A simple-minded question

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 95005

Sylvia:

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

Steve:
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.

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

Neri:
A bit of canon:

SS/PS, Ch. 17:
Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.
"But Snape tried to kill me!"
"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger 
accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at 
that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few 
seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it 
before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter-curse, trying to 
save you."

So Harry would have fallen if not for Snape. However, we have also:

SS/PS, Ch. 17:
 "Yes 
" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds 
work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's 
debt 
 I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year 
because he felt that would make him and your father quits. Then he 
could go back to hating your father's memory in peace 
"

So it seems that Snape considers saving Harry from the fall as 
settling his debt to James, not as Harry owing him a debt. However 
(again), doesn't Snape owe a debt for Harry because future!Harry 
saved Snape (together with Harry himself, Ron and Hermione) from the 
dementors in PoA? It doesn't seem likely that the dementors would 
have kissed the kids but spare Snape only because he was stunned. Of 
course, Snape doesn't know it was Harry who saved him (unless DD told 
him later), so this whole debt thing becomes even more complicated. 
I'd rather see it as if both Snape and Harry owing each other a debt 
that can never be repayed.

Neri