why only James had to die

[sevenhundredandthirteen]

No: HPFGUIDX 82330

Raven:

>What if it's as simple as Voldemort not wanting James
>and Lily to turn around and have another kid to fulfil
>the prophecy, after he'd removed Harry from the
>equation?
<snip>
> In this scenario, once James had died, there would be
> no need for Lily to follow suit. Had Lily died first,
> the same could be said for James.


Actually, the prophecy never says that it's *James and Lily's* child.
All it says is that parents had defied the Dark Lord thrice.  And, 
when you think about it, if Voldemort had killed Harry then James and 
Lily would no longer fulfill the prophecy any more. If they survive 
the attack on the Potter residence they have now defied the Dark Lord 
*four* times. So, even if they did survive and have another baby it 
wouldn't fulfill the prophecy- it would be a child born to those who 
had defied the Dark Lord *four* times, not the three times why the 
prophecy speaks of.

~<(Laurasia)>~