to use Dark protection spells to protect my little brothers or to watch over them, to stop or kill any Undesirables coming near them or whatever... does that make me a Dark wizard? In my opinion it does, because it's Dark magic. But it doesn't make me evil. Dark magic is infamous for being so hard to penetrate... harder than 'usual' magic. However, if I used the same magic to rise in power, protecting myself from the 'good guys', killed anyone in my path who tried to stop me ruling the world... In my opinion, that would make me Dark... but also evil. Killing innocent 'good guys' and avoiding facing up to stuff at any cost because I have things how I want them and got there by any means. Do you agree that though the magic is the same, the definition of the wizard can differ."

It WAS a grey area.

Jake also hated grey areas.

"As much as I would love something to be simply one or the other... it's not. It's the intent behind the magic that makes you the evil kind of Dark or not. At least... in my opinion."

Opinions, opinions, opinions...

Arya was confused as to why Lexi was going on about who was wrong and who was right, and not continuing the discussion. It was as if she was so set in her beliefs that she didn't even want to listen to anyone else's. She nodded her head. "Agree to disagree." Since they weren't getting anywhere with the discussion at hand.

Before she could answer the second question though, Jake had spoke up.

Eyes flicking to the boy, listening as he spoke. She wasn't sure if she agreed or not, but she did appreciate him defending her. If that's what he was doing. She did agree with his statement about the stigma, and nodded her head in agreement.

"It could be a highly personal question," she turned her eyes back on Lexi. "But I will answer it. No. I don't practice the dark arts, but it doesn't mean I never will. Doesn't mean I won't show interest in it later." Like when she would actually be capable of casting dark magic. "Its not practicing that's the problem, it using it against others."

And then Lexi and Jake were going at it, which lead Jake to make an excellent, and confusing point. "I agree with Jake, there is a HUGE gray area." His example proved that and more.

Lexi shrugged once more. "And that may be. You find it personal then don't answer it," she said in a nonchalant way. In her HUMBLE opinion, though no one that didn't practice would have a problem with the question.

She decided not to say anything about his next question simply because she thought it was nonsense to use Dark magic for protection. Especially when there were Runes and lighter magic that were very much capable of protecting. Silly silly silly.

Giving Arya a shrug once more she smiled as she turned toward her. "Thank you for answering honestly. I still think that practicing, alone, is unwise. But you make a point with intent. I wouldn't peg you for someone that would use any type of magic for the wrong reasons. History has proven that not everyone is strong enough willed to do so," she said and then glanced at Jake momentarily. Just long enough to give him a small smile.

Scrubbing his face with one hand, he listened to the debate between his classmates. Whether 'Dark Arts' were bad or good seemed to be the general topic at the moment, and ruffling quite a few feathers. Some personal and some seemingly bordering on accusatory. What really bothered him however, was Arya's little point out that she may show interest in the 'Dark Arts' in the future. While he could agree with both her and Jake that given the right circumstance, the outcome could be benifical and even used for good, just as casting a spell with the trace still on could be good rather than simply for mall-intent. However, he could also understand where Lexi was coming from, and although he didn't share whole-heartedly her black and white perception, he also hadn't been through what she had.

"Perhaps, it would be safe to say that the practice of 'Dark Arts' has it's consequences. Whether or not you intend to use it for good or evil, which are in themselves grey terms based upon perception from one person to the next, they will have repercussions. Like any magic, like any source of behavior or energy."

Dropping his hand from his eyes, he looked between Lexi, Arya and Jake, letting out a slow breath. "I have no idea how right this is, or wrong it is, but perhaps they are termed 'Dark Arts' just in the same form as certain behaviors are termed 'bad'. Cheating, stealing, lying and so forth. They can all be beneficial in one circumstance or another, and even good people use them, which doesn't make them bad. But they still leave their mark, and perhaps, it is that mark which has earned them the term 'Dark'."