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MugaSofer comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 25, chapter 96 - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: NancyLebovitz 25 July 2013 04:36AM

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Comment author: skeptical_lurker 27 July 2013 05:31:42PM 4 points [-]

I think this chapter explained something which has struck me as strange for a long time:

If the killing curse can be stopped by love, how come only Harry ever survived? Its not like Lilly is the only person who ever loved anyone, nor the only person who would sacrifice themselves to save another.

Maybe the Potters possessed a new, experimental deathly hallow, one capable of stopping the killing curse (or, alternativly, an old one whoes purpose has been forgotton). It must have limits on its power, otherwise James and Lilly would have lived, and probably wouldn't have been tested thoroughly, otherwise Lilly wouldn't have seemed to panic so much (unless she was acting to stop Voldemort guessing).

This could be the stone which glowed, and it may or may not require a love/sacrafice to power it.

Comment author: MugaSofer 29 July 2013 07:45:25AM 3 points [-]

I have believed, ever since Q detailed how rituals work and we saw that Voldie agreed that Harry would be spared if Lily died (because seriously, she thought that would work?), that Voldemort accidentally triggered a powerful Ritual, with Lily as the sacrifice.

Hmm ... is it possible that was deliberate? It doesn't quite seem to fit ... but then, they were pretty desperate.

Comment author: HungryHippo 30 July 2013 06:44:56PM *  -1 points [-]

There are at least three plausible explanations:

  • Harry's memory is false. Harry even notes that the memory is so old it should not even be there.
  • Q lied. To his ears her plea must have sounded something like "may I please lay down my wand?".
  • Q never intended to kill Harry anyway, so he either doesn't care about any protection, or maybe even prefers for it to keep Harry safe. (Especially if Q wants Harry to rule.)

Also, Lily was clever: maybe she tried to bluff Q into relaxing his guard by feigning surrender and thus attack him at his weakest. Possibly Q, playing at a higher level, realized this and accepted her offer of "surrender" out of amusement. So either Q saw through Lily's feigned surrender or she realized that Q accepted her genuine surrender only because he thought she was trying to trick him and this triggered her into attacking him.

Comment author: MugaSofer 31 July 2013 01:47:04PM 0 points [-]

Oh, it was clearly sarcastic, from the context - but perhaps the ritual didn't care.

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