Originally Posted by gritandgrace

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

He'd been expecting all sorts of responses when he asked the question. It was vague enough to allow an array. What he didn't expect was the first being quite so...misguided.

"I'm not sure I'm following, Awning. If she was neither evil nor a death eater then what makes her a dark wizard? Association? Would you consider that to be a fair estimate?" Knowing a dark wizard, being in a relationship with one, it didn't necessarily make one dark as well. This was something he needed to ensure he got across for the others that were listening. "If your parents decided to be dark wizards, would that make you one too by being related?"



The Headmaster nodded at the boy's answer. "Correct, Bellatrix Lestrange was considered a dark witch in her time. With a love for torture and a fierce loyalty to the dark lord, she was quite a dangerous one as well. Good." He meant it with more than just the answer. It was good the boy was trying. Good he was making efforts to speak. The man didn't imagine it was easy and so he appreciated it.



Ah yes, one that actually had the word "evil" in his title. Hard to miss that one and Malachi nodded along as the Fifth Year spoke. "Emeric was a short lived but dangerous wizard as well. Yes. While in possession of the Elder Wand and before he was taken down by Egbert the Egregious he was known to be particularly aggressive and had a nasty little habit of terrorizing territories in South England. The man worked hard for his title."

He wasn't a dark wizard because he knew other dark wizards, he was a dark wizard because of his own callous deeds borne of nothing but mal-intent.



The yawn won the Hufflepuff no favours in the Headmaster's eyes. Morning classes he was somewhat more forgiving with but at this time in the afternoon Malachi didn't expect such nonsense. It took a moment for him to focus in on her actual response.

"Would you truly consider the man a dark wizard? Many actions taken in his time at Hogwarts were a direct result of the provocation he faced from James Potter himself; an "admirable" man as thought by most but a bully during his youth. It was his and a few other good men's actions that pushed Snape. Later his joining of the Death Eaters wasn't in a bid to stir chaos but for the attentions of the woman he loved. Following that, he betrayed the dark lord and secretly fought on the side of justice. He carried out the duties expected of him where he had to to avoid suspicion." But he would leave the final verdict to her. The man wasn't here to tell them how to think.

As for the other part. Well. It was quite the black and white way of thinking, wasn't it? "Aurors use unforgivable curses and there are many innocent, studious individuals who study and practice the dark arts but haven't caused harm to anyone." Again, he would leave the final verdict to her but it was food for thought.



Here was another mixed response. A lot of the information the Ravenclaw gave was sound but the logic was slightly flawed. It didn't make the response wrong, just the means of getting there. A means that if repeated with other subject matter could lead to incorrect responses.

"The Cult of Walpurgis could be considered a dark organization of sorts, yes." He was careful not to label it a group of dark wizards are no one could vouch for the intentions and reasoning behind every single man and woman who stood a member. It was the organization itself that was not out to spread good.

"However," As this needed to be pointed out, "Needing a deadly battle doesn't always mean something or someone is out of control. It could just as easily mean someone has offended the wrong person, someone with the means to crush them under heel. All it proves, at its most basic level, is that a group of people did something that another group of people didn't like. This has been a trend all through history. Men fighting for their freedom. Wizards fighting for their lives against people who considered them wrong for existing. Try not to get too caught up in the losing side of a battle being the one's at fault." As a general rule. While he was correct in this, it was the reasoning that unsettled the Headmaster. "Equally, I wouldn't be so quick to link them to the dark lord or Grindewald without full knowledge of the intent that drove them to action in the first place simply because they wanted the same end result. Had they been wronged by muggles? Was this revenge? Is revenge on its own a terrible thing to want?" Just some things to think about.



"Correct." Grindewald was another famous one, no doubt one they'd already begun to learn about in their History Lessons. He had quite the impact before his time came to an end.

"Interestingly enough, he didn't start out with bad intentions just a discontent with the level of power muggles held over wizards. He'd started with a dream for a better more benevolent world, one in which wise and powerful wizards ruled. On its own, there was nothing wrong with that dream however it spiraled into something much more dangerous, dark and undesirable."

The line was always such a thin one. What was that saying? The road to hell was paid with good intentions. Yes, that was the one.



"Ah yes, the first escapee in I believe it was nearly 300 years." Not a single person had gotten through the cracks in all that time the prison stood. No small task he assumed, objectively impressive.

"Much like Lestrange, he was also remarkably loyal to the dark lord, joining the ranks of the death eaters as a teen." A good answer.



By this point, Malachi was somewhat growing accustomed to the black and white responses of his students. It wasn't that he was more accepting of them but rather he was less surprised by them now.

This one was one of the easier ones to address. "If someone came at you ready to kill you but you beat them to it in self defense, does that make you a dark wizard?" Killing wasn't the be all end all for becoming a dark wizard. Killing had many levels to it. No two people killed for the exact same reason and circumstance was a crucial thing to take into consideration.

"Accidental killings are still killings. Killings done for protection are still killing." Did she see why it couldn't be so straight laced?



