Harry's protection

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 113037

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> 
> SSSusan: 
> The first two, imho, have nothing to do with love.  The Mrs. Crouch 
> example is interesting, because it likely was done out of love, but 
> she didn't anticipate the patricide, it wasn't the PURPOSE of the 
> sacrifice. 

Kneasy:
Maybe so. But you've got to admit, there was a downside to her  loving
sacrifice whether intended or not. 

> SSS
> The way I'm envisioning the Harry Sacrifice denouement, it wouldn't 
> work that way.  
> 
> So humor me.  Let's set the final scenario this way.  (And forgive 
> the lack of creativity & grace in what's to follow--no time or 
> ability to even attempt to make it pretty.)  Harry, after two 
> torturous years of wondering what he must do, why he must do it, how 
> can he get out of it, blah blah blah, finds himself and all his 
> fellows IN the final showdown.  He has suspected the possibility that 
> he might have to die in order to end it all, but damn it, he really 
> doesn't want to.  In this moment, however, he glances around him, 
> sees all these fellows fighting alongside him, considers all these 
> people whom he loves deeply.  And then, NOT out of sense of duty or 
> obligation, but out of deep, sheer love for who they are, for their 
> goodness and humanity, he chooses to step up and sacrifice himself.  
> He splats, Voldy get annihilated, end of VW2 and Voldy.  
> 
> What, exactly, is the downside of that kind of love?
> 

Kneasy
The problem is that you have already decided that love is the motive
and the driving force.
It could be duty, courage or sheer bloody-mindedness. Or even hate.
He may be seeking revenge for James, Lily, Cedric, Sirius and a whole
list of casualties that may accrue in books 6 & 7. Which is more likely;
that or saying "I love you Ron," before going out to face the enemy?
Ugh. That'd upset a lot of SHIPpers.

IMO Harry will not have a  choice in what he does, though he may
have a choice in 'when'. Voldy is hell bent on killing him in any event, 
so Harry is just hanging around for the inevitable showdown. Unless
Harry goes ESE he is going to cop it in the neck. Since he's going to
get killed anyway I can see the up-side of making it count by taking 
out Voldy, but I don't see it as a sacrifice. It's the old soldiers maxim
of "Since I'm going anyway, I'll take as many of you with me as I can."

I tend to subscribe to the attitude of Gen. Patton:-
"Your job is not to die for your country  but to make some other
poor bastard die for his."

Go for it, Harry!

Kneasy