Godric's Hollow Scene

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 177845

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Did anyone else find it surprising that Harry learned what 
happened 
> at Godric's Hollow from Voldemort's pov? <SNIP>

Alla:

I was surprised :) I was betting on time travel as means Harry would 
learn about the event. But yeah, it made sense in retrospect for me 
too.


Jen:
 Here are a few more thoughts about the scene:
> 
> 1)  James not picking up his wand:  That he wasn't armed seemed 
> strange to me at first - why, with all the danger for his family, 
> would he not grab his wand when he heard a loud noise such as the 
> door bursting open?!?  Like it or not, the explanation appears to 
be 
> given by Voldemort - James trusted his friends.  I ended up liking 
> that explanation, thinking it fit.  James reminded me of Harry by 
not 
> being prepared, by not believing his secret would be betrayed by a 
> friend.  Without knowing what was going through his head, my best 
> guess is James assumed whoever entered the house was a friend.


Alla:

I thought also that James without a wand was meant to make the scene 
of his death so much more poignant ( and Lily too). I mean, I was 
not expecting it, but when instead of James dying  when charging 
another curse at Voldemort, I saw James dying right after playing 
with his son, I thought it was to empathise the innocence, sort of 
making a scene as maniac killing civilians, not soldiers battling 
and one soldier killing another.

I loved it. I mean, it is not that I think of James any less of the 
hero. He fought Voldemort for several years since young age, he is 
hero in my eyes for sure and Lily too, but I found that scene deeply 
deeply moving and I loved that she went for portraying James' death 
that way.

Oh, and yeah, agree on trusting his friends part. I can so identify 
in that with James.


Jen: 
> 2)  Lily barricading the door:  This one was a little harder to 
> decipher.  At first I thought it was simply meant to be a mother 
and 
> wife panicking, a young mother at that.  Now after a few readings 
I 
> see more.  I think both the Potters are meant to contrast with 
> Voldemort, how little value he places on human reactions and  
> emotions vs. magical skill, and how clear it was that the Potters  
> were humans first and magical beings second.  Both responded with 
> their humanity first.  Now I read the scene as in-character for 
both 
> of them, and it fits that Harry is more like them than different.


Alla:

Of children and loyalty and fairy tales Voldemort understands 
nothing. Yes, indeed, I agree again. But I also think that Lily's 
barricading the door first and then standing in front of Harry was 
meant to empathicise her courage even more AND that it was not an 
easy thing for her to do - mother's love or not, she **was** afraid 
of Voldemort IMO, hence barricading the door.

JMO,

Alla