Life-debts (Was Re: Against Evil!Lupin responses (long))

[marinafrants <rusalka@ix.netcom.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49598

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Maria Kirilenko 
<maria_kirilenko at y...> wrote:
> 
> IMO a life-debt is created when the rescuer shows extraordinary 
unselfishness and generosity when saving another persons life when 
it would have been only too easy to stand back and let events take 
their course. Harry shows it when he spares the "murdering traitor" 
responsible for the death of his parents – great generosity IMO, 
when James' friends who loved James even more than Harry and felt 
his death more acutely (because they actually knew him) were ready 
to kill Peter.  
> 
>  
> 
> When Dumbledore saves Harry's life in GoF he does not have to 
solve any moral dilemma of this kind. He has no reasons *not* to 
save Harry's life, moreover, it's his duty. 
> 

Ooh, very original theory, and I think I like it!  For one thing, it 
explains why Snape thought he could repay his life-debt to James by 
saving Harry from Quirrelmort's curse in PS/SS.  After all, if you 
have to be in danger to get someone to owe you a life-debt, it would 
stand to reason that you also have to be in danger to repay it, yet 
Snape was in no danger as he muttered the counter-curse.  It's the 
fact that Snape had to overcome his hatred in order to do it that 
made his rescue of Harry meaningful enough to count as "life-debt 
payment."

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com