Bang! You're Dead. (was:Voldemorts animus...)

[dj_bagshaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 85947

Art says,
> According to Western law homicide is not murder when it is in 
> defence of one's own body or in defense of another person in 
> response to an initiation of force.
> 
> In other words, Harry cannot morally go looking for a fight. He 
> must "kill" Voldemort during a battle that Voldemort initiates. 
> 
> Another quick note: Harry, in response to the prophecy, regards 
> the killing of Voldemort as "murder." There is no grey to his view. 
> That is a point that I believe lies at the heart of this adventure, 
> the "greying" of the rules that come with growing up. OR Harry is 
> already "premeditating" his murder of Voldemort. In that case, 
> maybe he shouldn't live past the end of the series....


I think Harry has every right to "premeditate", ponder, wish about 
Voldemort's death every day.  Voldemort took Harry's parents away 
from him and, effectively, stole ten years of his life.  He did this 
maliciously, with the intent of causing Harry harm at the same time.  
If somebody did that to me, I know I would want to cause whoever did 
it as much hurt as they did me.  

At the same time, however, I believe that there is no way for Harry 
to cause Voldemort this same kind of pain; Voldemort simply doesn't 
have the same emotional range as Harry does.  Maybe this is what 
makes the difference...

Whatever the outcome, I do not believe that Voldemort's death is 
murder.  I don't hear anyone calling the deaths of Hitler or Saddam 
Hussein's sons murder...but that is another issue.  Whether Harry is 
premeditating the death of Voldemort or not does not in any way 
change what I think of his morals, nor do I think that Harry cares 
too much what "Western law" says he morally can or can not do in this 
case.  Harry has been chosen to be the executioner or the executed.  
I think that the choice on his part is easy enough, whether Voldemort 
starts the fight or not.

~Kate