Why would Lily be spared?

[greatelderone]

No: HPFGUIDX 104903

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Eustace_Scrubb" <dk59us at y...> 
wrote:
> Eustace_Scrubb again:
> At Godric's Hollow, I think Voldemort was completely focused on one
> thing, killing Harry.  I don't think he was worried that either 
James
> or Lily could actually harm him (they'd defied him, but they 
couldn't
> vanquish him), so their resistance--their very presence--was 
nothing
> more than a nuisance.  

GEO: And he didn't kill them? Remember he killed Cedric for even 
less of a reason and judging from GoF he had whole houses put to the 
wand. Given his track record I find that extremely ooc.
 
> 
> As I see it, he finished off James, who annoyingly and quite 
futilely
> attempted to resist with his wand.  Then Voldemort ran to the 
baby's
> room, eager to complete the mission, only to find Lily standing in 
his
> way.  So he told her to get out of the way, not out of mercy, not
> because of some deal he'd made, but out of exasperation.  
> 
> And then he _did_ kill her.  I don't think he stood there and said,
> "If you're not out of here in 5 minutes you're toast!"  I think it 
was
> a matter of seconds.  

GEO: Why didn't he just blast her with his wand instead of actually 
using words first to intimidate her and have her step aside. The 
former would have been much quicker. Yet why the latter given his 
known ruthlessness.

> To one unfamiliar with love, who
> believes there's nothing worse than death, this would have made
> perfect sense.

GEO: He may not understand love, but he probably does have a good 
understanding of heroes and patterns and seeing how James died to 
protect his family how could he think that the mother wouldn't do 
the same?