[HPforGrownups] Snape's AK Failed!!! with other comments

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 134329

smartone564 wrote:
> First of all, I'm glad it's now 1 a.m. and I can post again, though I
> don't imagine using up any more of my posts in the near future.
> 
> Secondly, and the important stuff, is... SNAPE'S AK ATTACK ON
> DUMBLEDORE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.  For evidence, I recall the deaths we
> have seen from AKs: Cedric, the three Riddles, the Riddle's gardener
> (GoF), and DD.  I exclude the Potters and others because we don't
> have accurate after-the-fact accounts.  In the first three cases,
> five deaths, all victims were completely unharmed.  In fact, the
> Muggle police examined the Riddles and found nothing wrong with
> them.  Cedric and the Gardener (whose name escapes me) instantly
> dropped dead.  DD was blasted from the top of the Astronomy tower. 
> Wait, excuse me?  All the others were completely unharmed by the
> spell, except for the simple fact that they died, instantly.  DD, on
> the other hand, recieved a massive trauma and was thrown outward, and
> then dropped to the ground.  This leads me to believe that Snape was
> unable to form a proper AK spell, because he honestly did not want
> to. 
giant snip

Kathy writes:

    You make some very good points. What I am finding intiguing at the 
moment is how an Unbreakable Vow determines whether or not it has been 
fulfilled. Does it require the complete conviction of the person who is 
fulfilling the vow that the vow has been fulfilled? Does the person who 
bonded the vow have to release the vow as being satisfied? If the whole 
Avada Kedavra was faked, which I don't believe, by the way, would 
Dumbledore's death from a fall, or the drink still satisfy the vow? If 
he was only able to fulfill parts of the vow, protect him, (which he 
did), do the job if he couldn't, (which he did), and help him fulfill 
his task, (which he didn't because Draco refused to let him), does that 
have any effect on the Unbreakable Vow. Is the Vow deactivated because 
you did your level best and failed, or is failure death? Apparently it 
is not necessary to totally understand the Vow to participate in it, as 
described by Ron. Arthur Weasley obviously took it very, very seriously 
that a child was being asked to make an Unbreakable Vow. Would it have 
killed an unsuspecting child, or does some idea of what you are 
promising need to be a part of the Vow.
Any thoughts???
KJ