Lily and the deal with the devil

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 58173


This isn't exactly a new theory, but in all the ruminating about why 
Voldemort would want to save Lily, is it not possible that Lily had 
been working for Voldemort, and that Lily had betrayed James?

I don't believe that there is any Canon evidence that rules out Lily 
as a traitor. Lucius tells Harry that his parents were meddlesome 
fools, but this does not in itself rule out Lily turning bad.

Supposing that Lily "realised" that James was a marked man, and came 
to believe that there was nothing that would save him. She might 
then have decided that by giving him in, she would save Harry. We 
already know that Voldemort "shows as little mercy to his followers 
as his enemies" p. 216 PS (UK edition), so once he had told Lily to 
step out of the way, he would not have made any greater effort to 
save her: her life was immaterial to him, it was Harry's he wanted.

Voldemort could have led Lily to believe that if she handed him 
James he would spare Harry. Once this was not the case, then Lily 
tried to prevent him killing Harry and was herself murdered.

Lily's overwhelming love for Harry could have been the reason for 
her betraying James. I still find it strange that in her defence of 
herself and Harry, she did not run as James suggested, but locked 
herself and Harry in his bedroom. She could have thrown Harry from 
the bedroom window and then made a run for it. (After all, if 
Neville can bounce, why not Harry). I know this does smack of movie 
contamination, but as it was the one scene written especially by 
JKR, I do believe that it is evidence of canon intent. Why did Lily 
just stay there? She would have known that a locked door would not 
have stopped Voldemort. I suppose she might have panicked, and in 
the heat of the moment resorted to a Muggle-defence, but I do wonder 
if it was simply because she did not want to hear the battle, and 
thought that she and Harry were not in danger.

The fact that Pettigrew was a traitor would not preclude Lily from 
betraying James as well. I also don't think that Lily's Muggle-born 
status would have stopped her from this desperate act. Voldemort 
would not have worried who gave him James as long as he got him.

I of course do not want this theory to be right. How hard it would 
be for Harry to realise that he was saved by a mother's love so 
strong that it was willing to sacrifice his father. In a way, it's a 
bit like the ESE! Lupin, as much as I dislike it, it remains a 
distinct possibility.

Ali