First lesson WAS: Re: Marietta, was Slytherin's Reputation

[lizzyben04]

No: HPFGUIDX 185865

 
> Potioncat:
> And it was a lie. I just realized that it was a complete lie. Of 
> course, DD couldn't tell Harry that Snape was protecting him to 
honor 
> Lily....but why did DD make up that crock about Snape owing James? 
> That's the worst thing he could have told Harry!


lizzyben:

Which brings up a different point - do magical "life debts" actually 
exist at all? If you think of it, the only one who ever mentions the 
concept is Dumbledore, master of secrets & lies. The first time he's 
lying to cover up Snape's real reason for protecting Harry, & the 
second time he might well have been lying to make Harry feel better 
about letting Pettigrew go. (Which in retrospect, Harry should not 
have done. Mercy rarely pays off in this series!) I could see the 
whole "life debt" idea as appealing to DD's twisted viewpoint, which 
seems to see lives as something to be bartered, or pledged in payment 
for a debt owed to him.