DADA-501 Lessons

I hope none of you expect this lesson to be lighter in terms of content. You may have to take your midterm examinations, but at the end of this term, you will be sitting through your O.W.L. examinations. They will be much tougher than any midterm I can create. Then, assuming you make the required grade to continue to the N.E.W.T. level, the work will be even more intense. If you find the level of worked demanded now to be excessive, I suggest you reconsider your desire to continue the pursuit of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now, let us continue our discussion of sensory affecting spells.

The Conjunctivitis Curse
The Conjunctivitis Curse is an interesting curse that, rather than externally impairing a sense, affects the target internally and causes their eyes to become irritated. With lesser willpower applied, the Conjunctivitis Curse can cause minor irritation and watering; in an extreme case, where more willpower is applied, it can cause severe swelling of the eyes to the extent that the eyes are forced completely shut. In either case, the curse is painful and will become a major distraction for the intended target.

This curse is not one to be used lightly. Unlike many of the other curses we study, this one does not have a specific countercurse that can be used to end its effects. Like conjunctivitis (otherwise known as “pink eye”), the only way to end the effects of the curse are to apply a potion known as the Oculus Potion to the eyes and let the curse run its course. Since it is a curse and not the actual illness, the effects will not last as long as regular conjunctivitis. If you follow the directions of a trained healer and apply the potion regularly, you should see the effects of the curse lessen within a day or two, rather than the extended wait of a week or more. Without the potion, the effects will still wear off, but the duration of the spell will be longer. Time is key.

What makes this curse useful is that it can be cast on non-human targets. While conjunctivitis usually affects humans exclusively (with exceptions in extreme cases), the Conjunctivitis Curse can be cast on animals as well. This was demonstrated in 1994 when Viktor Krum used the curse on the Chinese Fireball dragon in order to complete his first task in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. His plan backfired slightly, as the pain caused by the curse led to the dragon crushing several of its eggs, a result the champions were warned against.

I would like to note the level of skill that Viktor Krum displayed when he cast the spell on the dragon. Dragons are extremely difficult to cast spells on, even when the spell is aimed at their eyes, which are their most vulnerable place. Only a wizard of great power can make a curse successfully affect a creature such as a dragon. This is because of the amount of willpower that must be applied to the spell. Despite the fact that he managed to get the majority of the dragon’s eggs crushed, it cannot be taken away from him that he was an extremely powerful wizard, despite the stigma that he was less capable because of his celebrity and skill on the Quidditch pitch.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
The eye irritation caused by the Conjunctivitis Curse resembles the illness that, in more common terms, is known as “pink eye,” more properly called conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is an illness that can either be viral, bacterial, or caused by allergens. The most prominent symptom of conjunctivitis is redness and swelling in the eye, though other symptoms can include increased tear production, the feeling that something is in your eye that should not be (which can cause the feeling that you need to rub your eye), and, in some cases, the infected eye can begin to crust over and may have difficulty opening.

Depending on the type of conjunctivitis, it can range from minimally contagious to extremely contagious. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are both highly contagious and should be treated with extreme caution. Do not touch anything that has come into contact with a person’s eye if they have pink eye. This includes items such as wash cloths, towels, and even the shirt they are wearing. For the first couple of days, it is best to wash your hands as soon as possible if you come into contact with a person who has pink eye. If you cannot wash your hands, it is best to use some kind of hand sanitizer.

Treatment of pink eye most often involves taking an antibiotic prescribed by a doctor or healer. This treatment can be oral, though this is not as common. The more common treatment is eyedrops that contain the antibiotic. The frequency of the drops, and how many to take at once, will be determined in consultation with your medical professional.

Now how does this relate to the Conjunctivitis Curse? Well, the curse itself causes the same symptoms as conjunctivitis: redness, swelling, severe irritation, and the feeling that something is in your eye that should not be. This is extremely painful and will impair not only your target’s ability to see, but also their ability to think straight due to the pain they are experiencing. When casting the Conjunctivitis Curse, you must consider the ethical implications of the casting. Is it ethically okay to cause another person or creature pain for your own gain? What is it that you are trying to gain through casting this curse?

The Stunning Spell
The Stunning Spell is an interesting spell because its effect has no known cause. We know for sure that the Stunning Spell causes the victim to fall instantly unconscious, but there are a plethora of reasons that can cause unconsciousness. Therefore, determining exactly which one the Stunning Spell causes has been difficult to study. This difficulty also stems from the ethical implications that arise from this kind of study; the only way that the internal effects of the Stunning Spell can be studied is by repeatedly casting the spell on a living target, which can have major repercussions for the individual’s health.

So internal causes of unconsciousness aside (and we will talk briefly about unconsciousness shortly), what exactly occurs when an individual casts or is hit by the Stunning Spell? Well, once the incantation, “Stupefy,” is said, the wand movement completed, your concentration directed at your target, and a moderate amount of willpower applied, a red light will shoot out of your wand in the direction your wand is pointing. It is important to keep your wand pointed at your intended target or you will find that your spell will go awry.

