Why didn't Lily have to die?

[mad_maxime]

No: HPFGUIDX 93546

> > Max wrote:
> > But he [Voldemort] *was* stupid enough to see her as no threat.
> > How else can you read the situation?
 
> Greatelderone replied:  
> That there was a specific reason why he didn't kill her initially
> and that we'll learn more of it in the latter books.

Max replies:
I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.
This theory doesn't make sense to me. If there *is* some mysterious
reason why he doesn't kill her immediately, Voldemort certainly
doesn't seem to hold it in much regard. Probably within one minute of
him entering the room, Lily lies dead on the floor.

So how important could this reason have been in the first place? If
there is something that makes him hesitate, why not just incapacitate
her instead?

> > Max wrote:
> > I don't disagree that he saw her as one of his enemies, but it is
> > clear to me that her viewed her as merely a nuisance, not a
> > threat.   
 
> Greatelderone replied:
> If so no doubt he'd still kill her. Judging by what Voldemort has
> done so far he'd be ruthless enough to do it especially if she's a
> mudblood and ootp member.
> <snip>

Max replies:
But he did kill her, very quickly and very effectively. He simply
asked her to step aside initially because he wanted to kill Harry
first (imo). In his arrogance, he saw a wandless Lily as posing no
threat to him.
 
> > Max wrote:
> > If I were to describe his character, two things I'd be fairly
> > certain of, would be his arrogance and his fondness for gloating.
> > Who knows, maybe he enjoyed the idea of making Lily watch as he
> > killed her son.
 
> Greatelderone wrote:
> Why gloat towards a ootp member that he's just going to kill? Kinda
> pointless there.

Max replies:
Because he gets sadistic joy from it? I never said he was smart.