Hermione considered protesting, but her eyes fell down to his torso before she could even utter a word. The Venenum Nigrum was a cruel, ancient curse that the Death Eaters had started using several years ago when the war had been at its most brutal. She had started studying it after it had killed Hagrid, Viktor, and Fleur at the Battle of Brecon. Essentially, the curse created a black, tar-like poison that slowly and painfully polluted the veins and arteries of its victim with black magic. Worse still, the poison wasn't fatal until it reached the brain. A torturous way to die.