Inferi are animated corpses used for evil purposes in the Harry Potter series. They cannot think for themselves and are created through difficult Dark Magic. They can only be defeated by fire and are likely created from Muggle cemeteries.
In the Harry Potter novels, an Inferius is an animated corpse, much like a zombie. Called Inferi in the plural, they are unable to think for themselves, existing only to complete an assigned task. The ability to create an Inferius is classified as Dark Magic, because they are usually used to cause harm or attack people. The word Inferius appears to be related to the Latin for “below.” JK Rowling hasn’t shown readers the process of creating an Inferius, but suggests that it’s a pretty difficult spell.
The Underworld first appears, briefly mentioned, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the term is defined and Harry Potter encounters them during the book’s climax when he and Dumbledore attempt to retrieve a Horcrux. According to a discussion taking place in Sevurus Snape’s Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, an Inferius is an animated corpse that obeys the Dark wizard who created it. The Inferi are differentiated from ghosts that they can think for themselves, but due to their non-physical existence they are unable to physically affect the world around them.
Because they are used for evil purposes, the Inferi are considered evil and are usually considered enchanted objects rather than people. The source of the Underworld bodies isn’t clear to the reader, though given the large armies Voldemort has raised, Muggle cemeteries are probably a good bet. Wizard bodies can be used to create an Inferius, but it seems likely that wizards will take steps to prevent this, such as building specialized tombs. Little is known of wizarding world burial customs other than the funeral held for Albus Dumbledore, which does not appear to be typical of the wizarding world.
Although the Underworld is created with the use of magic, it cannot be harmed by magic. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry attempts numerous spells to fight off the Underworld attacking him and Dumbledore. While it causes physical damage, this doesn’t deter the Inferi. The only way to fight the Inferi seems to be using fire. It is unknown whether fire damages the body beyond usability or instills fear in the heart of an Inferius. The use of fire to deter an Inferius suggests a metaphor of light conquering darkness, a big theme from the Harry Potter books.
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