Life Debt - Problem

[sachmet96]

No: HPFGUIDX 82953

> ARYA: I don't have the books here at work, but I think in PS when 
> Harry asked why Snape tried to save him, all Dumbledore said was he 
> was trying to make up for sometime when JAmes saved his life.  In 
> PoA, Lupin, I believe later tells the story of The Prank and how 
> James saved Snape.  (Which, by the way....if Snape saw Lupin the 
> Werewolf and knew the other Maurauders were able to be around him 
and 
> James was that close, wouldn't he just possibly have seen or 
guessed--
> especially if he saw one animal there--that they were animagi? I 
know 
> it's rare and all , but Snape is so nosy...anyway)

~~~
sachmet96
Maybe there was another time when James saved Snape's life. Because 
as I pointed out in message 82946 as a response to Laura:
(oh, I am starting citing myself :-))

---
> Laura:
> Failed 
> to reconcile with Snape? He saved the boy's life-what else did he 
> need to do? Even if he had mixed motives, he risked his own life 
> for someone who had caused him nothing but trouble.

sachmet96:
I don't think James risked his life. We should not forget he was an 
Animagus and werewolves don't kill Animagi. So if it got too 
dangerous he just had to transform into Prongs. So no danger at all 
for him, as he spend lots of time as Prongs with Lupin. He must have 
known that. The only one who didn't know was Snape, that's maybe the 
reason why he feels he owes a life debt when in fact he doesn't.
---

So imo this means that if James was not in danger he didn't risk his 
life and therefore there is no lifedebt if we assume a lifedebt can 
only be formed when there is danger to both person's lifes.
Then there must have been another incident where James saved Snape's 
life, else it wouldn't make sense.
If that's not the case, the whole concept of life debts gets really 
complicated ....

~~~~

> -------------------------------
> Jen Reese, again:
> Perhaps it has something to do with risking your own life to save 
> someone, whether they are an enemy or not. It just seems like 
there's 
> more to it.
> 
> ------------------------------
> ARYA: This is exactly what I think it is.  I think there's an honor 
> thing--like a magically binding contract that goes into effect if 
> someone knowingly puts him or herself at risk to save another from 
> eminent death.  Hmm, maybe Harry owes one to Petunia....

sachmet96
And Dudley owes one to Harry, because he saved him from the 
Dementors. I wonder if Muggles can owe a life debt.