Let Me Clear Up a Flawed Theory

Well since evil is only perspective then magic cannot judge a good kill vs bad kill. A kill is kill, but I think you must no a spell in order to create a horcrux and intend to make one when you kill someone.

I think 'us vs them' is perspective.
I think even 'evil' knows when it is being evil.

I think Voldemort knows he is doing 'bad/dark magic'. I think he also defines his actions as evil. I think he continues to do so, because it is about ultimate power and compensation for having a childhood lacking in parental love and guidance. Upon finding people like himself, Voldemort found himself to be a natural leader.

I think Harry is a good counter-argument to 'circumstances' define who we are. Harry - also - had a difficult entry into life. But he choose to define himself through good deeds. Harry didn't have much problems with people his own age.

Snape also wouldn't have had an ideal childhood. I believe his parent(s) were ok towards him, but his Hogwarts years weren't so kind. Snape I think had difficulties with his peers.

It is interesting in the ways we choose to defy others around us.
Voldemort - by exploring dark magic. it's cool to be the 'bad boy on the block'. I think there would have been a lot of pride and reputation about a boy (Tom Riddle) who took magic where it had never yet gone before.
Harry - by trying to find his own identity beyond his legacy which took him a long time to come to terms with. I think this is perhaps the main reason for his rule breaking. Finally learning WHO he is. knowing why he didn't fit in with the Dursleys... Forever trying to figure out how he survived the killing curse. Feeling obligated to saving those, just as he was saved by 1. Lily, 2. Dumbledore, Hagrid and the rest of the original Order of the Phoenix, 3. his friends - Ron, Hermione, Neville etc on countless occasions and 4. even by Snape.

While on the subject of Harry - he didn't have kids with Ginny on the day the Great War ended. It was a few years later. Plenty of time for an adult to digest everything they had learned, seen and experienced. I do think it genuinely possible Harry AND Ginny would have named their son Albus Severus. Just as WE discuss the pros and cons of Snape, Surely Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna etc etc would have done so....

Snape - by joining the Death Eaters (who were also Slytherins) but also studying hard (withdrawing further into himself). I think Snape's fondness for Lily would not have happened if he had met the Deatheaters first. thankfully Lily knew snape before all the issues of peer pressure and keeping up appearances started to take hold.

No evil is straight up perspective, ok during WW2 Japan viewed America as evil while America viewed Japan as evil. Hitler was and is viewed as evil, but he still has suppoerters today, so evil is in the of the beholder. In the world right now many people view terrorists as evil, but they view everyone against them as evil, so which group is evil. Evil is perspective and perspective only.

Real world - agreed.

HP world - the very magic used is clearly labelled as 'ok' or 'Dark'.
death eaters only use Dark magic. They are clearly on the side of evil.
Evil people using evil magic. Borgin & Burkes sell cursed/dark products.
Charlie Weasley is a curse breaker.

From the perspective of the death eaters they are not on the evil side, they are doing good for the world, while in the view of the order of the Phoenix the death eaters are evil. Evil no matter what context is perspective. JKR never even refers to anyone as evil, she uses dark. Dark does n ot equal evil because dark tends to mean very powerful but misused.

every evil act is a mis-use of power. what more do you need?

Not nesarrilly.

i have never heard this theory, although i am new to this board. However, it makes no sense and was never mentioned in the book. On the contrary, it clearly states that Snape stopped the curse from spreading to lengthen AD's life, the curse that was caused by the horcrux.

Agreed. This is a very interesting and true comment. I can emapthize with the death eaters and especially the children of the death eaters like malfoy and his friends: they have been taught a way of life and that is a fact.
Plus, Malfoy is awesome. And attractive.