Hogwarts Legacy Unforgivable Curses Guide: How to Unlock Dark Magic

Before release, the development team at Avalanche Software revealed that your character can wield not only traditional spells in Hogwarts Legacy, but dark ones too. For those familiar with the source material, we’re talking about the Unforgivable Curses – a set of spells so dark, they’re called “unforgivable” for a reason. For those who aren’t well-versed in the series, these three spells include Crucio, or the torture curse; Imperio, the curse that lets you control people; and Avada Kedavra, the killing curse. As you might expect, these are powerful spells with equally powerful effects against enemies – so how do you unlock them?

Before we get into this, it’s important to note that obtaining and using the Unforgivable curses is completely optional. If you don’t want to touch dark magic during your time with Hogwarts Legacy, you don’t have to. It’s there for anyone who wants to explore other paths to power as well as anyone hoping to fill out the rest of your spell book. They aren't even necessary to nab the Spell Master trophy/achievement, so those who want to remain pure of heart can be at ease.

As the quest line is optional, it won’t show up until you’re a ways into the main scenario quest and involves the Slytherin student Sebastian, who you’ve gotten to know in the story proper and eventually open up with his own side/relationship quest line starting with “In the Shadow of the Bloodline” around level 16. The first spell you’ll be introduced to is Crucio and you can learn it by beginning a quest called “In the Shadow of the Study.”

How to Unlock Crucio in Hogwarts Legacy

By accepting Sebastian’s call and engaging with the quest “In the Shadow of the Study,” your character is tasked with finding the entrance to Salazar Slytherin's, one of the Hogwarts founders, scriptorium – a secret room in which Sebastian believes will hold something important to help cure his ailing sister.

Here you’ll convince another Slytherin student by the name of Ominis Gaunt to go on your adventure. As a descendant of Slytherin himself, he knows about the scriptorium, and although weary about the whole thing, agrees to go in an effort to find some closure on his lost aunt who was trapped there forever.

The dungeon itself has a few puzzles that can easily be solved by rotating symbols based on locked doors. You’ll eventually hit a wall and it’s here where you can choose to learn Crucio or not because it’s required to pass through a spelled barrier. Should you want to learn it, simply select that you would in the dialogue choices. There is a further option to either cast it on Sebastian yourself, or have him cast it on you. Either way it’s up to you to decide how you want your story to play out and you’ll have added Crucio to your arsenal of spells for free use moving forward.

How to Unlock Imperio in Hogwarts Legacy

The second quest involving the Unforgivables will open up a little later into the game. You’ll receive another letter from Sebastian, asking you to meet him at the Feldcroft catacombs and triggering the start of the quest “In the Shadow of Time”. This time you’ll be searching for a relic which was noted in the Slytherin journal uncovered in the scriptorium.

This quest is a little different as you’ll be entering an actual dungeon with some tough enemies in the form of the undead Inferi. Head inside, and you’ll be tasked with solving a couple puzzles that involve summoning bones to open doorways. Part way through, Sebastian will mention he thinks there will be another curse requirement. Once again you can choose to learn the curse or not, though this time you don’t necessarily have to use it on anyone.

Get through the dungeon, grab the relic and you’ll find Ominis on your way back. His bit of dialogue here berates you if you’ve sided with Sebastian for taking the relic, and depending on your choices here, you might have to use Imperio on him to put the blame for all this on yourself or reach a compromise with Onimis and leave without casting the curse.

How to Unlock Avada Kedavra in Hogwarts Legacy

The third and final Unforgivable can be accessed even further into the story once you’ve completed both quests involving Crucio and Imperio. The quest is called “In the Shadow of the Relic” and involves returning to the Feldcroft catacomb to chase after Sebastian, who has taken the relic on his own and holed himself up far into the dungeon.

It’s the same dungeon as before, you’ll just have to fight masses of Inferi that are being controlled by Sebastian. Once you’re through, talk to him and he’ll offer to teach you Avada Kedavra. There’s no direct consequence to your character for doing so, but in the battle and scenes that follow, we’ll see Sebastian have to face his own demons.

Using the Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy

The Unforgivable Curses are like any other spell – simply equip them to your spell wheel and give them a go. They do differ from the other spells by having a far longer cool down, likely due to how overpowered you would be if they weren’t gated just a little bit. As you might expect, it’s the killing curse, or Avada Kedavra that has the longest cool down of the three.

As for what they each do, here’s a quick rundown:

• Crucio: stuns an opponent temporarily whilst causing damage over time.
• Imperio: puts an opponent under your control and makes them fight against their own side.
• Avada Kedavra: instantly kills an opponent.

Furthermore, if you delve into the Dark Arts section of the Talents upgrades, you can master these curses and make them even more powerful.

Salazar Slytherin’s Final Legacy

Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets? If you do, you might be keen on this tucked away little easter egg following your journey into Slytherin's scriptorium. In order to find this gem, take the Floo to the Lower Grand Staircase and go straight down the stairs facing the wall where the Slytherin common room is. You’ll be able to see the entrance if you’re in Slytherin, if not it’s a blank brick wall. Take a right and head down the hallway until you see a suit of armor. Take another right and you’ll find yourself face to face with a girl’s bathroom.

Note the sink as soon as you walk inside. Seems familiar right? Cast a simple Revelio and you’ll learn a little bit of lore on Slytherin’s Sink – like how it has a small snake engraved into the copper. As for why it’s there, well we already know but in game it remains a mystery.

Whether we’ll eventually be able to get into the Chamber proper remains to be seen in DLC or the like, but it’s a neat bonus in addition to Slytherin’s scriptorium and spell book that does involve the player character directly as Hogwarts Legacy currently stands. Here’s hoping!