How to Get All Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy
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Hogwarts Legacy
How to Get All Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy
Tips for Using the Unforgivable Curses
Sebastian’s questline is the most compelling story thread in Hogwarts Legacy — his arc explores the moral ambiguity of Dark Magic in a genuinely thoughtful way. The Unforgivable Curses are the mechanical reward, but the relationship and story beats are the real draw. Prioritise his quests alongside the main story from early on — they become available at specific level thresholds, so the earlier you trigger them, the sooner you can start completing them. Once you have all three curses, pair them with the Curse Mastery talents for the strongest combat build in the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Get Each Unforgivable Curse
All three Unforgivable Curses are learned through Sebastian Sallow’s relationship quests — not the main story. You must actively pursue his quest line and make specific dialogue choices to receive them: Crucio (In the Shadow of the Study), Imperio (In the Shadow of Time), and Avada Kedavra (In the Shadow of the Relic). Missing Sebastian’s quests means missing these spells permanently on that save.
1
Crucio — «In the Shadow of the Study»: This quest becomes available after completing «In the Shadow of the Undercroft.» When prompted by Sebastian, choose the dialogue option that asks him to teach you Crucio. If you refuse or pick the wrong option, he offers to cast it on you instead — either way, choose to learn it. Refusing both options permanently locks the spell on this playthrough.
2
Imperio — «In the Shadow of Time»: Found later in Sebastian’s quest chain. During the quest, Sebastian will offer to teach you Imperio in the Feldcroft Catacomb area. Again, choose to learn it when given the option — select «Yes, I want to learn it» to add it to your spell list.
3
Avada Kedavra — «In the Shadow of the Relic»: The final and most powerful curse, available near the end of Sebastian’s questline. When Sebastian offers to teach you Avada Kedavra, select that you want to learn it. This is the only way to obtain it — there is no other source in the game.
4
Critical warning — do not turn Sebastian in. After his questline concludes, Ominis Gaunt will ask whether to turn Sebastian in to the Ministry. If you choose to turn him in, Sebastian is expelled and removed from the game permanently — taking away your only chance to learn any curses you haven’t acquired yet. Always complete his full quest chain first.
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Avada Kedavra instantly kills most enemies regardless of their remaining HP. It has a long cooldown (around 90 seconds at base), so save it for elite enemies, bosses, or large groups where the instant kill provides the most value.
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Crucio applies the Cursed status — enemies with this status take bonus damage from all sources for a duration. Use it as an opener before a burst combo, especially against high-health enemies. The Crucio Mastery talent causes it to spread to nearby enemies on cast.
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Imperio temporarily mind-controls an enemy to fight for you. Best used against the strongest enemy in a group — a mind-controlled troll or dark wizard significantly reduces the threat of a difficult encounter while also dealing Cursed status to anyone it hits.
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Using Unforgivable Curses has no permanent moral consequences in the game — your house standing, companion relationships, and story outcomes are unaffected. You can use them freely without worrying about branching story consequences.
Can I learn Unforgivable Curses without Sebastian?
No — all three Unforgivable Curses are exclusively taught by Sebastian Sallow through his relationship quest chain. There are no alternative sources, spellbooks, or NPC trainers that offer them. If you miss his questline or turn him in before learning all three, they are permanently unavailable on that playthrough.
What happens if I refuse to learn a curse from Sebastian?
If you refuse the offer to learn a curse during the relevant quest, Sebastian will often offer to let you observe instead — but the spell is still learnable. The key is not to exit the quest or advance too far without selecting the learn option. If you genuinely pass the learning opportunity in the dialogue, the spell is locked for that save.
Does using Dark Magic affect my character’s alignment?
No — Hogwarts Legacy does not have a morality system. Using Avada Kedavra, Crucio, or Imperio has no lasting effect on your story, house points, companion approval, or ending. You are free to use them as much or as little as you like without any in-game penalty.
When do Sebastian’s quests become available?
Sebastian’s relationship quests unlock progressively as you advance the main story. «In the Shadow of the Study» (Crucio) is available relatively early — around the time you access Hogsmeade freely. Complete main story quests regularly between Sebastian’s quests to keep his chain progressing. Check his icon on the map to see when new quests are available.