Lily's protection for Harry

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 151864

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Wade Caroline <wdcaroline at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Tonks wrote:
> > Does anyone know of any custom in any culture since the beginning 
of 
> time in which one person who was tried for a crime could have someone 
> die it his place?  
>    
>   Wade: 
>    
>   Would a whipping boy count? (Taking punishment for the prince whose 
royal personage could not be touched)
>

Ceridwen:
There is a story - I don't know if it's true or not, and I don't know 
if it happened in Jamestown or in Plymouth during colonial times.  
Someone from the settlement had killed one of the Indians.  It was 
generally acknowledged that the blacksmith had done it.  But there was 
only one skilled blacksmith and several unskilled laborers.  So there 
was a mock trial and one of the unskilled laborers was convicted and 
hung, with warriors from the tribe watching from the outskirts of the 
town.

Christ, the Sin-Eater, someone who would join the service in someone's 
stead for payment, and possibly whipping boys, all took someone else's 
place voluntarily.  The pilgrim laborer, the scape goat, the lamb stuck 
in the bushes, and possibly the whipping boys, didn't.  (can you tell I 
don't know much about whipping boys?)

Tonks:
> We see this theme in both Lily and Harry and in Bartty Crouch Jr .and 
his mother.  I think there are clues here if only we could figure them 
out.

Ceridwen:
It's a familiar theme, and it's something parents say - 'I wish I could 
take the pain for you'.  It's interesting that you brought up Mrs 
Crouch, another mother who took her son's place.  It does seem to be a 
theme.  Do we doubt that Molly would also take the place of any of her 
children in danger?

But, Lily didn't fight back from what we know.  At least, that's how I 
recall it.  She willingly died without a struggle, without trying to 
defend herself.  Is that the key?

There is definitely something there, but it could be weighty enough 
that it stands alone: willingly giving one's life for someone else, 
without fighting back, is heroic, and in the Potterverse, it's also 
magic.

Ceridwen.