Life Debt -- Problem

[Yahtzee63 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 82997

Sachmet96 says: "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."

I don't think this is true, for the simple reason that, while James could 
save/stop Snape, Prongs could not. 

I too take it as stated by JKR that werewolves do not attack animals, and 
while in wolf form they do not have the ability to distinguish between animals 
and Animagi. However, I think it's more complicated; while James can turn into a 
stag, he cannot turn into a stag in that particular instance. 

Snape, who has no idea that James can turn into a stag, is unlikely to follow 
some strange animal to safety; also, Sirius has said that, upon turning into 
animals, Animagi's minds become less distinct and focused. It's not at all 
clear that Prongs would retain the mental capacity to gauge the risk and act 
accordingly.

Also, if James and Snape were together and Werewolf Lupin attacked, James 
changing into Prongs would be the same as condemning Snape to certain death. 
Given Snape's profound dislike and distrust of James, it seems that a few quick 
shouted words would have been insufficient to deter Snape from his purpose -- 
particularly if they only served as the precursor to James' transformation. Upon 
seeing his enemy do something strictly illegal, what are the chances Snape 
would run? Zero. Rather, he would be MORE inclined to stay around and 
investigate, which James would know about him. And that, of course, would have killed 
Snape.

Therefore, in order to have any chance of saving Snape at all, James would 
have to have been committed to staying in his human form at least until Snape 
had been gotten to safety. The risk he took was therefore real, and the life 
debt incurred had to be genuine.





Yahtzee


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