Who was involved in James and Lily's death?

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 90319

Pippin wrote:

> Perhaps Voldemort didn't think Lily had defied him the requisite 
> number of times when he confronted her, and this is why he 
> wanted her to stand aside. 

I'm not sure I understand this.  Was he thinking 'I'm not sure if 
she's had two strikes or three, so I'd better attack Harry in case 
it's three, but if it's only two, then attacking her might help 
fulfil the prophecy by converting her to a triple (if I fail), and 
thus Harry into my nemesis, so I'd better not do that'?  I know he 
has a propensity for plans so complex that they are virtually 
guaranteed to fail, but I sense a biscuit is being taken here.

All theories which hinge on his hesitation in attacking Lily seem to 
me to founder on the split-second length of that hesitation, which 
suggests economy of effort as the motive:

"Stand aside, you silly girl."
"Never!"
"I said, stand- oh, I can't be doing with this, Avada Kedavra, now 
for the child."

I rather like the idea of Voldemort gold-plating his Herod-like 
credentials for evil-doing by deliberately going about ineptly 
attacking parents whose children were born in late July, so as to 
have an excuse to attack the children, though.

David