The Dark Secrets of Defense Against the Dark Arts: Unveiling the DADA Curse in Harry Potter

At Hogwarts School, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class aimed to equip students with the skills to protect themselves against dark arts, such as curses, Dark Magical creatures, and jinxes. Throughout the Harry Potter movies, multiple teachers took on the role of instructing this class. Interestingly, there was a recurring turnover in the position due to a surprising curse. Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle, placed a curse on the role, ensuring that no professor could teach the class for more than one year.

Although the movies do not explicitly mention how the Defense Against the Dark Arts position came to be cursed, Dumbledore alludes to the curse in the novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The nature of the DADA Curse, Voldemort's method of placing it, and his motive behind cursing the position remain unclear.

What Is The DADA Curse?

Formerly known as Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord was once a student at Hogwarts and a member of Slytherin. He demonstrated exceptional wizarding abilities and excelled in various subjects, particularly Defense Against the Dark Arts. After graduation, he aimed to pursue a career as a professor in that field, but his application was rejected due to his age and lack of experience. Despite being advised by Headmaster Dippet to reapply in the future, Tom had already transformed into the Dark Lord by the time he became eligible, and Dumbledore, who had become the headmaster, denied him the position.

Throughout the Harry Potter series, it becomes clear that Dumbledore and Voldemort had a strained relationship. Dumbledore mistrusted Tom, even during his time as a student, and this led to Dumbledore refusing to appoint Voldemort as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Voldemort later returned to Hogwarts as the Dark Lord, searching for one of his Horcruxes, which happened to be the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw hidden in the Room of Requirement. During this visit, Voldemort also placed a curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, ensuring that no teacher could hold the role for more than a year, resulting in their dismissal or resignation.

The specific method used by Voldemort to curse the teaching position remains unknown, as curses are typically placed on objects. However, it is believed that Voldemort, with his strong interest in Dark Arts and forbidden knowledge, likely used a jinx to curse the position. Another theory suggests that the curse may be linked to the Horcrux Voldemort had hidden within Hogwarts.

Voldemort's intention in cursing the position was to undermine the students' education in defense against the dark arts, making them more vulnerable and facilitating his infiltration of the castle. Eventually, he and his followers accomplished this by assassinating Headmaster Dumbledore. Interestingly, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, revealed that she drew inspiration for the curse from the frequent and peculiar deaths of drummers in the band Spinal Tap.

Every DADA Teacher In The Harry Potter Movies

From the time Voldemort began cursing until his demise, the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) had a profound impact on the teachers who assumed the role. Out of all the teachers, only seven were depicted in the Harry Potter movies, and the majority of them presented challenges for Harry and his friends.

The curse's effects become evident in the first movie, Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, when Professor Quirrell takes on the position. Initially seeming harmless, it is revealed that Quirrell had encountered Voldemort in an Albanian forest while searching for knowledge about dark arts. In a weakened soul form, Voldemort manipulated Quirrell and merged his own soul with Quirrell's body. As the DADA teacher, Quirrell's mission was to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone, which could restore Voldemort's physical form. However, his attempt failed. Due to a protective spell cast by Harry's mother, Lily, Quirrell's body, which he shared with Voldemort, perished when they touched Harry, resulting in them being burned alive in the process.

In the second film, the famed writer Gilderoy Lockhart takes on the role of the DADA professor. However, while attempting to use a damaged wand to cast a memory charm, Lockhart loses his memory and sanity. He ends up spending his remaining days as a patient in the Janus Thickey Ward at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

Remus Lupin, a close friend of Harry's father and a member of the Marauders, becomes the DADA professor in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Lupin proves to be an outstanding teacher, making his students feel comfortable and delivering captivating lessons. However, Severus Snape reveals Lupin's secret as a werewolf, resulting in his forced resignation from the position due to the curse on the DADA post.

In the fourth movie, "Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire," Alastor Moody is introduced as the DADA professor. However, it is later revealed that the person in this role is actually Barty Crouch Jr., who is impersonating Moody. Barty Crouch Jr., a loyal servant of Voldemort, plans to manipulate the Triwizard Tournament to involve Harry. Eventually, Dumbledore exposes Barty Crouch Jr. just before he is about to harm Harry.

In the fifth installment, "Harry Potter And The Order of the Phoenix," Professor Umbridge becomes the DADA professor. Appointed by the Ministry of Magic, Umbridge becomes Harry's main adversary during his fifth year. She refuses to teach practical defense against the Dark Arts and only resigns after being attacked by centaurs. This is the only time when the curse on the DADA position proves beneficial.

Professor Snape finally gets the opportunity to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) teacher in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, a position he has long desired. Previously, Dumbledore had denied Snape this position due to concerns about his dark past. Although Snape proves to be competent in teaching DADA, his attitude leaves much to be desired. However, after killing Dumbledore, Snape flees from Hogwarts, once again demonstrating the power of the DADA curse.

Later, Snape returns to Hogwarts as the headmaster while Voldemort and his followers take control of the school. In Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1, the regular teachers are replaced by Death Eaters, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts class is transformed into the Dark Arts class. Amycus Carrow takes on the role of the Dark Arts teacher, utilizing terrifying teaching methods involving curses.

With the defeat of Voldemort in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, the longstanding curse on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts finally ends. This break in the curse enables a capable teacher to take on the role for an extended duration, guaranteeing stability and consistency in the curriculum.