But DID James listen? (was LID!Snape rides again )

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 150030

Ceridwen:
> While I can't see Lily allowing James to keep her out of things, I 
> can see James trying to, in order to protect her.  The same way 
> Harry  broke up with Ginny to protect her at the end of HBP.  Not 
> that it will do any good with Ginny, the primary people who knew 
> they were dating had already left Hogwarts by the time they broke
> up. Isn't that the point, to make LV think she's not a lure to 
> draw Harry to his death?  Also, I don't think Ginny will allow
> it.  

> Alla:
> > I don't think James could have kept Lily out of anything, 
> > personally. Speculating of course.
 
> Ceridwen:
> Absolutely not!  Lily wouldn't allow it for one thing.  And since
> it had to do with her safety as well, and with her child's, I 
> think she could convince him through argument that he was wrong. 
> It would be grossly unfair for him to shove her aside for this.
> Their continued lives are that important that she has to be a part
> of it.  But, that's my speculation.  And I'm trying to base what I
> think of that period of James' and Lily's lives with what I see 
> in 'present-day' canon, Harry and Ginny.  

Jen: I think you nailed a couple of things, like Lily being involved 
in protection plans because, well, she's a mom and that's what most 
moms in Potterverse tend to do. JKR talked about her 'litany of bad 
fathers' being the fertile ground where evil grows; I think a 
corollary might be strong mothers intervening to provide protection. 
The one main mother figure so far who didn't intervene on behalf of 
her child, Merope, contributed however tragically to irreversible 
damage in her son. The intervention doesn't always look noble 
either, Narcissa chose a very dark way to protect Draco by asking 
someone else to be sacrificed in his place; still, her intervention 
may have saved Draco's soul. 

I wonder if James and Lily battled over him trying to protect her? 
James acting all noble and her being cheeky and saying "no go 
Potter, don't play the hero with *me*!" Like Ceridwen said, it comes 
down to how JKR sees the female characters. I think Ginny, like Lily 
before her, won't take Harry's noble gesture as the final word on 
the matter. She won't want to sit at home being protected, 
especially if Hermione and Ron get to assist Harry. 

One of my dearest hopes for book 7 is Harry will finally get to hear 
*good* stories about Lily's and James' lives as a couple and as new 
parents, and how dearly they loved Harry. This part seems achingly 
absent to me. Seeing a memory would be the ultimate, but a couple of 
stories would be enough for me, personally. 

Jen R., with high hopes for the Lily backstory when it's finally 
revealed, and somewhat smaller hopes Petunia might share a few 
memories and begin the process of thawing her icy feelings toward 
Lily & Harry.