Did LV try to spare Lily? (was From Black to White (was Peter...)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 90307

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> wrote:
> > Marianne (kiricat):
> > >
> > > I see a contradiction here. If V owed his life to Lily, surely
> > > simply giving her a warning to step aside ...
> > >

> >
> > bboy_mn:
> >
> <snip>
> >
> > When Voldemort entered the room in which Harry and Lily were, he
> > had one major objective, one absolute TOP priority, and that was 
> > Harry. Lily was inconsequential, so he told her to move aside. 
> > <snip>
> 
> Now Neri:
> 
> PS, Ch. 17 – The Man with Two Faces:
> 
> "Quirrell was walking backwards at him, so that Voldemort could still
> see him. The evil face was now smiling.
> "How touching ..." it hissed. "I always value bravery ... Yes, boy,
> your parents were brave ... I killed your father first and he put up
> a courageous fight ... but your mother needn't have died ... she was
> trying to protect you ... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her
> to have died in vain."
> 
> So LV remembered that Lily "needn't have died" ten years after the
> case. That doesn't sound like utter disinterest or yesterday rubbish.
> Also, for the plot it is essential that Lily needn't have died. If
> she had, then it would have been a simple murder, as was James'
> death, and not a sacrifice. So I think there is definitely something
> there.
> 
> Neri

bboy_mn:

Sorry, but your quote and statements confirm what I said (at least to
me) rather than deny my conclusion.

First, and foremost, remember when Voldemort/Quirrel said this, he had
ulterior motives. First he tried to convince Harry that he could bring
his parents back to life if Harry would only join Voldemort. When that
didn't work, he tried to prey on fear, intimidation, and emotions.

Lily was inconsequential and insignificant to Voldemort which is
exactly why she didn't have to die. As long as Voldemort got what he
wanted, which was Harry dead, he could care less if Lily lived or died. 

So, he didn't kill her because she was part of his Grand Plot, she
simply interferred with his objective, and Voldemort casually killed
her rather than allow her to delay him from his goal.

That's from Voldemort's perspective. But he is someone who really
doesn't understand the world and people around him very well; he way
to abosorbed in himself. That's what will eventually lead to his
downfall again, and that is at the core of all the classic 'Evil
Overlord' mistakes that he makes in every book. He is supreme in his
arrogance. 

Logically, what parent would casually step aside while the most evil
wizard in a century killed their child? I'm pretty sure, that those
parents would be in an extreme minority. That fact that Voldemort
considered Lily of no concern or consequence, doesn't change the fact
that Lily's attempt to save her son was EXTREMELY significant and
ultimately the very thing that destroyed Voldemort and saved Harry.

Voldemort's desires and motivations are completely independant of
Lily's motivations and actions. 

I think it makes much more sense to assume that Lily was of little or
no consequence than to fantasize that somebody or other was in love
with somebody else (Lupin/Lily, Snape/Lily, Voldemort/Lily,
Wormtail/Lily, Trevor_the_Toad/Lily, etc...), or somebody owned
somebody something (life debt), or that some ulikely character is
related to some other unlikely character (Harry/Lily/James's
uncle/cousin/father/grandfather is
Snape/Slytherin/Riddle/Voldemort/Dumbledore/Griffindor/etc...).

Although, I readily confess that my version is far less fun to think
about than some of the other proposed versions.

Then again, it's just a thought.

bboy_mn