unselfish love vs. sacrificial love (was: Harry's protection)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 113565

Phabala wrote:
<snip>
> I think the word "sacrifice" itself is important here--it implies 
> that someone is giving up something that's very important to them 
> for the sake of another person, simply because he loves them.  But 
> that still doesn't mean it's completely altruistic, as in the Harry 
> example.  With Lily, however, she didn't know that her sacrifice 
> would do what it did.  She put herself in front of her child out of 
> sheer desire not to see him hurt. 
> 
> Then again, maybe she did know, and it was all a big conspiracy... 
> but probably not.
> 
> -Phabala

Carol:
Actually, I think she did know, and that's why she was so insistent
that Voldemort kill her. Either she knew that self-sacrifice in it
self was a form of "ancient magic" that would save Harry when nothing
else would or could, or more likely, she had used her (canonical)
skill at Charms to protect him using a more complicated form of
"ancient magic," and her self-sacrifice was required to activate the
protective charm. And note that there's a difference between
"sacrifice" (giving up something you care about or love) and
"self-sacrifice" (willingly giving up your life to save someone or
something else).

I know that Voldemort thinks that Lily unwittingly triggered the
"ancient magic," but we know how little he understands love,
especially sacrificial love. I have a feeling that he doesn't
understand how the magic works any better than he understands or
appreciates the concept.

Carol