JKR's FAQ poll -- Neville's potential as prophecy boy (spoilers for FAQ)

[greatelderone]

No: HPFGUIDX 129071

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
<justcarol67 at y...> wrote:
> Carol notes:
 He had no reason to kill her, whereas he had very good
> reason to kill James--and even more reason, so he thought, to kill 
his
> real target, Harry. 

GEO: He had very good reasons to kill her. She was a muggleborn, one 
of the Order of the Phoenix and also one who had defied him three 
times. Sparings her despite all these reasons thus is very out of 
character for someone like him who has put whole houses to death.

> Even if she didn't
> perform a Charm, I think she knew exactly what she was doing and 
why:
> she was aware of the Ancient Magic and knew that it could be 
achieved
> only if she was a willing victim, not fighting for her own life or
> even for Harry's. 

GEO: I think it was absolutely necessary that she didn't know that 
her sacrifice would bring an end to Voldemort or provide a 
protection for her son. 

> To return to GEO's point, I don't think Voldemort had any ulterior
> motive in originally sparing her (she's not a relative or the 
promised
> bride of Wormtail and he certainly wasn't showing her mercy or
> kindness).

GEO: I agree those reasons are not it, but considering that he 
indiscriminently kills almost anyone that gets in his way(Frank 
Bryce, Bertha Jorkins, Cedric), I very much doubt his one moment of 
supposed mercy at Godric's Hollow was a random fluke or oversight.

> Without a wand, she was only a "silly girl" who happened
> to be in his way. 

GEO: Considering his victims, I would think that being a "silly 
girl" would still earn her a killing curse from him.