The Strange Attitude of Voldemort on the Killing of Lily Potter

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 146346

Richard wrote:
> soul?)  Rather, Voldemort himself says he killed Lilly when she 
> wouldn't step aside, and thus failed to kill Harry for having 
> forgotten the "old" magic that sacrifice invoked.  Voldemort discuss 
> this in some detail in the graveyard scene in GoF.

Bart:
One of the mysteries in the Harry Potter novels is why Voldemort offered 
to spare Lily Potter. Certainly, she had proven to be a thorn in his 
side, and he did not have any apparent reason not to kill her. Motives 
have been given (including by me), but, in our discussions, a new 
possibility has occurred to me.

This is based on two not unreasonable assumptions:

1) Voldemort fully expected Lily to take his offer.
2) Voldemort had something to gain if she did.

Given the theme of the power of love and Voldemort's rejection of it, it 
would make literary sense if it was connected. Given this logical house 
of cards (albeit pretty sturdy cards), what Voldemort was looking to do 
was proving that love could be overcome, in this case by fear of death. 
I might go further to say that, if Lily took his offer, he would have 
his hooks in her in some way, shape, or form (the elusive "life debt"?).

	Bart