Harry's protection

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 113049

SSS earlier:
>>> 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 replied:
>>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.<<


SSSusan:
Right.  It *could* be any one – or multiple ones – of those 
motivations.  But I am saying, in my picture of what COULD happen, 
that it *could* also be out of love, period.  I'm not saying it WILL 
be the way it plays out - heck, I'm not even convinced he will have 
to die, though I *am* convinced he will have to be willing to die – 
but I'm saying this IS one fairly reasonable possibility, based upon 
what we know about that power/force that Harry has and that Voldy has 
not and that Voldy underestimates.  *IF* it turns out to be 
sacrificial love, then this is one way it might play out.  Though 
[giggle] no, I did not envision Harry saying, "I love you, Ron."  In 
fact, I envisioned JKR putting us inside Harry's head, knowing his 
final thoughts, but with him possibly not saying anything at all.


Kneasy:
>>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."<<


SSSusan:
We're back to seeing choice differently - a longstanding difference 
between us, I do believe.  I see that Harry does always have a choice 
(even if it is limited to a degree).  He could choose to run away, 
reject his burden, go into hiding and be a hermit.  Yes, Voldy might 
still hunt him down & kill him, but in that scenario I DON'T think 
killing Harry would WORK to kill Voldy, too.  I think the way Harry's 
dying would work is ONLY if it's voluntary sacrifice, not simply 
yielding to the inevitable.


Kneasy:
>> 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."<<

Potioncat:
> But, Big But, going in not intending to die, but willing to take the
> risk and knowing it might happen, is still sacrificial.


SSSusan:
Precisely, Potioncat.  And I am willing to wager a bet that I'm right 
about sacrifice, even if I'm NOT positive whether it will definitely 
lead to Harry's death.  That is, he will EITHER die via loving 
sacrifice, or he will be WILLING to do so - and BELIEVE he is going 
to do so – but "something" will prevent him from actually dying.

That's my story, anyway.  For now.

Siriusly Snapey Susan