Drinking unicorn blood in the Harry Potter universe grants you life, even if you are on the brink of death, but it comes at an immense and terrible price: a cursed existence.
Immediate Effect: Life Preservation
The primary and most immediate effect of consuming unicorn blood is its powerful ability to preserve life. It can save a person from certain death, offering survival even when one is just "an inch from death." This makes it a powerful, though forbidden, tool for those desperate to cling to life.
The Terrible Price: A Cursed Existence
While it offers immortality, the act of drinking unicorn blood carries severe and lasting consequences that far outweigh the benefit of survival. The price is not merely physical but deeply spiritual and existential, leading to a profound deterioration of one's being.
The consequences include:
- Slaying of Purity: The act involves the slaying of a unicorn, which is described as a pure and defenceless creature. This act of violence against innocence is what fundamentally corrupts the drinker.
- A "Half-Life": From the moment the blood touches one's lips, the drinker is condemned to live a "half-life." This implies an existence that is incomplete, devoid of true vitality, or perhaps even a shadow of their former self. It suggests a life that lacks essence or purpose, far from a healthy or fulfilling existence.
- A "Cursed Life": Beyond being a mere half-life, the existence is explicitly stated to be "cursed." This curse is the direct result of the heinous act committed to gain life, imposing a perpetual state of suffering, isolation, or spiritual degradation on the individual. The nature of the curse is a heavy burden, forever linking the drinker to their horrific deed.
In essence, while unicorn blood prevents physical death, it ensures a living death, a perpetual torment that makes the act a last resort only for the most desperate and evil individuals, such as Lord Voldemort.
