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

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 86031


Art wrote: (after a snip)
> 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. 

Ginger responds:
I think that is at the heart of the matter.  Harry never goes looking 
for LV, rather, LV finds him, or lures him, or whatever.  The 
exception if PS/SS, where Harry is not looking for LV, but finds him 
instead of Snape.  Whenever Harry finds himself facing LV, it is in 
battle.  If LV starts it, it is automaticly self-defence.  

Harry is most certainly aware of self-defence in Muggle law.  Since 
the WW seems a bit "wilder", for lack of a better term, it is pretty 
safe to say that they have a self-defence clause as well.  Otherwise, 
why dueling?  

back to Art:
> 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....
> 
> Art.

Ginger again: 
Interesting thought.  Harry does see it as murder when he is sitting 
in DD's office.  I suspect in the heat of battle, he would think 
otherwise.  Your comment about "greying" is consistant with the 
overall nature of growing up both in RL and as JKR has presented it 
in the context of the books.  

I don't think Harry is "premeditating" in the sense of forming a 
plan, but I do think he is preparing himself.  There is a huge 
difference.  Now that he knows the prophecy, he needs to prepare 
himself to face whatever comes his way.  That's just good self-
defence.

Harry noted in Gof (US p. 607) that "it all came back to 
Voldemort...."  The "it" was the ruining of the lives Harry had been 
contemplating after veiwing the pensive in DD's office.  Now that he 
knows the prophecy, he will have to realize that LV must be stopped 
at all costs, and like it or not, it comes down to him.  

I think the destruction of LV will take place in the heat of battle, 
not with Harry running into him at a fish and chips stand and taking 
him out as he munches his lunch.  Not that I'd blame him if he did.

Ginger, who wonders if the WW has a "Wanted Dead or Alive" type 
poster, and if this would make a moral difference on the fish and 
chips scenerio.