It isn't murder ...

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 82196

Richard:

> I'm getting a bit tired of all the talk of murder, round here, at 
> least to the extent that so many seem to have decided that Harry 
must 
> be a murderer if he kills Voldemort.  Well, even if Harry is 
worried 
> about becoming a murderer, I'm not all that concerned that he will 
be 
> one at all.  Why?  Voldemort has tried to kill him repeatedly, and 
is 
> still intent upon accomplishing that end.  If someone attacks you 
> with the intent of killing you, and you happen to kill your 
attacker, 
> it is self defense, which is considered legally and (for most) 
> ethically justifiable, NOT MURDER.  Murder is a legal term dealing 
> with certain classes of wrongful killing of another human being.  

True enough.  However, a justifiable killing is not necessarily a 
guilt-free one.  How many people who have killed someone in self-
defense skip calmly into the sunset following the incident?  Whether 
you would consider Harry justified in his actions or not will not 
change the emotions associated with killing another person, and this 
is where it becomes important to the series.

Also, self-defense can be a very grey area.  If Harry were to track 
down Voldemort and launch a surprise attack, thereby killing him, it 
could be interpreted as revenge rather than self-defense.  Unless 
Voldemort had been in the process of casting another AK, it could be 
argued that Harry's life was not in immediate danger.  After all, if 
a serial killer is on the loose and shows every sign of repeating his 
crime, a person still can't legally go out and shoot the guy.

-Corinth