Possibilities surrounding nonverbal spells (HBP spoilers)

[nkafkafi]

Main Entry:  	space
Part of Speech:  	noun 1
Definition:  	room
Synonyms:  	amplitude, area, arena, blank, breadth, capacity, compass,
distance, elbowroom, expanse, expansion, extension, extent, field,
gap, headroom, headway, infinity, interval, lacuna, leeway, location,
margin, omission, play, range, reach, scope, slot, spaciousness,
sphere, spot, spread, stretch, territory, tract, turf, volume, zone

Main Entry:  	space
Part of Speech:  	noun 2
Definition:  	time interval
Synonyms:  	bit, duration, period, season, span, spell, stretch, term,
time, while


> > 
> >   Potioncat:
> >   I don't understand why JKR had DD falling off the tower and that 
> seems to be the big hint about whether it was an AK. But if I
> were    choosing for myself, I'd choose AK before a fall off a tower
> as my    means to an end.
> > 
> >   The only thing that might save Snape is if he knew DD had died
> and     performed the curse a split second later. But still, why the
> fall off    the tower? 
> 

Neri:
Maybe because she knew we will try to subvert this scene any way
possible, and she gets an evil pleasure from making us try harder <g>.

It could be that originally the death was planned to be merely from
the AK. But after OotP, JKR had two years to watch how we tried to
subvert Sirius' death. I find it slightly amusing that this time she
explicitly describes how the jet of *green* light comes from *the tip
of Snape's wand*, and there is definitely a body. 

But she probably realized this won't be enough, so she made Snape kill
DD not once, not twice, but *three* times: first when he doesn't give
him the antidote only he can give him, second when he AKs him, third
when he makes him fall of the tower. And it's actually more like three
and a half, because once Snape takes the Unbreakable Vow it's either
him or DD. JKR will be enjoying herself immensely when touring the fan
sites to see if anybody managed to weasel out of all that.

Neri