Once the target is hit, the effect will be immediate and they will drop to the ground in a state of unconsciousness. At this point, they are considered unable to continue combat (if in a dueling situation) and are in danger. The individual is incapable of defending themselves, which now puts you, the caster, in a position of moral responsibility. You must either make an effort to revive the individual or accept that you will protect them until they wake up on their own. You must carefully consider whether you are ready to take on this moral obligation before you cast the spell; if you are incapable of casting the Reviving Spell or are already worn down and do not feel comfortable being the primary defender for an unknown amount of time, you should not use the Stunning Spell.

I mentioned the Reviving Spell, the counterspell for the Stunning Spell. I will briefly talk about that spell and its general casting requirement near the end of the lesson, but before we talk about that, I want you to understand exactly what it is that you will be counteracting. If you are going to cast the spell and reverse the effect of unconsciousness, it helps if you know exactly what is happening when unconsciousness sets in.

Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness, despite the “humorous” jokes that go around when people say that they are unconscious because they have slept heavily for an extended period of time, is not a laughing matter. As I am sure you are all aware, unconsciousness is a state of being when a person is unresponsive to more direct stimuli, such as shaking or loud noises. It is impossible to say what causes a particular case of unconsciousness, because there are a wide variety of causes. Anything from severe choking to a hard knock on the head can cause unconsciousness.

While a person is unconscious, they will be unresponsive and it is a matter of waiting until they wake up. It is once they have woken that you need to be most aware. Some of the most common symptoms upon waking up from unconsciousness are short-term amnesia, confusion, lightheadedness, and an inability to speak or move parts of the body (this is only in extreme circumstances). Depending on the situation, you will want to have a medical professional examine the individual to ensure that no other damage was done.

However, that does not mean you are free from responsibility once you have called for medical assistance, if it is needed. There are several things you can do to assist a person waking up from unconsciousness. First and foremost is to make sure that they are stable (word which here means there are no other larger issues that will cause them to die before you can treat the unconsciousness), but you should not move them away from the scene unless they are in critical danger. They will already be confused as it is, moving them will likely make them more confused. That said, you can adjust their position, and it is encouraged to move them so they are laying on their side with the top leg bent to a 90 degree angle at both the hip and knee.

Next, once they wake up, is to check for confusion. This can be accomplished through a few simple questions, such as name and birthday. While you may not know the individual, someone who is confused or having other problems will take longer to respond; a person who is alert will give fairly quick answers. From there, it is just a matter of allowing the person to become reoriented and, if called, to wait for medical assistance to arrive. These steps to help a waking unconscious person will be important, because you will likely be in this very scenario if you have cast the Stunning Spell on an individual and plan to wake them up using the next spell we must cover - The Reviving Spell.

The Reviving Spell
With the information above, knowing a little better what unconsciousness can do to a person and what symptoms it can cause, you should be more capable of successfully casting the Reviving spell. Fortunately, the casting of the Reviving Spell is relatively simple. Once the target is in a safe spot, direct your mind towards the target and reversing the effects of unconsciousness, follow the directions in the provided spell block, and you find that the individual in question will begin to awaken.

It is important to note that, though the person will no longer be unconscious, it will take the individual some time to fully wake up. Once the spell is successfully cast, the individual will experience some grogginess and will need some time to fully regain awareness of their surroundings. As noted above, they may experience temporary confusion or have short term amnesia where the mind erases most recollections of the time shortly before being unconscious and will struggle to create memories shortly after. Until the individual is fully awake, aware of their surroundings, and armed with their wand again, you will still need to keep them safe.

Spell Blocks

Spell: The Conjunctivitis Curse
Incantation: Tumeo Oculo (too-MAY-oh AH-coo-loh)
Wand Movement: A clockwise infinity symbol with a jab at the end
Concentration: Moderate
Willpower: Moderate to high

Spell: The Stunning Spell
Incantation: Stupefy (STEW-puh-fye)
Wand Movement: A downward vertical slash
Concentration: Moderate
Willpower: Moderate to high

Spell: The Reviving Spell
Incantation: Rennervate (RENN-a-vate)
Wand Movement: Point your wand at the target’s chest
Concentration: Moderate
Willpower: Moderate to high

I hope that all this information about the senses and sensory overload has not overloaded your minds. There is much to be learned about all of this and knowledge is one of greatest assets you can have. Many accomplished duelists won their duels because they had greater knowledge than their opponent. Never stop learning or you may find that you regret it. For now, off to show how much you have learned by completing your midterm examination. As you leave, you will also find a practice O.W.L. examination on my desk; you are not required to take one, but may do so if you choose. These are meant to help provide a refresher for all of the content we have covered as well as give you a sense of what the questions can look like. If you choose to take it, please take the grade as an indication of where you are at. The O.W.L. is meant to be tricky, so do not be discouraged. Study what you find you don’t know and you are always welcome to send me a message for any needed clarifications.

Original lesson written by Professor Jericho Penrose