From the (tiny) excerpt of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 that's recently been added to Pottermore (Ch 14; see this guide if you want to know exactly where):
Dark charms are known as jinxes, hexes and curses. This book does not deal with such spells.
edit: Re my comment to![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
oryx_leucoryx below and whether there may be any difference between "dark" and "Dark": this was at the start of a sentence, so it's unknown whether the capitalization is intentional and meaningful or just conventional.
Well then. It would seem that the official word, consider it actually canon or not as you will (I think Pottermore is in some kind of middle ground, a bit closer to being like the books than like off-the-cuff interviews), is that "Dark" magic is neither necessarily especially "evil" nor only that which is proscribed by society/the Ministry: just things intentionally negative or damaging in some way. (Although looking for some examples I came across Molly remarking in HBP that Ron and Harry looked as if they had had Stretching Jinxes put on them, which doesn't sound quite so bad to me.)
If jinxes, hexes, and curses are "Dark charms", then just about everyone eventually knows at least some Dark magic, it seems to me. There's certainly a number of examples of all the Trio using various jinxes and hexes without this being presented as anything other than normal (and let us not forget Ginny's famous Bat-Bogey Hex).
I this kind of puts an interesting perspective on just what it could really mean to say that Severus is fascinated by or knows a lot of Dark magic.
Dark charms are known as jinxes, hexes and curses. This book does not deal with such spells.
edit: Re my comment to
oryx_leucoryx below and whether there may be any difference between "dark" and "Dark": this was at the start of a sentence, so it's unknown whether the capitalization is intentional and meaningful or just conventional.Well then. It would seem that the official word, consider it actually canon or not as you will (I think Pottermore is in some kind of middle ground, a bit closer to being like the books than like off-the-cuff interviews), is that "Dark" magic is neither necessarily especially "evil" nor only that which is proscribed by society/the Ministry: just things intentionally negative or damaging in some way. (Although looking for some examples I came across Molly remarking in HBP that Ron and Harry looked as if they had had Stretching Jinxes put on them, which doesn't sound quite so bad to me.)
If jinxes, hexes, and curses are "Dark charms", then just about everyone eventually knows at least some Dark magic, it seems to me. There's certainly a number of examples of all the Trio using various jinxes and hexes without this being presented as anything other than normal (and let us not forget Ginny's famous Bat-Bogey Hex).
I this kind of puts an interesting perspective on just what it could really mean to say that Severus is fascinated by or knows a lot of Dark magic.
I suppose the apologist version is that there are Dark spells and 'Dark-Dark' spells. Or something.
But since it also once said ALL curses, hexes and jinxs were dark, I think that it is close enough to canon - having been said 'in-writing' twice now - to be considered 'real'.
So, yes - not just Ginny's Bat-Bogey Hex, but anything ever mentioned in the books as a curse, hex or jinx is 'dark'
Notice this means that since Hagrid needed to tell Harry NOT to buy that book about Hexes & Jinxes on his first trip to Florish & Blotts, that books that teach 'dark' magic are freely available for first year students to but without even resorting to Knockturn Alley. IF an age limit was needed Hagrid would not needed to tell Harry this. Harry would simply not been able to buy the book. -- Hwyla
For instance, how is something like 'tarantellgra' (which Draco used in that Dueling Club demo in front of teachers) all that different from the 'leg-locker curse' that he used on Neville in first year. They both keep one from moving freely about in the manner you might wish.
For that matter, if the 'leg-locker curse' keeps your legs stuck together then why isn't 'petrify' that stops ALL movement 'darker' - something that we see Hermione do in first year (so obviously something that was freely available for a first year student to either read in the library without a pass to the restricted section - or in a book she could purchase in Diagon Alley) and which we watch Albus cast on Harry at the end of HBP.
There is 'some' speculation (based on Molly's comment about fixing George's ear) that 'dark' magic is more 'lasting' and must have a specific counter-curse as opposed to just wearing off. That MIGHT be what makes hexes, jinxes and curses different than 'charms' - I do not recall whether Draco's leg-locker on Neville required a separate counter-charm or not. -- Hwyla
True it's hard to make consistent categories, but to me the point of this quote is that jinxes, etc are not "opposed to" - they are charms, just subcategories of charms.
I would say the Petrificus is certainly a 'curse' since Harry was still under it's influence until the moment I believe Albus actually died (when he hit the ground) - which means that one can leave the nearby proximity after casting the spell and it will continue until released.
Interestingly, that might explain why 'petrificus' might not be as useful in combat as one would think - if you cast it on one enemy and another kills you then the first is released to fight your allies. It also implies that 'stupefy' might be 'dark' since it does not wear off, but has a counter-curse. Remember how in SWM, the 'impedimedia' "wore off" of Snape -- Hwyla
I can't remember if anyone ever recovered from being stunned on their own. OTOH the Cruciatus stops the moment the caster can no longer hold the spell. (Though damage caused while the spell was in effect may remain.) No need for a counterspell, it's enough to stop the casting.
Let's also look back at the 'teeth' incident - both Goyle's boils and Hermione's teeth required a trip to Poppy to fix. Since Snape previously fixed dueling spells with a 'finite' in bk2 during the dueling club scene, but doesn't do so here - these two spells are certainly more 'lasting' and require a special counter.
Note also that Harry and Ron were trying to convince Snape that the 'teeth' were 'worse'. My guess here is that both spells were low-grade 'jinxes' - requiring counters. Therefore, Snape sees 'no difference'. This may be a situation where students believe they are not using 'dark', but the truth is that all jinxes are 'dark. -- Hwyla
This would explain why there was so much variation in what is regarded as a hex - Government committees being notoriously fickle about definitions. Bat bogey might have been considered very Dark in the 19C when categorised (I can imagine some Victorian High Warlock reacting very negatively if hit by this spell while presiding over some important committee...)