the Javert/Lucifer hypothesis

[mlle_bienvenu]

No: HPFGUIDX 78353

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "urghiggi" <urghiggi at y...> 
wrote:
> Chris' sig (quote from "Les Miserables") reminded me of a 
discussion over on 
> the excellent Harry Potter Prognostications blog, regarding the OoP 
prophecy 
> and possible outcomes of that. One of the feedbacks proposed that 
perhaps 
> the big climax will involve HP forgiving LV somehow -- but the 
proposer of the 
> theory then did not say how that was going to play out in the end. 
(I don't see 
> LV repenting -- he's not Darth Vader, as far as I can tell.)
> 
> However, it occurred to me that something like the Javert/Valjean 
climax 
> possibly could happen. For those unfamiliar w/the tale, Javert is a 
self-
> righteous law enforcer -- really the villain of the piece -- who 
pursues the 
> supposed criminal Valjean throughout their lives. (Valjean has 
really done 
> nothing worse than commit petty theft in order to survive, early in 
the book. 
> Javert's dogged pursuit is a constant threat that keeps Valjean 
from enjoying 
> any kind of peace/joy with his ward, Cosette.) Javert ultimately 
tracks Valjean 
> down, but it occurs in a situation where Valjean has physical power 
over him 
> and could easily kill him for making his life a living hell. Javert 
fully expects 
> this. Valjean, in an act of incredible human mercy, tells Javert 
that he isn't 
> going to kill him and that he should just leave. Javert's 
rigid, "I'm good he's 
> bad" world view is so rocked by this act of mercy on the part of a 
person whom 
> he's pursued as a heinous criminal for decades that he commits 
suicide.
> 
> So let's propose that somehow -- HOW remains to be seen -- the end 
of the 
> series involves LV screwing up, being betrayed, or otherwise being 
delivered, 
> disarmed, into the hands of Harry, the OoP, and DA. Suppose Harry, 
knowing 
> full well that the prophecy says he must kill or be killed, decides 
not to kill LV -
> - decides that no prophecy is going to turn him into a murderer, 
even if he 
> ultimately has to die himself. Suppose he's so sick of all the 
killing he's seen 
> that he lowers his the wand and says, "no more." Now, suppose LV is 
so 
> incensed by his humiliating defeat and this act of mercy that he 
prefers to 
> annihilate himself rather than live in Harry's debt, under any sort 
of 
> containment/subjection scheme designed for his rehabilitation. 
(Sort of like 
> the Lucifer thing from Milton -- better a prince in hell than a 
servant in 
> heaven....) LV gets his hands on a wand -- maybe he's even grabbing 
Harry's 
> wand hand -- and offs himself.
> 
> Result -- LV dead due to Harry's actions (figuratively, and 
possibly even 
> literally, "at the hand of" Harry). Love as the force that causes 
LV's downfall. 
> Harry not dead but surviving, due to his moral choices. Happy 
ending. 
> 
> It's a far-fetched scenario, I grant you. it would have to be 
written so carefully, 
> too -- and it might not be possible to write it at all, in a way 
that did not appear 
> sickeningly trite. But it would satisfy the prophecy, leave Harry 
alive at the end 
> of the series, and confirm the power of choice over fate and of 
love over evil. It 
> seems to me it would be consistent with the themes JKR has been 
pushing. 
> (And we do know she's ... uhhh ... familiar with French literature.)
> 
> OK, I know I'm nuts. Fire away .... :-)
> 
> urghiggi, chicago

Mlle Bienvenu: No, you're not nuts at all! I've been writing a story 
with a similar ending (basically your theory with a third party 
involved, but I digress...) I've always loved this theory as I like 
how it would show Harry's character growth. It's all well and good 
to 'love thy neighbor' but 'Love thine enemy' is so much more 
difficult. We've been building toward the classic showdown of good 
and evil, for Harry to turn around and spare Voldemort as he spared 
Wormtail... that, to me, would be the ultimate heroic act and would, 
for me be a deeply satisfying ending. 

Also, I like your ending because it would work so well with the 
concept of a magical life-debt. Not only would Voldemort, as you say, 
be humiliated by his defeat. But he'd actually be indebted to Harry. 
I wonder if his killing himself would sort of be a way to fulfil that 
debt. (Are life-debts something that absolutely must be honored or 
are they a matter of chivalry?) 

The only snag I see is LV's fear of death. I'm not sure if LV is 
proud enough to die just out of humiliation. I think his fear of 
death is deeper than his pride.  But according to the rules of your 
theory he doesn't neccesarily have to die to be defeated (it would 
still fulfil the prophecy) He could loose his powers and have to live 
like a muggle (poetic justice... gotta love it.) Or wind up in St. 
Mungo's or something...

Anyway, I like your theory, very catchy that...

Mlle Myriel Bienvenu (after Monseigneur Charles Myriel Bienvenu AKA 
The Bishop of Digne - Les Misérables It's hard to tell in the 
musical, but he's a really cool guy in the book ^_^)