James gave his life, why no protection from him?

[coderaspberry77]

No: HPFGUIDX 106570

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mad_maxime" <mad_maxime at h...> 
wrote:
> > (1) Lily must have done something more than just give her life 
for 
> > HP, becaue James did that and nothing happened.
> > 
> > or 
> > 
> > (2) there something about Lily that allows her to do this.
> > 
> > Thoughts?
> > 
> > Jake
> 
> Max responds:
> 
> I don't have the links where this was discussed before, but a 
number
> of us believe that Lily actively conjured the ancient magic that 
saved
> Harry's life, and she probably did so before Voldemort even entered
> the room. In order for the 'spell' to be activated, Lily knew that 
she
> would have to sacrifice herself for Harry. 


This is possible, but then again, at this point aren't James and 
Lily 5 years removed from Hogwart's, at the most?  Would she have 
learned this type of ancient magic in her studies or training for 
whatever she did?  I am hoping we find out what the Potters did, but 
I have an inkling that either there's something very special about 
Lily, or else Becki was right in her earlier response to this post:  
That it was simply undiluted, unadulterated, and purely 
unconditional love that protected Harry.  

It looks like James died fighting LV (i.e. he had no choice in his 
sacrifice), but he gave Lily the option of stepping aside, and she 
didn't.  I believe, especially given JKR's writing, that it was the 
sacrifice that provided the protection - even though James may have 
fought LV valiantly, there's a difference between dying in battle 
and laying down your life without struggle.