[HPforGrownups] Re: Will Neville kill Voldy?

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 169157

From: jmwcfo <jmwcfo at yahoo.com>
>Of course, that is even FURTHER from "killed" than "destroyed" would 
>be.  My point is still:  Why think in terms of KILLING LV when we 
>know that it is against the author's personal beliefs, and there are 
>other, more appropriate ways of defeating the villain?

Killing human beings is against the author's beliefs, or at least the principles displayed in the books. However, note that many small (mice, frogs, spiders) creatures are treated horribly without a pang of conscience, particularly in Transfiguration Class (that used to be DD's specialty, right?). 

Voldemort has been described as irredeemable. Let's examine why. First of all, he is clearly portrayed as a psychopath. Among other things, it means he has no conscience. Well, that makes him a candidate for St. Mungo's, NOT for a free trip across the Rainbow Bridge. However, his mental illness essentially keeps him from being able to access his soul. One may deduce that this is the reason why he was so willing to create 7 horcruxes; unlike well people, he really cannot tell the difference as to whether or not he has a soul. The point is that, as soon as he created his first horcrux, he ceased to exist as a human being. Now he is simply a soulless monster, and any chance he had of being cured is long gone. 

Or, to put it another way, Tommy Riddle died when Lord Voldemort created his first horcrux. Killing Voldy is just finishing the job. 

Bart