In Harry's world, this is the killing curse, the worse of the three Unforgivable Curses, any of which can bring a life term in Azkaban for a wizard who uses it against another human. It is the curse that Lord Voldemort used to kill Harry's parents, the one with which he tried to kill Harry, and, sadly, the fatal blow to Cedric Diggory. Harry is the only person known to survive it.

Although J.K. Rowling invents most of her spells and curses entirely from her imagination, the Avada Kedavra curse derives from a phrase in an ancient Middle Eastern language called, Armaic. That phrase, abhadda kidhabhra, meaning "disappear like this word," was used by ancient wizards to make illnesses disappear. However, there's no proof it was ever used to kill anyone.

The phrase is one likely origin of the magical word abracadabra. Now just part of a magician's entertaining chatter, that word was once used by doctors. Quintus Serenus Sammonicus, a Roman phisican who lived about A.D. 200, used it as a spell to make fever vanish. According to his prescription, it was to be written eleven times on a piece of paper, with one letter "disappearing" each time:

Why Would Voldemort Put the Dark Mark on Death Eaters?

The Dark Mark is the fearsome sign of Lord Voldemort. After the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, "Something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness. . . . It was colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a toungue." The symbol also appears on the arms of Voldemorts followers, growing more visible as Voldemort gains strength and draws near.

The Dark Mark is voldemort's verson of the Divil's Mark, a notion from the Middle Ages. According to one medieval demonologist, "the Devil makes a mark on them, especially those whose allegiance he suspects. The mark varies in shape and size; sometimes it is like a hare, sometimes like the foot of a toad, sometimes like a spider, a puppy, or a dormouse. It is imprinted on the most secret parts of the body; men may have it under their eyelids or armpits, on the lips or shoulders;women generally have it on their breast or private parts. The stamp that makes these marks is nothing less then the Devil's talon."

Witch hunters often declared scars, birthmarks, warts, or other blemishes to be the Devil's Mark. Accused witches were shaved completely so that every bit of their bodies could be examined.

In addition to the Devil's Mark, witch hunters would look for a Witch's Mark. This was a less serious matter-only the Devil's Mark signified a special pact, such as the bond between Voldemort and the Death Eaters-but it would still be fatal for the accused person. Every witch was believed to have one. Any blemish, like a mole or large freckle, might be identifed as such.

Sometimes the Witch's Mark was said to be a spot of skin that did not bleed and where no pain could be felt, so accused witches were pricked with pins (called bodkins) as a test. Often, witch hunters were paid only if they found a witch, so many cheated. For instance, they used special bodkins, similar to the trick knives used in magicians' acts today. The sharp stem would disappear into the handle when pressed against someone, so it would not puncture the skin.

Which of Draco's Sidekicks Is Also Named for a Dragon?

Just as Draco's name comes from the Latin word fro dragon, "Gregory Goyle" echoes "gargoyle," the monster seen near the roofs of some buildings. Less well known is the source of that creature's name: the Gargouille a serpent-like dragon from France.

The Gargouille lived in the Sein River. It spouted water with great force, overturning fishing boats and flooding the countryside. St. Romain, the archbishop of Rouen, used a convict as bait to lure the monster from the river, then made the sign of the cross to subdue the beast. He walked it to the city, where the residents slaughtered it. Eventually, craftsment carved images of the creature on the waterspouts they built to direct rainwater away from the walls of buildings. I will update this some more, but for now, have fun!    Christina.

There is also a legend of a Dark Wizard named Voldemortis (which means 'Lord of Evil') who tried to kill Merlin. He rounded up supporters by enticing the evil wizards onto his side, and bewitching good wizards so that they would work for him. Merlin defeated Voldemortist using a paralysing curse and then fed him to a beast with many heads. So you never know, You-Know-Who might just end up as Fluffy's dinner!