I feel that one of the main problems with fanfiction is when characters do not react appropriately to their surroundings.

What would be the appropriate reaction to Harry Potter using Necromancy to fight Voldemort?

 

Azkaban, probably.

 

it depends, how much do we know about necromancy in the hp universe.

Harry would probably get looked down upon but claim was the only way to kill voldemort properly and to make sure he never returned and the wizarding orld would accept that as a reasonable answer.

 

Is necromancy even a branch of magic in canon?

 

There's inferi, but I would consider that animating the dead as opposed to ressurecting them. The closest thing to real necromancy would be the Ressurection Stone, and I don't know how useful that would be in fighting against Voldemort.

 

There's no appropriate reaction to that because Nercromancy - as in actually bringing people back from death - doesn't exist in canon. Dumbledore says several times that you can't bring back the dead. There's nothing to say that if it was possible in canon it would be frowned upon.

 

I would expect necromancy to be treated how people historically treated alchemy in real life: people try anyway even if it will never work.

Even if someone says "resurrecting people is impossible", people will try. Hell, it's probably how the resurrection stone was created.

 

But alchemy does work - or, at least, its practitioners believe it does. Though I'm talking about the spiritual practice of alchemy, not the shallow materialistic facade that most people associate with alchemy, and which I suspect you're referring to.

Anyway, that's not the topic - I can't see how failed efforts at necromancy are relevant here, since we're discussing a hypothetical situation where necromancy is possible.

 

I would expect necromancy to be treated how people historically treated necromancy in real life: people try anyway even if it will lead to a mob demanding they be burned at the stake.

The only canon we have that can be remotely considered necromancy is Horcruxes and Inferi, both which appear to be a pretty much one way ticket into teh Azkabanz

 

As necromancy was historically about divining the future by the use of the dead, I can totally see Harry being scolded by Trelawney about the uselessness of necromancy - "Tea leaves are cheaper, easier to handle and they don't result in mobs with pitchforks mister Potter"

 

The same is certainly true of using the Unforgivables, yet in the first war with Voldemort the Ministry authorized using them on Death Eaters, and Harry clearly didn't go to Azkaban for using the Cruciatus or Imperius curses on Death Eaters in canon during the second war.

Devil's in the details, but I suspect that if he could make a convincing case for necromancy as a wartime necessity, it would get overlooked as long as Harry cut it out once the war was over.

 

This is just a public service announcement to remind you that, in Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, Necromancy spells were not limited to summoning, creating, and controlling the undead.

Necromancy included spells that restored lost limbs, healed wounds, created clones, brought the dead back to life (no sacrifices required, but it leaves the recipient weak and helpless for a while... because they were dead), literally reincarnated a dead humanoid as another humanoid, slowed the effects of poison, restored vitality to someone who'd had theirs drained, cured blindness/deafness/disease, granted protection from negative energy/undead, and even one that worked like the Bless spell.

(Priests' resurrection spells were also considered to be necromantic in nature.)

In those terms, Hogwarts already has a fairly accomplished necromancer, and her name is Poppy Pomfrey.

Because it's tradition and it's been a while: I was working on a necromancer!Harry story, once upon a time. 43K words.

 

The Necromancy Spell List would be remarkably underpowered in the HP universe, since touch-range spells are pretty shitty against apparating opponents, the only Undead you could turn/command would be Inferi and who needs Ray of Enfeeblement when you can just Stupefy?

Horrid Wilting, Wail of the Banshee and Create Greater Undead would make up for it though I guess.

Since it outright kills, the AK could be considered a Necromancy-type spell in DnD terms.

 

I think if you add the necromancy spells to the HP world, there would be more variety to undeads than just inferi. Summon Undead (1-9), Create Undeads, etc.

 

I would echo the thoughts of several others here. The likely reaction (assuming necromancy is possible) to Harry harnessing necromancy can be broken down.

Firstly, necromancy would almost certainly be classified somewhere under the Dark Arts umbrella of magic. This would dictate a lot of character's reactions if Harry used necromancy. Whether necromancy is introduced suddenly or gradually would also influence responses.

Secondly, as others have touched upon, Harry does at times have a Teflon coating for any bad publicity or consequences for his actions - whether intentional or not. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Fudge brushes Harry's involvement in his Aunt's ballooning expedition under the rug. Similarly, I do not recall much concern about the consequences of flying a dragon out the front door of Gringotts.

Lastly, if one were to try and write the concept of necromancy into a fiction successfully, I would think that the reactions and beliefs of people couldn't always be static. There would need to be appropriate responses across time and events. For example, if Harry tried to bring back a dead character - there would need to be depth apparent to the emotional responses of major characters.

 

I would think that necromancy would be classed as dark magic by the Ministry of Magic. This in itself, can say a lot about reactions from other characters.

I believe personally that not even Sirius or any of Harry's closest friends would accept it, and that they would believe that he has "gone dark" or something silly like that.

 

Aren't all healers necromancers?
Also Necromancy is more than just conversing with the dead to gain future information.
It covers all type of information.
What about dealing with problematic ghosts, is "Necromancy" cover all spells that deal with the soul,spirit and flesh ? or you use ectomancy.
In addition you don't need to remained attached to canon, in addition one might claim Dumbledore isn't the top authority when it comes to Dark Arts or Black Arts.
Doubt he bother to master to research them deeply, alchemy, Transfiguration (with potion) and shoddy skills in warding and curse breaking seems to his thing.

 

Necromancy has been described as the ability to raise the spirits of the dead. I cannot comment as to whether you could, even briefly, in the Harry Potter universe, given them physical form, or else I would summon Richard Couer de Lion (seasoned soldier who fought several campaigns in Angevin France, Capetian France, Cyprus and the Holy Land), William Marshal (soldier, diplomat, courtier and de facto King of England as Regent for Henry III), Salah ad-Din (seasoned soldier and ruler), Niccolo Machiavelli (politician, diplomat and philosopher) and Wladislaus Dragwyla (needs little introduction). They'd sort out the magical world quickly. Traitors executed, Death Eaters put to the sword, Fudge impaled, political stability quickly regained and some kind of effective government emplaced.

Unfortunately save for the Resurrection Stone summoning shades of the dead, and the capability of a suitably knowledgable and skilled wizard to animate corpses with semi-sentience, Necromancy has no canon support.

It can however be an interesting fanfiction idea. If anyone can write a fic, even just a oneshot, where Harry sorts out the magical world by summoning a historical figure to his time, I would love to read it. I might even give it a go myself.

ElMarquis.

 

I can see Harry as a necromancer. He would be a very tough and cinical character. I don't know, he could resurrect and control a T-Rex, maybe. That would be awesome. And he could start a relationship with Bellatrix, Askaban saggy tits and all.

 

I can appreciate the irony of exhuming an old story in this particular thread.