Why were the sacrifices different? (was: A moral theory of Magic )

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 95392

Kneasy wrote:
<snip> Up to Godrics Hollow was there any indication that Voldy had any
> vulnerabilities *at all*?

Carol responds:
Only the Prophecy itself, which he was trying to forestall or undo
(hadn't read "Oedipus Res," obviously).

Kneasy wrote:
Only one other wizard is considered to be his match, and that's DD.
IMO the only justification for James taking on Voldy the way he did
was to allow time for Lily and Harry to escape. If they had intended
it as a defiant 'last stand' wouldn't it make more sense to go two on
one? Voldy can only fire one AK at a time can't he?

Carol:
This I agree with. But I don't think James realized what Lily
intended. Note that she *didn't* run, though that's what he was
telling her to do.

Kneasy: 
> As for the 'charm' - it doesn't appear to have been planned or
intended. In the graveyard scene Voldy says the protection was placed
"unwittingly" so the idea that Lily was in the back room casting
spells to protect Harry while James faced Voldy doesn't hold water. In
which case Lily died not knowing that Harry was protected and not
knowing that Harry would survive. So just what did she think she was
doing? Hiding?

Carol:
Voldemort didn't know what Lily was up to, either, or he would have
stunned her, killed Harry, and then possibly killed Lily. He had no
idea that she had to die first, though she clearly did. I don't think
she was "in the back room casting spells" while James fought LV. I
think she had *already* placed the protective charm on Harry (unknown
to James) in case the Fidelius Charm failed. She knew that she had to
sacrifice herself, to die *before* LV AK'd Harry, to make the charm
work. LV didn't know that, and still doesn't understand that Lily's
"foolish sacrifice" wasn't foolish at all. Nor was it "unwitting." At
least that's the only theory that makes sense to me.

Carol