A few Comments . . . SPOILER WARNING

[plinsenmayer]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C4487
From: plinsenmayer
Subject: RE: A few Comments . . . SPOILER WARNING
Date: 7/17/00 9:44 pm  (ET)

Hi:

This is my spoiler warning -- please heed it if you haven't finished
GoF. This relates to the ending of GoF. Hopefully, this is enough space -

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<<<What I found odd was that Harry /knew/ James was going to be coming
out of the wand first. I agree that we hear James's voice telling Lily
to run and protect Harry, and that all clues we
have indicate that James was killed before Lily was... but the order
coming out of the wand /clearly/ shows that the spell cast to kill James
was prior to Lily's - Lily died first, and then James. I don't know if
this was a mistake, or not, but we'll find out I'm sure!>>>>

Actually, I think Harry only *knew* it was his father because his father
was in the process of coming out of the wand when he thinks this. In
other words, he is seeing the beginning of his father's head when he
thinks to himself that he knows who this one is. I don't think he is
saying he *knew* it before James even started to come out.

But, you do make a good point about prior incantatum being the reverse
*spells* that were done -- so the spell that killed Lily was, it would
seem, cast *before* the spell that killed James, regardless of which
one of them *died* first. I hadn't picked up on that yet, but I'm not
that far in the re-read so I forgive myself. <g>

So . . . maybe one of my theories from the other day isn't so bad. That
is: Voldemort's primary target is Harry. There's also support for this
in that James says "I'll hold him off -- take Harry & run." This could
imply that James would be preventing Voldy from getting to Harry to give
Lily time to flee with Harry (rather than taking a stand against V who
wanted to kill both James & Harry).

Okay, so onward with my theory. Voldy arrives with the intent to kill
Harry. He encounters James in a front room and brushes past him, intent on
his target. James is unable to deflect him or hold him off for whatever
reason. But, Voldy must not curse him at this point. Lily is trying to
shield Harry and won't get out of the way. So, Voldy kills her. Then,
James steps in & tries to shield his son. Voldy disposes of him too. Of
course, if true, why would his *mother's* death give him protection
(rather than both parents)? I'm boxing myself into a corner I think. And,
what of the fact that their house was destroyed, etc.? Voldy couldn't
have done anything really after attempting to curse Harry, if we're to
believe the curse rebounded & he was left powerless.

This is all very interesting . . . .I have more questions than answers
now.

Penny