Pettigrew's life debt

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 125651


> Snow: 
<snipping>
> From this quote it appears that the debt to James was left 
> unresolved, but who knows. Then again, Snape's debt may have been 
> repaid but Snape didn't feel worthy of the repayment because James 
> died. Snape's attempt at repayment did not actually save James and 
> may have left Snape to feel there was no closure as a result and 
> still felt honor bound to Harry. 
<snip>
> As far as being in favor of Snape and his intentions, I'm still 
> left a bit confused. I believe that Snape is on Dumbledore's side 
> wholeheartedly but still question why he made the decision to 
> switch sides in the first place, was it a choice on Snape's part 
> or was he forced to because of his life debt to James? 

Jen: Wouldn't that just be fitting as Snape's lot in life? He's 
saddled with this debt to a person he loathes and can never truly, 
in his own mind anyway, repay it. 

Regarding Snape's switch to Dumbledore's side and the life-debt, the 
explanation that most neatly resolves the plot threads in my mind is 
Snape did indeed attempt to save James & Lily at Godric's Hollow. 
Maybe it was heroism that drove him to it, maybe a last ditch effort 
to free himself from Voldemort, perhaps even for purely contractual 
reasons as Snow suggested up-thread. Whatever drove him to it, 
Snape's information was summarily rejected by Sirius and/or James, 
and Snape, in a seething rage no doubt, was forced to watch the 
Potters die. 

This scenario explains the vehemence Snape feels toward the 
arrogance of Sirius and James, and his immediate dislike for Harry 
when first laying eyes on him. Also covers why Dumbledore trusts him 
and would explain the "great personal risk" DD refers to in the 
Pensieve scene. 

But about Snape's motivation...Hannah mentioned hoping Snape didn't 
change sides *just* to repay the life debt. This idea bothers me, 
too. I don't want to think of a life-debt as a 'binding magical 
contract' like the Goblet. If it's 'magic at its deepest and most 
impenetrable' and JKR keeps hammering on the idea of Choice--well, 
it doesn't fit for a life-debt to be some obligatory business deal. 

Harry chose to save Pettigrew, not only to keep Lupin and Sirius 
from becoming murderers as he says in the moment, but also because 
the idea of watching someone die in front of him was abhorrent at 
some level. We never get a full explanation from Harry about what 
motivated him to step in front of the wands directed at Peter, but 
he feels forced to intervene. I'm imagining James felt that same 
abhorrence at the idea of Snape being fed to a werewolf.

I guess the question is whether someone like Peter can feel that 
same abhorrence? He didn't show that he can at the graveyard, 
knowing full well what's in store for Harry. (Maybe Peter knew at 
the time that using Harry's blood in the rebirthing potion would 
actually weaken LV in the end, but that seems doubtful.)

I'm expecting Peter will attempt to save Harry for plot purposes, 
it's such a nice set-up with so much foreshadowing, but I'd prefer 
to see his debt left unpaid. That would be a perfect example of how 
our choices make us who we are, and would lend more credibilty to 
Snape's choice.

Hannah:
> I am doubtful we'll ever get a full explanation of the way that 
> the 'life debt contract' system works.  I would translate the 
> quote you give above from the original Rowlingesque as; 'This is 
> magic at its least thought out, its most convenient for plot, 
> Harry.'  

Jen: *spits out coke from laughing so hard* So true, so true. I 
suspect your answer is the 'right' one.

Jen, who likes the idea that Snape's motives for attempting to save 
James & Lily (IF attempting to save them) were mixed at best, and 
downright unprintable at worst.