A simple-minded question

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 94981

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ladyramkin2000"
<ladyramkin2000 at y...> wrote:
> All my questions seem to be basically simple-minded (I am a simple 
> soul). ...

bboy_mn:

'Tis a gift to be simple
'Tis a gift to be free
'Tis a gift to come down
Where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves
In that place just right
We will be in the valley
Of Love and delight.

> Does Harry owe a life-debt to Snape for saving his life in the first 
> book?
>
> Sylvia 

bboy_mn:

We are dealing with a common misconception held by almost everybody;
in reality (fictional reality), Snape did not save Harry. Snape TRIED
to save Harry, but it was Hermione with her Flame Charm that actually
saved him, although she saved him by an accidental twist of fate. In
'flaming' Snape, Quirrel was knocked over and that stopped the Jinx
that Quirrel was putting on Harry's broom. 

So, if Harry has a life debt to anyone, it's Hermione.

Also, I'm not sure that Snape even knew for a sure what he was doing.
I suspect that he saw Harry broom acting strange and made the
assumption that someone somewhere might be trying to jinx Harry's
broom. So, he started muttering 'best guess' countercurses which were
only marginally effective. The countercurses certainly bought Harry
some time, and kept him from falling off his broom, but his
countercurses only moderated the jinx, it didn't actually stop it.

Again, it was Hermione's accidental breaking of Quirrel's
concentration and eye contact that stopped the jinx, and allowed Harry
to get back on his broom.

Now, I certainly can't say what Snape did was worthless; it did buy
Harry some time, and that time allowed Hermione to come to the rescue,
but I think it's probably an overstatement to say that Snape's
contribution was enough to earn him a 'life debt'.

Just one man's opinion.

bboy_mn