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Magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable

by David Haber

At the end of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Dumbledore describes the life that Peter Pettigrew owes Harry as "magic at its deepest, it's most impenetrable". But who else the in Harry Potter books might owe Harry a life ? And are life and Unbreakable Vows related?

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Reader Comments: (Page 18)

Just out of curiosity, if someone who takes part in an unbreakable vow, (for example, Bella, Narccisa, or Snape, in the one vow we've seen made) happens to , is the vow still valid? If the bonder (Bella) was to , would the vow still be bound? If the vow needed to be broken, could one of the two give their lives so that someone (snape) could break the vow? What if Dumbledore was a bonder or a promised-to-er, in a vow, but the vow needed to be broken? The question would be who are the other two people, and what was the vow?

Also, how free are the people who take part in a vow, to talk about the vow?

Posted by Devlin on May 24, 2007 10:47 PM

We are venturing into uncharted territory when we speak about the vows for, as you have mentioned, we have only witnessed one.

I should venture to say that IF the vow could be cancelled, it would have to be by the person the vow was made to, and with the presence of the three people originally involved on the vow, but this is a big IF.

The vow did not speak of secrecy, so any of the three involved could speak about it, as Snape tried to do with Draco (the evening of Slughorns party).

In the validity of the vow in case of , well, I think that the vow we witnessed was specific to what should be done, in a vague way (if this makes sense). Severus was to help Draco with his task, and complete it if Malfoy couldn�t, this was the specific part of the vow, the vague one is that it did not mention the task, the timeframe, place, way it should be done, etc.

Posted by Emilio from Mexico City, Mexico on May 25, 2007 12:07 PM

I think Dumbledore and Snape making an Unbreakable vow is a bit Un-Dumbledorish because he wouldn't want Snape to if he changed sides. Its probably something to do with love, like Snape being in love with Lily.

Posted by Katherine from Southend, England on May 29, 2007 10:24 AM

A number of wizards/witches owe harry a life : Ron, Hermoine, Wormtail, Fleur Delacour, her sister gabrielle, Sirius, Ginny, Arthur weasley.

With this band of wizards/witches owing harry a life it is a good protection for harry. If snape also has a full life and is not really a eater then he can help harry to locate and destroy voldemort's horcruxes and also can help harry in final battle with voldemort.

Posted by sakharam gatane on June 14, 2007 08:33 AM

But remember in the first book when Harry was playing his first quidditch game and Snape saved him from Quirrel? I think that Snape was doing his life to Harry.

Posted by Layna from Minnesota on June 14, 2007 6:45 PM

Very interesting theory Dave, and possible too. That would be a good reason for Dumbledore's un belief in Snape. And I do think Aberforth play a bigger part, perhaps he was the bonder?

Posted by Kylie from Australia on June 17, 2007 7:50 PM

Doesn't Neville kind of owe Harry a life too? Because Neville probably would have been ed if Harry weren't alive.

Posted by on June 19, 2007 12:42 PM

No, Neville does not owe Harry a life because Harry did not do anything to save Neville's life.

Imagine this, if you are crossing the street and a car is about to hit you but swerves and hits my car, you would not owe your life to me, because I did nothing to prevent your , but if the car is going to hit you and I put my car in front of it to prevent it from hitting you, or if I jumped and pushed you out of the way, then and only then would you owe your life to me.

Posted by Emilio from Mexico City, Mexico on June 20, 2007 10:20 AM

I think if you get into "who could possibly owe who a life if this had happened instead of that", everyone might owe someone else a . I think a life is created when someone knowingly/ingly saves someones life. If Lily were alive, Harry would owe her one.

Posted by Kylie from Australia on June 20, 2007 7:39 PM

This probably sounds silly but is there a way that Voldemort would owe Harry a of some sort as it was Harry's blood he used to get his body back?

Posted by Hannah from Oxford, England on June 23, 2007 03:40 AM

just to clear a few things up, dumbledore didnt have the gleam of triumph in his eyes when harry told him about voldemort using wormtail's hand... it was when he was told of voldemort using harry's blood.

and about the life s... im not sure if ron and mr weasley owe harry a life ... but ginny certainly does, because harry risked his own life to go and save her from .

Posted by Amna from Acworth, Georgia on June 25, 2007 3:49 PM

I agree with Raow in saying that Nagini is the original snake from the zoo that Harry saved and also owes Harry a , but not a life . which causes me to think that Nagini indeed help Harry in some way.

Posted by Andrew from Omaha, Nebraska on July 3, 2007 11:05 AM

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