"Stand aside, girl" and the End

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 145724

> SSSusan:
> I really, really like this possibility.  In spite of the fact that 
> I've long clung to LOLLIPOPS as a possible explanation for some of 
> Snape's actions, I've never been able to buy the "Voldy offered to 
> let her live as a reward for Snape" explanation for "Stand aside."  
> As you noted, it just does NOT fit with the Voldy we know -- in 
> particular with the person who instantly ordered the murder of 
> Cedric as a mere "spare."  
<snip>
> 
> What I especially like in what Jen is proposing about Lily studying 
> Death and not fearing it is that Voldy may have then had reason to 
> find her "troublesome" or "worrisome" and so didn't want to mess 
> with her unless he had to. 

Pippin:
Voldemort kept Bertha Jorkins alive until he had extracted all the
information she had to offer. It might be that Voldemort thought
Lily knew something about Death, or perhaps about the Philosopher's
Stone, and he intended to spare her until he had learned what she 
knew. 

But while it isn't  in Voldemort's nature to honor his
bargains, it isn't out of character for him to offer them, especially
with those who aren't yet in his power or might be inclined to waver a 
bit. Think of Wormtail's silver hand, the gold Lucius jingled in front of 
Fudge, the crystallized  pineapple that Riddle supplied to Slughorn and 
all the emotional support he lavished on Ginny. 

I don't think that Voldemort would have needed to offer Pettigrew a
reward for betraying his friends. Fear was enough. But if there was
someone else involved, someone a bit braver, someone who was close 
to Lily and whose allegiance to the good was wavering but not entirely 
lost...

I do think there will be a showdown in the Veil room, but not with
Voldemort. What I'm imagining now is that Harry will face Voldemort
and defeat him, but discover that there is still one horcrux left.
Possibly that will be Harry himself, or his scar.  Harry will then go to 
the Veil room to destroy it, only to be met by EverSoEvil!Lupin, who 
will finally, to Harry's horror and astonishment
reveal himself. That returns Lupin to  the scene of Sirius's murder, 
which, if my theories hold up, was committed by Lupin not
Bella.

Maybe Harry can convince Lupin to take the last horcrux through the veil 
with him as a redemptive act. But my favorite  idea is that they will both 
go through, and Harry will come out again through the room of love. 

Pippin