Summary
The Unforgivable Curses inHarry Potterare named “unforgivable” for a reason, as they should not be used mindlessly, and are difficult to perform without proper skills and preparation. There are three unforgivable curses; Avada Kedavra (killing curse), Impero (Imperius curse, total control), Crucio (Cruciatus curse, inflicting extreme pain).
InHarry Potter, these curses have been illegal to use by wizards and witches since 1717, except for their usage by Aurors during the First Wizarding War, and made legal during the Second War under Voldemort’s power. After the war fell through, Kingsley Shacklebolt banned the curses again, as the nature of the curses was extremely inhuman. Although deadly and dangerous, in some cases, a few wizards and witches survive these curses. Some are saved by pure luck, some by sacrifices from others, and some by performing dark magic.
7Alice And Frank Longbottom
Cursed To Insanity By The Cruciatus Curse
Alice and Frank Longbottom were both respected Aurors who were tortured by four Death Eaters, questioning the location of the Dark Lord after he vanished on June 05, 2025. It is stated by Dumbledore thatthey were torturedby the Cruciatus curse that drove them into insanity. They lost their ability to function in society, barely recognizing their son, Neville Longbottom.
The information regarding this curse is stated in bothHarry Potter and The Goblet of FireandHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Although unfortunate, Neville still visits them regularly in St Mungo’s Hospital during the holidays, interacting with them and telling them stories about his life at Hogwarts. It is also stated that they have to spend the rest of their lives there, as the damage done is irreversible.
6Bellatrix Lestrange
Harry’s Failed Attempt At Cruciatus Curse
During the battle in the Ministry of Magic, Bellatrix Lestrangesuccessfully kills Sirius Blackafter an intense fight. Harry, who witnessed the horrifying and grotesque scene, could not contain his anger and attempted to use the Crucio curse on her. Unfortunately, Harry’s attempt is unsuccessful due to his inability to mean that he wants to inflict extreme pain on Bellatrix Lestrange.
As she stated after, “Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy? You need to mean them, Potter! You need to want to cause pain — to enjoy it — righteous anger won’t hurt me for long — I’ll show you how it is done, shall I?” It is known later that the curse only caused a minor pain in her, and after proper preparation, Harry successfully used the curse on Amycus Carrow right before the Hogwarts Battle.
5Katie Bell
Draco’s Attempt At An Imperius Curse
The Imperius curse allows the caster total control of the cursed body and mind, preventing them from gaining awareness of their surroundings and making them do things that they do not mean to do. The cursed people will appear calm, yet empty, similar to a trance-like state, releasing them from any free will and consciousness.
Draco Malfoy cast this curseon Katie Bell during Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. Under this spell, she was tasked to give a cursed necklace to Dumbledore, to kill him. Fortunately, the task failed, although it is unfortunate that Draco has never been caught and convicted for his attempt at crime. The Imperius curse is also often used by his Death Eater father, Lucius Malfoy. On one occasion, he cast the curse on Broderick Bode and Strugis Podmore to steal a prophecy.
4Hermione Granger
The Unforgettable Agonizing Scream
Other than Alice and Frank Longbottom who were affected greatly by the Cruciatus curse, Hermione Granger also went through a great deal of traumatic experience from this inhumane spell. InHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione Granger has to endure the brutal torture done by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Malfoy Manor.
It is very well known that, as a loyal servant to Lord Voldemort,Bellatrix has a deep-rooted hatredtowards muggle-born wizards and witches, and is a pure-blood maniac. Hermione, who is often called mudblood by Voldemort’s supporters, went through a gnarly agony under Bellatrix’s hand and also was held at knife-point, before being saved by Dobby the house elf. It is said that being under the curse feels like being split in half, with burning bones, and extreme headaches.
3Dumbledore
Survived The Killing Curse By The Power of Sacrifice
It is common knowledge that the Dark Lord never hesitates to use the killing curse on any living beings, including the great wizard, Dumbledore. During the Battle of the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Lord Voldemort attempted to cast the killing spell on Dumbledore.
Fortunately, Fawkes,a former wild phoenixwho is very loyal to Dumbledore, sacrifices itself by swallowing the killing curse. It is stated, “Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide, and swallowed the jet of green light whole. He burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled, and flightless.” Given its nature as an immortal being, Fawkes ascends from the ashes and gains its livelihood once more. After Dumbledore’s demise, Fawkes returns to the wilderness, never to be domesticated again.
2Voldemort
The Power Of Horcruxes Against Killing Curse
As a wizard who often used the killing curse left and right,the Dark Lord himselfalso faced this deadly spell, although indirectly. He uses this spell very often, to the point it is enough to create an army of Inferi, zombie-like magical creatures made of people he murdered. He is known to have used Inferi during the First Wizarding War.
These Inferi are also seen in the lake surrounding Salazaar Slytherin’s locket, killing everyone who made contact with the water. After a few encounters with Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort used the killing curse on him, but to no avail because of Priori Incantatem. The effect itself is caused by Harry and Voldemort’s wand being from the same core, rebounding the killing curse on him. He can survive due to his various horcruxes.
1Harry Potter
The Power Of A Mother’s Love
There are only two people who survived the direct spell of the killing curse, Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter. If Voldemort is saved due to his Horcruxes, Harry is first able to survive the curse from the loving sacrifice that was made by Lily Potter when he was an infant.The sacrifice is an ancient magicwhich, despite killing Lily, can protect Harry from the curse, leaving him with a small scar on his forehead.
In his adulthood, Harry Potter can once again survive the curse by Priori Incantatem effect as well as the Disarming Charm. In 1998, he survives the Killing Curse by a mistake made in Voldemort’s rebirth ritual duringHarry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. The ritual used Harry’s blood, which led to a loophole, that Harry cannot be killed as long as Voldemort is alive, which finally led Voldemort to his demise.
