The Killing Curse is one of three Unforgivable Curses. A severe type of the Dark Arts, its victim will suffer an instant, painless death. The only known defence from it is sacrificial protection[1] and the only person known to have ever survived it is Harry Potter.[2]
History[]
The Killing Curse was outlawed in 1717 with the strictest of penalties if it is used.[3]
In 1944[4], Tom Riddle used the Killing Curse to murder his father and his grandparents at the Riddle House.[5]
On 31 October 1981, Lord Voldemort killed James Potter with the curse before doing the same to Lily Potter. He then attempted to use the Killing Curse on Harry Potter. Lily had sacrificed herself moments before after being offered the chance to step aside. It shielded her son with sacrificial protection, causing the curse to rebound onto Voldemort instead.
In 1994, Harry had a vision of Voldemort using the curse to murder Frank Bryce.[4] Later that year, Barty Crouch Jnr., disguised as Alastor Moody, taught fourth-year students about the Killing Curse in a Defence Against the Dark Arts class. He used the curse on a spider as a demonstration.
Notes and sources[]
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 33
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 14
- ↑ The Tales of Beedle the Bard: Albus Dumbledore's notes on Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 1
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 10