Merope (wasLily the popular girl)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 168072


> Magpie:
> I couldn't believe that either. What Dumbledore says is that Merope "lacked 
> Harry's mother's courage" which is just...obnoxious. 

Pippin:
Fortunately he didn't say that. He said, "Yes, Merope Riddle chose death in
spite of a son who needed her, but do not judge her too harshly, Harry.
She was greatly weakened by long suffering, and she never had your
mother's courage."

"Lack" implies inadequacy,  "never had" does not. 
Dumbledore says  clearly that  Merope should not be judged harshly
even if Lily would have chosen differently. Harry himself once said that 
if you only have a half life, a cursed life, then death is better. 

Pippin