Imperius Curse

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The Imperius Curse is a spell that forces its victim to bend to the will of the caster; it can be used on any sentient being. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses; as such, its use on other humans is forbidden and will result in a lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban. Its incantation is Imperio (GF14).

When one is under the Imperius Curse, he or she feels a floating sensation, happy and devoid of any kind of thought. The commands of the caster of the curse do not have to be spoken aloud; regardless, the victim hears the orders in their head, like a distant echo, and obeys the caster. Also, under Imperius, one may be able to do certain things he or she would not be able to do in their normal state. The spell has no counter-curse, though the Imperius can be thrown off and becomes easier to resist with time. However, according to Barty Crouch, Jr., it takes real strenght of character to do so. The professor also affirms that one can see it in the victim's eyes whether he or she is fighting it off (GF14, GF15, GF35).

Barty Jr.'s description of the sensation he felt after he had started to fight off the Imperius Curse cast on him during a long period of time by his father is also worthy of note. The Death Eater declares having the impression of waking up from a deep sleep each time he managed to throw off the effects of the spell, and, after it was completely lifted, the feeling of his being himself, and alive again (GF35).

The Death Eaters used the Imperius Curse liberally; after Voldemort's downfall, several claimed they had been under the curse to escape prosecution. Since many people had been Imperiused, it ended up being really difficult for Ministry of Magic employees to differenciate between those who were in fact under the spell and those who were not (GF14).

Harry Potter and his fellow colleagues learn about the Imperius Curse during their fourth year at Hogwarts, in Defense Against the Dark Arts. During a lesson, Professor Moody, claiming Albus Dumbledore wants the students to be taught what it feels like, uses the Imperius Curse on his pupils, in order to demonstrate its power and check their resistance to its effects. This causes, among other things, Dean Thomas to hop around the classroom while singing the national anthem, Lavender Brown to imitate a squirrel, and Neville Longbottom perform a series of gymnastics.

On the occasion, Harry is the only Gryffindor who manages to fight the curses' effects, and, between being forced to jump on a desk and resisting it, the boy ends up smashing into the desk and fracturing both his kneecaps. The professor compliments him, stating that Harry had almost beat the Imperius. The fake Moody latter puts the boy under the curse four times in a row, until Harry manages to fight it off entirely (GF15).

Other mentions to this spell in the series include:

