[HPforGrownups] To the Extreme

[Dave Hardenbrook]

No: HPFGUIDX 164893


Snow:
s> What if Voldy's Mom gave her powers away so that she could die? What 
s> if she gave her powers away to a very young child named Lily? 
s> Merope's powers would no longer save her from death and allow her to 
s> die. Lil' Lily would acquire Merope's power and become the first 
s> witch in the family. 

Dave:
I think a much simpler and more based-on-Canon explanation is that
Merope had simply lost the will to live at that point... Maybe she
even committed suicide, one dark night when no one was watching --
I assume if a wizard/witch suffers from sufficient self-loathing,
turning your wand on yourself and saying "Avada Kedavra" *would*
work.  And since AK leaves no trace, Mrs. Cole might
have come in the next morning and *assumed* she died of childbirth.

I think Jo's intention is that Merope's refusal to use magic to save
herself, if only for the sake of her son, is meant to sharply contrast
Lily's bravery in sacrificing her life to save Harry, and therefore to
augment the contrast between Harry and LV themselves.

Dave