Why didn't Lily have to die?

[mad_maxime]

No: HPFGUIDX 93570

> > Max wrote:
> > 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.

> Naama replied:
> That doesn't mean that there wasn't some reason that made him prefer
> Lily alive. It may have been a slight preference, but it could have
> existed.

Max replies:
Sure anything is possible. It just doesn't click or make sense to me.

> > Max wrote:
> > <snip>
> > 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.
 
> Naama replied:
> Why do you think she was wandless? <snip>

Max replies:
I don't mean that she was completely wandless, as in no wand somewhere
on her person or close by. I mean that all evidence suggests that she
was not holding her wand up at the ready to attack Voldemort when he
entered the room.

> Naaama wrote:
> As for incapacitating her, Lily was a powerful witch. We have seen  
> in the OoP battle that curses can be deflected.
> <snip>

Max replies:
I believe it would have been quite easy for Voldemort to stun Lily in
some way if there was really a reason why he didn't want to kill her.
Especially since I don't believe she had her wand at the ready.
Besides, there is no evidence of a battle or duel taking place between
Voldemort and Lily (if we are to believe the memories Harry relives
when he's close to the Dementors).

> Naama wrote:
> If Voldemort says that Lily needn't have died, it must mean that had
> she moved aside, he would not have killed her after killing Harry.
> If he had intended to kill her afterwards, it would be a lie to
> say that she needn't have died, right?

Max replies:
Yes, personally I have no trouble believing that Voldemort might lie
to Harry (or stretch the truth in this case), especially if he was
trying to taunt Harry and make him feel defeated.