Failed AK Curse -- What's Love Got to Do With It?

[gelite67]

No: HPFGUIDX 128176


Were Voldemort's powers broken simply because his attempt to kill Harry 
as an infant was unsuccessful or because the spell rebounded on him?  
(Seems only fitting to me that if you try to perform the AK curse and 
fail, something like that should happen.  Also seems like LV would have 
died instead of turning to Vapormort if he hadn't taken those 
mysterious steps to guard against mortality.)


Also, we've been told that LV/Quirrell couldn't stand to touch Harry in 
SS b/c of Lily's sacrifice.  But have we actually been told that this 
love-sacrifice is the reason the AK curse didn't kill Harry? (I've read 
the series several times and can't believe I don't know the answer to 
this question.)  I don't think we have because that seems to be one of 
the unsolved mysteries.