It’s not a very strong curse—examples of it firing are things like “becoming headmaster”(Snape), “being exposed as a somewhat-icky creature”(Lupin), or “being a bad teacher”(Summers). Hardly the sort of thing I’d try to weaponize.
But it very consistently does something to get them out of the position. People who are hard to strike at in other ways might be best inaccurately flailed towards with this sort of bludgeon.
I guess—the time Voldemort got the job in canon, it certainly set him back. Still, Dumbledore does not seem to be acting like he realizes who Quirrell is.
Lockhart—had his personality wiped, so he might as well have died.
Moody—Trapped in a box by a cockney nutjob. For a YEAR. And the guy who actually did the teaching died.
Quirrel—died. Of course Voldemort was only possessing him so HE didn’t die—in fact I think Voldie probably knew Quirrel wouldn’t survive the year and didn’t care at all as long as he got the Philosopher’s Stone.
Also, keep in mind that there is a convincing argument to the effect that Umbridge was actually raped senseless by those centaurs. Who is Summers? Or is that a term/reference I’m not familiar with?
“Go wrong, Mr. Potter? I certainly hope not.” Professor McGonagall’s face was expressionless. “After Professor Blake was caught in a closet with no fewer than three fifth-year Slytherins last February, and a year before that, Professor Summers failed so completely as an educator that her students thought a boggart was a kind of furniture, [...]
Of course—I’m not saying that it can’t have poor effects, merely that it’s unreliable.
And I have to say, I always assumed it was violence that was inflicted upon Umbridge, not rape. However, upon rereading, it certainly seems like you’re right.
“She got carried away,” said Harry. “By a herd of centaurs.”
...
Since she had returned to the castle she had not, as far as any of them knew, uttered a single word. Nobody really knew what was wrong with her, either. Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs and leaves in it, but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed.
Edited the above to remove her as an example, because that’s certainly nasty enough not to minimize the effects of the curse.
And as pedanterrific said, Summers is a MoR prof, not a canon one. (I’m pretty sure it’s a Buffy joke).
It’s not a very strong curse—examples of it firing are things like “becoming headmaster”(Snape), “being exposed as a somewhat-icky creature”(Lupin), or “being a bad teacher”(Summers). Hardly the sort of thing I’d try to weaponize.
(Edited to remove Umbridge example—see below)
But it very consistently does something to get them out of the position. People who are hard to strike at in other ways might be best inaccurately flailed towards with this sort of bludgeon.
I guess—the time Voldemort got the job in canon, it certainly set him back. Still, Dumbledore does not seem to be acting like he realizes who Quirrell is.
Other examples of it firing are:
Lockhart—had his personality wiped, so he might as well have died.
Moody—Trapped in a box by a cockney nutjob. For a YEAR. And the guy who actually did the teaching died.
Quirrel—died. Of course Voldemort was only possessing him so HE didn’t die—in fact I think Voldie probably knew Quirrel wouldn’t survive the year and didn’t care at all as long as he got the Philosopher’s Stone.
Also, keep in mind that there is a convincing argument to the effect that Umbridge was actually raped senseless by those centaurs. Who is Summers? Or is that a term/reference I’m not familiar with?
Of course—I’m not saying that it can’t have poor effects, merely that it’s unreliable.
And I have to say, I always assumed it was violence that was inflicted upon Umbridge, not rape. However, upon rereading, it certainly seems like you’re right.
...
Edited the above to remove her as an example, because that’s certainly nasty enough not to minimize the effects of the curse.
And as pedanterrific said, Summers is a MoR prof, not a canon one. (I’m pretty sure it’s a Buffy joke).
And the other is an Anita Blake joke, yeah.
Edit: Google searching “umbridge centaurs” turns up this awesome article. Don’t mess with Hermione, folks.
Didn’t Professor Summers get caught in a jailbait orgy?
Edit: Oh, that was Professor Blake of course, my bad.