During his trial, Igor Karkaroff tells the court that the Death Eater Mulciber specialised in the Imperius Curse, and had therefore obliged several people to do horrible things (GF30).
Barty Crouch, Sr. Imperiuses his son after rescuing him out of Azkaban. He makes Crouch, Jr. live for a long while under the curse, controlled by him. After some time, however, his son starts to fight it off (GF35).
Barty Crouch, Jr. fights off the curse and managed to momentarily escape during the Quidditch World Cup, in August, 1994. After the mayhem caused by the Death Eaters and his conjuring of the Dark Mark, however, his father finds him and puts him back under the curse (GF35).
Shortly before Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts begins, Voldemort shows up at Barty Crouch, Sr.'s house and puts him under the Imperius Curse, taking the latter's son off it. The Dark Lord forces Crouch to go to work and act as if nothing was wrong (GF35).
After attacking Alastor Moody, Barty Crouch, Jr. keeps him alive, but Imperiused. The former Auror is questioned under the Death Eater's control, who asks him about his past and his habits, in order to be able to impersonate him (GF35).
When teaching his fourth-year students about the Imperius Curse, the fake Moody Imperiuses an Engorged spider, in order to illustrate its effects. On the occasion, Ron Weasley claims his father had told him about the curse (GF14).
Sometime between November and December, 1994, Barty Crouch, Sr. starts to fight off the Imperius Curse placed upon him by Voldemort. The latter then decides it is no longer safe to let the first out of his own house, forcing him to write letters to work saying he was ill (GF35).
Sirius Black tells the Trio that Avery talked his way out problems by claming to have been acting under the curse (GF27).
Sometime between December, 1994, and May, 1995, Barty Crouch, Sr. manages to partially fight off the Imperius Curse, and escapes his imprisonment. On May 27, he appears at Hogwarts, near the Forbidden Forest. While talking to Harry and Viktor Krum there are times in which Crouch fights off the curse, and others in which he is back under its effects, giving the champions the idea that he had gone completely crazy (GF35, GF28).
Barty Crouch, Jr. Imperiuses Viktor Krum during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament, in order to make him finish Cedric Diggory (GF35).
Voldemort casts the curse on Harry on their encounter at the graveyard. The Dark Lord attempts to make the boy answer a question affirmatively. Harry, however, manages to resist it (GF34).
On August 6, 1995, Remus Lupin tells Harry that the wizarding community are an easy target for Imperius Curses cast by Death Eaters, since most of it is unnaware of Voldemort's return (OP5).
On August 31, 1995, Sturgis Podmore is placed under the Imperius Curse and forced to enter the Department of Mysteries. He is, however, caught by Eric Munch before reaching the Hall of Prophecy (OP14, OP26).
Broderick Bode is Imperiused by Lucius Malfoy. He fights hard against the curse, but ends up being controlled and lead into the Hall of Prophecy in Department of Mysteries. However, when he attempts to touch the record of the prophecy, Bode receives such a shock that not only he becomes insane, but the curse is lifted (OP23, OP26).
Rufus Scrimgeour puts Kingsley Shacklebolt to work with the Prime Minister in order to avoid the latter of being put under the curse. Accorting to the Minister for Magic, Herbert Chorley, the Junior Prime Minister, had started to impersonate a duck due to a poorly performed Imperius Curse (HBP1).
One of the Ministry of Magic's pamphlets regarding security measures warns wizards to contact the Magical Law Enforcement Squad in case they notice someone acting in a strange manner, for the person could have been Imperiused (HBP3).
Dumbledore tells Harry he believes Merope Gaunt did not use the Imperius Curse on Tom Riddle, Sr., but a love potion (HBP10).
Ron suggests that Stan could have been Imperiused before he was sent Azkaban; Hermione Granger disagrees (HBP11).
Draco Malfoy places Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse. The witch is forced to give Katie Bell a cursed necklace, Imperiuse the girl and, in turn, force her to deliver the necklace to Dumbledore (HBP12). Rosmerta was also comanded to send poisoned oak-matured mead to Horace Slughorn (HBP18). Draco used a enchanted coins in order to send the witch orders HBP27).
Hermione reminds Harry that he can not use the Imperius Curse on Slughorn in order to obtain the memory wanted by Dumbledore, for it is be illegal (HBP21).
The Daily Prophet reports that a nine-year-old child is arrested for the attempted murder of his grandparents; it is believed that he was under the Imperius Curse (HBP21).
After the second Azkaban mass breakout, Stan Shunpike is placed under the Imperius Curse. He fights in the Battle of the Seven Potters and Harry, noticing the blank look on his face, refrains from Stunning Shunpike and Disarms him instead. Stan presumably remains Imperiused until the end of the Second War (DH23, DH36).
Yaxley puts Pius Thicknesse under the Imperius Curse in the summer of 1997, hoping that Thicknesse's high rank in the Ministry will allow him to help subjugate others (DH1). Thicknesse becomes Minister for Magic after the Fall of the Ministry (DH11), and displays open prejudice against Mudbloods (DH13). He takes part in the Battle of Hogwarts, presumably still under the effect of the curse (DH31).
Minerva McGonagall uses this curse to force Amycus Carrow to hand both his and Alecto's wands to her. McGonagall instructs him to lie beside his sister, and conjures ropes around the pair (DH30).
All the victims of the Imperius Curse in England return to their former selves after Voldemort's defeat in the Battle of Hogwarts (DH36).