Cedric, Snape and carma was re: Chapter Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban

[nikkalmati]

No: HPFGUIDX 190586



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Shelley Gardner <k12listmomma at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> > Alla:
> >
> > So, if those are facts, I draw the conclusion that Snape would have at least preferred to being dead rather than being saved by James? Now, of course I do not believe that he went there to commit suicide, all I am saying that the thought of being saved by James of all people may have irked him so, that if he were to choose: death or being saved by James, I think he may have chose death IMO.
> 
Shelly

> Considering this question, I am going to rephrase it:
> Since in the wizarding world, when one saves another's life, he is owed 
> a life-debt. So then this question becomes: which would Snape have 
> chosen- death, or to live while owing James a life-debt?
> 
> I think it makes it clearer that Snape would rather have chosen death 
> than to owe James any bit of gratitude, and a life-debt is quite a bit 
> stronger than that!

Nikkalmati

I suspect with a cool head Snape would choose to live however embarassing the situation was.

  Life debts are puzzling things.  We are never given any hint that Snape ows a lift debt to James and JKR said Ginny did not own one to Harry (which I see as a similar situation to James/Snape).  The only life debt we know about is Wormtail to Harry.  It does not prevent Wormtail from tying Harry up at the graveyard or going down to fetch Harry at the Malfoy's house.  I guess it does give Wormtail a moment's pause, which is enough to cause the silver hand to kill him.  I'm not sure if the life debt caused Wormtail's death or not.  
> 
Nikkalmati
>