In the eyes of most ordinary wizards in the wizarding world, anyone who can skillfully use Dark Magic is considered a Dark Wizard.
But what exactly is Dark Magic?
In official documents and regulations of the Ministry of Magic, Dark Magic is defined like this:
Magic that causes irreversible and severe harm to either the caster or the target, whether to the body or the soul.
All such magic is collectively categorized as Dark Magic.
In the eyes of most wizards, any spell that causes massive damage or targets the soul is Dark Magic.
The three Unforgivable Curses are the classic examples. Spells like Fiendfyre or Corrosion Curses anything capable of inflicting permanent harm are also classified by the Ministry as Dark Magic.
But when Solim studied at the school called Skugle, he learned that things were not that simple.
The idea that any powerful spell equals Dark Magic was fundamentally wrong.
To understand the difference between Dark Magic and White Magic, one first has to understand a deeper question:
What is magic?
Is it simply colorful beams of light shooting from a wand?
For most wizards, yes because they never study magic itself. They simply use it. And most of them are not even particularly good users.
Skugle gave Solim a much more fundamental answer:
Magic is emotion.
Magic is the will of the wizard.
Sounds extremely philosophical, doesn't it?
But consider a simple example.
A child's magical outburst always happens when their emotions become unstable.
For example:
Neville Longbottom being thrown out of a window
Harry Potter accidentally vanishing the glass at the zoo
Solim desperately wanting to learn magic
Magical outbursts make a young wizard's magic become manifest, allowing them to consciously influence the world floating cups, suspended droplets of water, and so on.
To properly cast a spell, three steps are required:
Gather magical power
Inject intention or will
Release it through the wand
So what exactly are Dark Magic and White Magic?
Take the Patronus Charm as an example.
It is a perfect example of White Magic.
To cast it, the wizard must fill the spell with happiness, joy, and hope. At a higher level, it requires a powerful will to protect.
Now compare that with the Killing Curse.
That spell requires a genuine desire to kill.
This is why it is one of the Unforgivable Curses. Wizards who repeatedly use the Killing Curse gradually lose themselves. Someone constantly immersed in murderous intent can hardly remain mentally healthy.
Human emotions can be divided into two broad categories:
Positive emotions include joy, peace, happiness, contentment, and love, while negative emotions include hatred, fear, jealousy, greed, and despair.
However, many spells are neutral and do not require a specific emotional alignment. For example, spells such as the Disarming Charm or simple cleaning charms can be cast without relying on either positive or negative emotions.
These require no particular emotional alignment.
Interestingly, many spells classified by the Ministry as Dark Magic fall into this neutral category.
For example Fiendfyre
This spell does not rely on any specific emotion. It is simply extremely powerful and difficult to control, capable of causing catastrophic destruction.
Or the Corrosion Curse.
It inflicts devastating bodily damage. If it strikes the head or chest and is not treated immediately, the victim could easily die.
Because of their destructive power, most wizards simply label such spells as Dark Magic.
"So?" Solim asked the three of them.
"Do you feel a little less resistant to Dark Magic now?"
Hermione looked shocked.
"This… is Dark Magic?"
In every book she had read, Dark Magic was described as evil, corrupt, and unforgivable. Solim's explanation completely contradicted that.
"Dark Magic isn't necessarily evil," Solim said calmly. "But truly evil magic is always Dark Magic."
He added a warning.
"Spells like the Killing Curse or the Cruciatus Curse should be avoided. Some magic gradually changes the caster's mentality."
He glanced particularly at Draco.
For children from certain pure-blood families, Dark Magic could be as irresistible as roast chicken was to Ron.
Hermione still looked skeptical.
"Even Fiendfyre and the Corrosion Curse aren't Dark Magic?"
Solim clicked his tongue.
"Alright. Let me show you something."
He pulled out his wand and pointed it at Neville.
"Stupefy!"
Neville collapsed instantly, sliding off the chair.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Hermione shouted.
"Enervate!"
Neville blinked awake, confused.
Solim helped him back onto the chair.
"Hermione, do you think the Stunning Spell is Dark Magic?"
She shook her head immediately.
"No."
"Well," Solim said casually, "according to the Ministry's official definition, it is Dark Magic."
Now all three of them were staring at him.
"Anything targeting the soul counts as Dark Magic under Ministry law," Solim explained.
"This category of magic also includes spells like Legilimency, Cheering Charms, Calming Charms, and the Memory Charm, all of which in some way manipulate or influence the soul."
"THE SOUL?" the three students echoed in disbelief.
Solim chuckled.
There are many ways to knock someone unconscious.
You could hit them with a brick.
Starve them until they faint.
Even anger them into passing out.
Muggle chemicals can do it too.
But magic takes a simpler route.
It targets the soul.
Imagine the soul as water inside a cup.
Normally, the water is calm.
Soul-affecting magic works by disturbing the natural state of the soul. The Killing Curse can be compared to pouring all the water out of a cup, completely removing what is inside.
Certain soul curses act more slowly, like heating the water in the cup until it gradually boils away. The Stunning Spell, on the other hand, simply shakes the cup, causing the water inside to ripple and become unstable for a short period.
"These concepts involve the very foundation of magic," Solim said. "Things like magical runes."
"That's knowledge far beyond your current level."
"If you're interested, you can take Ancient Runes in third year."
He yawned.
Hermione still wasn't satisfied.
"Then what about Dark Wizards? Books say anyone who uses Dark Magic is a Dark Wizard."
Solim shook his head.
"That's wrong."
A wizard who uses Dark Magic is not automatically a Dark Wizard.
Even someone like Albus Dumbledore undoubtedly knows Dark Magic. No wizard could reach the level of a great wizard without studying it.
Does that make him a Dark Wizard?
Obviously not.
The difference between Dark Wizards and White Wizards lies not in the magic they use, but in the methods they choose.
For example suppose both types of wizard need information from someone.
A White Wizard might use Legilimency or persuasion.
A Dark Wizard?
The simplest solution would be the Imperius Curse.
Or Veritaserum.
Or torture with the Cruciatus Curse.
One acts cautiously and leaves room for mercy.
The other pursues results by any means necessary.
"By that definition," Solim added casually,"many Aurors would qualify as Dark Wizards."
"But are they evil?"
The three students stayed silent.
"Judging morality purely by methods is childish."
Hermione finally asked:
"Did you learn all this from books?"
Solim stood up.
"Neville can answer that."
He gestured toward the quiet boy.
"I'm going to step out for a moment."
He glanced at Draco.
"And Draco if you're serious about improving, start today."
Hermione asked helpfully:
"Do you need help?"
Solim nearly tripped.
"I'm going to the bathroom!"
(⊙_⊙)
Hermione blushed bright red.
After Solim left, Draco and Hermione both turned toward Neville.
Neville took a deep breath.
"My uncle told me about Solim's school."
"You mean Skugle?" Draco asked with interest.
"What does your uncle teach there?"
"History… I think," Neville replied.
Hermione leaned forward eagerly.
"What is Skugle? Why have I never heard of it?"
Draco shrugged.
"It's a magic school. Only certain people qualify."
"What qualifications?" Hermione pressed rapidly.
Neville answered quietly.
"Only children who experience magical outbursts before their seventh birthday qualify."
"And only families like the Selwyn family can send their children there."
Then Neville began recounting everything he had heard from his grandmother, his uncle, and Solim about that mysterious school.