For Enemies (and Friends, of course).

[daveydee_2]

I was wondering what my friends list thinks that the originally intended purpose of the SECTUMSEMPRA spell was.

I mean, we are all agreed that it was never designed to split open a human being.

Aren't we?

Comments

[major_dallas]

I believe it actually was intended as a slicing or cutting curse. Do you recall the Pensieve scene fron Order of the Phoenix during Snape's Worst Memory, there was a point when Lily had distracted James and Sirius by telling them to leve Snape alone, Snape sent a curse at James causing his Cheek to be cut open and bleed? I believe this was the first time we see Sectumsempra in action...

So yeah, I think that Sectumsempra was meant to cut people open during the right circumstances, afterall, Snape is fascinated by the Dark Arts himself...
Cheers

[policroma]

Yes, that does make sense. Now that you mention it, it does seem we've seen sectumsempra before.

[tartanboxers]

I got the impression that this was the spell that Dolohov used on Hermione in the DOM -- the one that made her grab her chest and fall unconscious -- only it didn't work to its fullest extent because Dolohov wasn't able to verbalise the spell.

[prettyveela]

I agree with this. I think that it was invented to maim or harm people.

[pocketfullof]

I mean, we are all agreed that it was never designed to split open a human being.

I don't think it was intended to split open a human being, but I do think the intent was to maim, to cut and draw blood. Harry was desperate when he used it, and he aimed for Draco's chest, so it could have been a powerful and deadly spell, but I don't think it needs to be. As mentioned above, it was probably the spell Snape used to cut James.

So, er, the original purpose is to hurt your enemy.

[tunxeh]

I think the "for enemies" caption in the HBP book's entry on the spell indicates pretty strongly that it was originally intended for use on humans.

[charmedcheese]

Yeah, I think it's just to cut your enemy to make them bleed. Harry, not knowing what would happen, probably put more energy into the spell than he should have.

You probably can control the location of the wound and the severity of it once you know how to cast the spell properly.

[avada_86]

Or perhaps he's just damn powerful.