Harry, Draco and bathroom/ A couple of theories - Snape

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 162341

> > Magpie:
> > Harry is absolutely defending himself--from actual hexes. I think
> that's
> > one of the reasons the whole thing is so shocking from his pov, 
> that
> he's
> > not really ever feeling angry at Malfoy in the bathroom. He really
> never
> > loses control. He just reaches for the spell he thinks will take
> care of
> > things and he's not expecting what he gets. He does feel twinges of
> > conscience about it, which I hope will be explored later, because 
> he
> did
> > almost kill someone violently, which went beyond defending himself.
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
<snip> 
> He indeed almost killed someone violently, but I absolutely do not
> think that he went one ounce beyond defending himself in this scene.
> 
> He almost killed someone because he used the spell that he did not
> know the meaning of. Stupid is as stupid does, no argument from me.
> 
> But I completely disagree that it was just reaching for the spell 
> that
> takes care of things. I think tripping and wet on the floor counts
> pretty good for "losing control"
> 
> But I let Amiable Dorsai speak for me here :)
> 
> "When Harry slipped and fell on the now-flooded floor, Draco 
> attempted
> to use the Cruciatus curse on a downed opponent.
> 
> It was only then, on the floor, soaking wet and desperate, that Harry
> used the Sectumsempra curse. Up until then, he had tried to defend
> himself with fairly benign magic.
> 
> "Near-murder"? No, it wasn't anywhere near murder.
> 

a_svirn:
But who says anything about murder? Magpie said Harry "almost killed
someone violently" and that it "went beyond defending himself". That's
perfectly true. Of course, it wasn't Harry's intention to kill Draco,
much less cut him to pieces, but that's what he almost did. It
wouldn't have been a murder whichever way you slice it, and no one
really says otherwise. At worst it could have been classified as
manslaughter. But it's not a pure case of self-defence either, because
one can hardly call the curse Harry used "defensive" or a
"counter-curse". Draco almost died brutal and torturous death. He was
being methodically butchered. Methodical inflicting multiple and fatal
wounds can hardly be called self-defence. Granted, Harry didn't know
what the curse does, but I, for one, am not sure that his ignorance
could have been a sufficient excuse had he indeed killed Draco. It
could have been a consideration, but I'd say the principle "ignorance
is no excuse" should apply for the offensive magic.