"You were onto something there, Dakest." Yes, Herpo the foul was another dark wizard, one good enough at being bad to have a title added to his name. "Creating a Horcrux is right up there on the list of questionable things that shouldn't be considered but while it's fair to assume he had no good intentions when he made the basilisk either, I wouldn't consider the act itself an indication of a dark wizard. Many creations are brought forth out of curiosity or necessity. They don't always end well but they don't always start with mal-intent."

Just something for him to keep in mind.



He was so involved with the responses being offered up that he didn't immediately notice this one not making any attempts at an answer. His attention remained on the other students, on their responses and how some gave him real pause. It was good they were having these discussions today. Perhaps it would cause some of them to think a little differently.



And another to remain quiet. This one the Headmaster did take notice of but as he wasn't typically one to offer up opinions during lessons, it didn't come as quite so much a shock to the man. There was nothing truly out of place here. In time the boy would speak, if he felt so inclined. If he didn't, it wasn't of great concern to the man either because this one wasn't falling behind in the subject like some others he could mention.



"That...was oddly specific." Specific enough that Malachi had to pause a moment to really consider it. Infiltrate the government? Take over? Greater good but poor means of accomplishing it? "But as specific as it is, I'd still need more details before I could really say and even then this can sometimes be such a gray and subjective topic. What I may consider dark, someone may consider justice."

Was she asking for his opinion specifically?

"I guess, for me, it would depend on what they're trying to achieve. Whether their new regime impedes upon basic human rights and causes undue harm. How are they keeping people in line? How do they deal with people who don't agree with them? Those would be the real indicators for me."



Molly Weasley. Well...that was an interesting way to get the idea across. So far, Rasting seemed to be the only one to take the topic further than face value.

"He's got a point." Malachi conceded easily. "A good portion of the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum teaches jinxes, curses and hexes. These all fall under a branch of charms known as "dark charms". We can agree that doesn't make any of us dark wizards, not even for the hour we have class--or maybe it does. It really differs from student to student and there's a lot more to consider outside of simple usage. Good catch, Rasting."



It was the very point he'd not too long ago made and the Headmaster found himself nodding along. "Well said, Dalgaard-Volkova. Killing on its own is not a very good indicator of whether a wizard or witch can be considered dark." But he wouldn't waste too much time going into it again. Surely they were all taking notes and had already gotten the bulk of the information there.

I suppose you could consider the William twins dark wizards too, yes, to an extent. Their cause, whatever it was they were truly after, it involved putting others in harms way, manipulation and the removal of free will for their own personal gain." He'd followed that story for a while, until it fell out of the public's eye and no longer made the news. Had to admit, until he'd heard it, he didn't think there were still people like that out there. Go figure.



"You're absolutely correct, Dooley." It was a point that by now he hoped many of the students were beginning to understand. There really was no one size fits all ruling when it came to dark wizards and in many cases it came down to the individual offending the wrong person. Of course, there were many who truly were foul and deserved the title without a shadow of doubt but there were others who most certainly did not.

"At some point the criteria set becomes a little hypocritical because of the double standards that are used to uphold them." The "good" guys and the "bad" guys often did the same things but with varying results and criticisms.



"Yes." He said with a firm nod, turning to the Gryffindor with a firm nod of his head. She was correct on all counts. "Many of you may have seen the portrait hung in the castle and perhaps even tried to get it to reveal its secrets. Its password is no form of coincidence, Merwyn was truly a vile human being." And a bloody good inventor of spells to have created so many that are effective even today.



"Also correct." He'd already addressed the student who mentioned Narcissa among the collection of dark wizards but he was glad another student had picked up on it as well. Now that they were getting more into something of a discussion, the word "intent" was coming up a lot more. It was such a crucial factor that he was glad they were getting it.

"Association to dark wizards, performing under duress, being stripped of all choice and being given "new ones", all these things can give a person the appearance of a dark wizard or witch to the outside world who do not know the full story. This is why we must consider each case carefully before passing judgement."



"Excellent points, Calrissian." They fell in line with things he'd gone on to explain and would no doubt provide a good amount of supplemental notes for any of the students currently scribbling away.

"There are far more things to consider in each act, that is innately considered "dark", for anyone to really slap a label on without giving each scenario the proper consideration that it deserves." At face value, everything the prefect had mentioned could be considered a dark act, but there was obviously more to each.



He raised a brow at the Ravenclaw. A discussion had somehow opened up and the boy would rather...read? The Headmaster watched him for a silent moment before deciding to simply move on to the next student. He wasn't being disruptive and had made attempt at engaging already. It wasn't truly a problem.



...

.....

"I...don't think you should believe everything you hear, Fairfield." There was nothing in the news of any dark acts carried out by a Cambridge. There was a Cambridge newly appointed head of Law Enforcement but not one that gave that department extra work to do. Of course, a dark witch or wizard starting out their career within the walls of Hogwarts wouldn't have been anything new. It had happened often enough.

Who knew, maybe in a few years the former Head Girl would grace the covers of a few papers. She could simply be biding her time. Shame the Slytherin couldn't remember the reasoning. Nothing would surprise him anymore.



Someone had definitely done her reading. The Headmaster looked pleased as he gave this one a nod. "Very good, yes. Both are considered dark and participated in acts that leave little question as to which side they're on." Such a response was promising in regard to her essay. It told him she'd likely put as much research into it and that was something he would greatly appreciate.

