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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 4)

Raow, you are totally right. I worded it wrong. Even so, you cannot have love and protection against yourself, can you? And Kevin, Dumbledore said his mothers sacrifice ran in his veins, so, blood.

Posted by Koby from New Jersey on November 13, 2006 1:36 PM

I'm begining to think all Harry has ever needed to beat 'Morty was Lily's sacrifice.
I mean, what parent wouldn't sacrife themselves for thier child?
Is there any love stronger?

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on November 14, 2006 11:17 AM

Kevin, I think you are right, that he has been "better protected than even he (Harry) realizes" (said Voldemort) by his mother and the additional enchantments Dumbledore put around Harry and Petunia's house. But I am wondering if those protections stop when he reaches manhood? That seems to be a big deal.

Posted by Raow from Petaluma, CA on November 14, 2006 3:38 PM

What if the protection provied by sacrifice can be renewed by another sacrafice?
The mother protects the boy,
the teacher protects the student?

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on November 15, 2006 11:01 AM

Wow! You must be right Kevin! I think that Dumbledore is trying in every way possible to protect Harry. Pettigrew's blood in Voldy's veins, the enchantments on the Dursley's house, and now the renewal of the sacrifice. Dumbledore has gone this far to protect Harry, and demolish Voldemort.

Posted by Koby from New Jersey on November 15, 2006 12:43 PM

I would like to draw attention to the fact that there was the 'triumphant gleam' in DD's eye when Harry told him that Voldemort could now touch him without having to suffer mortal agony and not when he described how Peter cut off his arm.

I don't think that just because Peter's hand is in Voldemort, Voldemort owes a 'life-' to Harry. In DD's words, "when one wizard saves another's life, it creates a certain bond between them." And after his regeneration a certain bond was created between Harry and LV in the form of Priori Incantatem. Although, that was because the wands were brothers.

Posted by Aditi from Nagpur, India on November 15, 2006 10:06 PM

I don't think Pettigrew is of much consequence.....

I think of much more importance is that Lilly's blood is now in 'Morty's veins.

I think that was the moment DD formed a plan to protect Harry after he was gone.

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on November 16, 2006 06:40 AM

First of all im worried about how many people are understanding the wrong thing as a life if not completed you wont (not sure though) but an unbreakable vow you almost instantly when you have not completed the vow hence the name "Unbreakable". also i think Koby and Kevins theorys are probably correct, we found out that quirell couldnt touch harry and got burned because of the Love bond that his mother made but seeing as harrys blood which contained the Love bond is now in voldy he can touch harry without getting burned etc.
but as pettigrew owed a life and his arm which also contained his blood is now in voldy, voldy and pettigrew both owe harry s as pettigrew still has his own blood.
i guess it really is confusing, it must be hard for JK to think of theories too...
oh well cant wait for 7th book it should be the best book out of all the rest HP books!
what do you think?
Abdul

Posted by Abdul from UK.London on November 16, 2006 11:28 AM

Raow from Petaluma siad "The way Harry's body burns people who try to or harm him - Quirrell, Uncle Vernon - is Lily's protection in his blood." Umm...when did Uncle Vernon try to Harry? I know he wanted harry out of his house but he never tried to him

Gosh this whole Life dept thing is Really confusing. But lets say that the life dept somehow DID get transferred to voldy, from peter, as well as the protection from Harry's mother also did(which we know). Then could the reason Albus had the tiuphant look in his eye be because voldy is now in a life-dept to Harry? Not becuase of what peter gave him but because of what harry's mother gave him. because earlier we said that harry cannot owe a life dept to himself but the dept could get passed on through his blood. then peter's dept ALSO got passed on, voldy now has a double life dept to Harry. But what if Voldy now ALSO has the ability to love. Then the one strength Albus stressed that Harry had aginst voldy, voldy has too. that wouldn't be good.

Posted by Kate from Wisco on November 16, 2006 12:25 PM

Evrything is confusing. We mustn't get so obsessed that we start dissecting parts that are extremely straight forward. But Harry has so many things protecting him, He's like an iron wall by now. Whether you believe the Lilly or Pettigrew theory (I belive both) you muist agree that with Dumbledore's sacrifice for Harry, the enchantments on the Dursley house, and Lilly's sacrifice, plus Harry's own power=ultimate protection. I sincerely doubt Harry , but I also doubt JK be able to cram all the infinite answers to the infinite questions we ask in a single book.

Posted by Koby from New Jersey on November 16, 2006 12:42 PM

The unbreakable vow is powerful magic that if broken( acording to Ron) s the person.
I don't recall DD or any one else for that matter, saying what the consiquences of violating a life were.

Follow the blood.

If there's a way to weasle ( sorry Ron) out of a life , you can be sure Petigrew find it.

But Lilly's blood is something different.........

That's something that WILL HAVE to be addressed in book 7.

Let's not forget one more detail.....

Draco was going to fail in his mission for Morty.....

He would have been ed.....

Who does he owe his to?

Albus, or Severus?

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on November 16, 2006 12:49 PM

Voldemort definitely does not owe Harry a life- because of Wormtail. There is no possible way he could because life-s cannot be 'passed on' as they are not material. Its something about Lily's sacrifice and her blood that now runs in both Harry and LV. I think this fact alone is the most significant thing that help Harry vanquish LV.

Also, to Kate:
LV definitely does not have the power of love as in the fifth book, in the Ministry duel when Voldemort possessed Harry for a short while, Harry became free of him when his heart 'filled with love for Sirius'. Whatever may happen, even if Harry s, Voldemort never have the power to love because that is the crux of the whole story; one hero and one villain.

Posted by Aditi from Nagpur, India on November 16, 2006 9:47 PM

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