15 replies to this topic

[Keri]

I have been wondering about this for a while. Why was Voldemort about to spare Lily? It doesn't make sense. Voldemort, who values blood above all else, kills Pureblood James, but gives Lily the opportunity to live. This, of course, must have to do with something we have yet to find out about Lily.

I killed your father first, and he put up a corageous fight...but you mother needn't have died...she was trying to protect you (SS).

Stand aside. Stand aside, girl! (PoA)

We really don't know much about Lily. She was very good at Charms, which was mentioned in SS, but then, we find out she was very gifted in Potions also, in Half-Blood Prince. Snape was also very good in Potions. She was very liked in Hogwarts, especially by James Potter and Prof. Slughorn. And she could have lived.

Voldemort has no mercy. He doesn't care about killing people, or who he steps on to get to the top. But something made him decide to spare Lily, which is very out of character for him. What do you think could have made him decide to let her step aside?

[neiser]

Perhaps he was fearful of the protection she was giving her son. He knew that she was protecting Harry out of love, and he didn't know what would happen if he killed her before Harry. Maybe he read about the power of love, and because he doesn't understand it, he was fearful of it.

I don't know though. I'm interesting to read other's feedback.

Good question Keri!

[neiser]

Ooh, just had a thought!

Maybe he was thinking of Harry. Him and Harry are so similar, and maybe Lily reminded Voldemort of his Mother. Maybe?

[Arias]

That is a good point that you raise about wondering why he even thought to spare her. But in GOF, when they are in the grave yard and Harry is being held by the grave stone, Voldemort states something to the effect "I couldn't kill him, his mother protected him with love, old magic, something I didn't think about and didn't foresee....."

So I don't think that he didn't kill Lily because of worry of what might happen. And the other thing that doesn't make sense, wasn't Lily muggle born? If so, didn't Voldemort dispise that as dirty blood, and therefore would have killed her just out of spite against being muggle born?

[marymcbeth]

I'm guessing that 'someone' asked him to spare her. He was going to let her live as a favour as long as she didn't get in the way. Didn't he call her a 'silly girl' at some point?

That whole scene always seemed surreal and out of character for him. Although, the Voldie we see is a mere shadow of his former self--less human. So maybe then, he did have some humanity. He was said to be charming and handsome before he lost his body. So maybe, back then, he did fancy Lily, or more likely, did choose to spare her as a favour for a loyal Death Eater. Maybe he had planned to capture her and use her for potions (HA!! I accidentally typed 'portions!')--I mean to brew rather they be used in.

I think the answer to this question is the crux of many issues in this story. Roll on book 7.

[Keri]

I was thinking, maybe Peter Pettigrew bargained with Voldemort, and asked him to spare Lily and James (I can't really see Peter doing that, but he was in Gryffindor). Voldemort agreed because he really wanted Harry dead, and wanted the information. But then again, Voldemort could have just tortured Peter into telling where Lily and James were. If he did say he would let James and Lily live in exchange for where they were hiding, he might have killed James because he was putting up a fight. Lily was just begging him not to kill Harry, not physically fighting, so he may have upheld his deal.

Or, maybe Snape asked him to spare her, because he liked/loved her. I don't know though. I've always been fond of the Snape loved Lily theory though.

[SaintHedwig]

Dumbledore said Voldie was unaware of the protection that Lily gave Harry because it was old magic that he didn't give proper respect too. So, I don't think he would have spared her because he was afraid of that type of protection. I find it more plausible that he was going to spare her as a reward for a faithful deatheater (ahem, Snape anyone...?)

[Arias]

That makes a lot of sense! If Snape really was in love with Lily, then that would explaine why he dispised Harry right from the get go. Not only was Harry, unknowingly responsible for the fall of Voldemort (Snapes "lord"), but Harry was also, unknowingly the reason why Lily died, even though Snape may have made the request to Voldemort to spare her if it was possible.

Although I do find it very hard to believe Snape could have any sort of feelings of affection for anyone!!

[gryffindor_teacher]

Even though Lily is no longer living, her protection still stays with Harry.
Voldemort did overlook the protection. However, what kind of person would actually think that a mother would step aside and save herself to allow her child to be killed?

I think he killed James because he was fighting against him. I don't know that there was a particular reason other than that. Lily was not fighting him - her only instinct was to protect Harry.

Voldemort killed Lily anyway, so I don't think he was asked to spare her.

[Becky Boo]

Hey, this is my first post on here so im not sure whether this has been mentioned or whether what im about to suggest is completely rubbish hehe.

Maybe Voldermort was taken aback at the fact someone was willing to give their life for another? His own mother died whilst he was born and had no family to speak of and hence knew very little if no compassion, love and support that you get from close family. The fact that Lily was prepared to die for Harry to be saved maybe shocked Voldermort, and im not suggesting that he wouldnt have killed her, but perhaps seen a quality in Lily which he didnt envy...but perhaps admired...i dunno. Sorry if thats rubbish hehe x

[marymcbeth]

I don't think your idea is unreasonable. I'm sure that the idea of being willing to die for someone else would be weird to him. Maybe it was just that he couldn't understand why she was risking her life to save a child, when in his mind, he knew they would both die anyway. If the baby is going to die anyway, why should she die, too? Being selfless is not one of Voldie's strong points.

But I think the Sparing of Lily had been pre-arranged. *goes on dreaming*

Now, Becky Boo, you need to toddle over to introductions and post one. 'Tis required so we can welcome you properly.

[neiser]

Becky Boo, welcome to the snitch.

I think that idea has merit. In his mind (Voldemort), he could be wondering why is she protecting him? Him, being self absorbed and not knowing that this is a normal occurance, could be quite thrown by this act of love.

Interesting. I like it!

[Becky Boo]

Thinking about it further, my other theory i must admit seems abit strange and almost unbelievable at first, but bare with me. As i mentioned before, Voldemort might have been taken aback by the fact that brave Lily was completely willing to give up her life for her only son, and therefore may have been taken aback by it and not able to understand the situation before him. Now, as he explained to Harry that she could have been spared (for whatever reason), maybe the fact that she was willing to give her life instead of Harry's ensured she was killed also. It would be unlikely that any mother would stand aside for her baby to be killed, but this fact may not be apparent to Voldemort, seeing as he didnt know his mother. The fact he has never had a loving relationship with anyone has maybe resulted in him hating love...and the love Lily showed meant he had to kill her.

Who knows?

[HogwartsGirl13]

Maybe he would have spared her because Peter was in love with her, and Peter told him where the Potter's were. So maybe Voldemort was giving him a favor by sparing her. But she stood in the way, so she had to go. Just a thought.

[lilyana999]

I think if she had stood aside he wouldn't have killed her, I think the same can be said for James but they were both brave people and didn't back down.