It was always glaringly obvious when students wrote about things for which they had no idea. It was almost painful sometimes.

It was clear, while the girl spoke, that the Headmaster was seriously listening and giving it careful consideration. Potions ingredients. A need to save a life. Yes, it could quickly become a slippery slope of an action.

"I'm inclined to agree. The action becomes all the more uncertain in character when the ingredients cannot legally be obtained or when said ingredients are banned entirely as would pose need for the black market like you've said." Some were strictly prohibited. "There's a saying, "a desperate man is a dangerous man" and in a situation like that, it could become increasingly true." Life was a precious thing. A man never knew what he was capable of until his life or the life of someone he cared for came under peril.



"Yes it is, as several of your classmates then I have just explained." Malachi said carefully, watching the boy as if he was suddenly strange. Had Spencer zoned out for a moment? Stopped paying attention? "I've asked for an example of a scenario in which said grey area could be highlighted."

The boy would do well to pay attention from now on, lest he be made to remain behind to cover the lesson again in its entirety. Surely neither wanted that.



"On the contrary, you've raised the very point I'm trying to bring across." He replied to the Hufflepuff. "I'm here to display the difficulty in painting such a picture and the dangers of blindly picking a side." The boy seemed to have missed the point of the better part of the discussion. It had all, thus far led to the conclusion that the term was much too subjective based on the criteria. "You take issue with drawing a line and that's a stance in itself. The idea behind this lesson isn't to teach you who to consider dark and who not to, it's to aid in employing greater thinking before passing on such a title. I've asked for everyone's own personal line. Yours is no line at all, others have given examples of their lines or lines that may be drawn in general. That's all that is, a personal line." Each student putting in some critical thinking and applying their own take on the wider matter.



"That could be a line, yes." It certainly was for him. Thinking about his wife, of Kale and Mavis, the Headmaster didn't imagine there was a single thing he wouldn't do to protect any of them. The same went for his extended family. His mother--oh Merlin, the things he'd do for his mother--his father, his brother. He could absolutely agree with the Gryffindor on the point of family. "It can be truly astonishing the lengths many would go to should the ones they care about fall under threat."



Well that was certainly an...interesting take on things....

Love potions. Huh. Couldn't say that's what he had on his mind when he asked the question but it was the point Dakest had brought up and it really had the man thinking.

"As a joke, it would still be a bad thing, most certainly. Unethical. Absolutely. Detention worthy, for sure. How long of a detention? Uncertain." Here he paused just to let that sink in for everyone. Last year's amortentia disaster was not to be repeated. With Spinnet gone, it was somewhat less likely but the warning needed giving anyway.

"Consider now an incident, someone for whatever reason stuck with someone else. No escape. No real means of defense. Enter a love potion. All the cruelty disappears to be replaced by...obsessive admiration. Not the most desirable outcome, but more desirable than aggression. Still unethical, robbing someone of the free will and their emotions but the circumstances are drastically changed to the point it becomes acceptable and understandable to the majority."



"I see where you're going with this...for the most part." Malachi replied, hand on his chin while he took a moment to think it all over again. "I wouldn't go casting too wide a net with that thinking, however. The Dark Lord did have good qualities in his youth, yes, but there were less and less as he allowed himself to fully be taken over by the darkness." A bit dramatic maybe, but that was essentially what had happened. He split his soul, cursed himself to a half life with unicorn blood, murder indiscriminately. At some point, he grew closer to the manifestation of evil than a human being. Once that happened, it would have been il-advised for anyone to approach thinking he still had "good qualities" they could get through to. Death would be a certain outcome.



He'd worried at first, when she first began to speak, that Gladin had zoned out and was only now rejoining the discussion like Spencer appeared to as she was stating things that were already implied and gone through in the discussion, but it became clear it was only an intro into the example she chose to give. At that point, it he could see where she was going with it.

"Right. It's all quite subjective and each person is as unique as the scenario they find themselves in. No two will ever be the same. That's why it's so important not to try to fit everything into the same one or two molds that society deems good measures of a man's morality." The varying scenarios, the input from each student. It was all one big effort to get the point across of how hard it was to just sort things into "good" and "bad".



And Mallari did not disappoint. By her answer, the Headmaster felt confident in his assumption that she too was getting the point of this discussion. It, the whole thing, was all a bid to give the students first hand experience on why it's not so easy to just draw a line and pick a side. Morality was a sticky topic and like she'd said, no one could be entirely sure what they were capable of until the moment they were tested.

"An excellent point that adds to the discussion on why the line can be so difficult to draw. It's easy enough to swear off of things until the moment those things become the difference between life and death or anything else a person holds dear."



And another to draw the same conclusion--the conclusion he was hoping to lead them to forming on their own. It was good to know his efforts and this discussion weren't all for nothing. "Precisely. Whenever considering a topic such as this one, there are many considerations that need to be attended to. Often these considerations aren't the sort you can make on an average day while shooting the breeze with your friends."

It took a certain sort of nature to reveal the true nature of a man.