unless the rule is "it only matters if you're saved by a Gryffindor"...
Seems that way, dunnit? But I think there's also other things the two life debt cases have in common. Who was Peter being "saved" from but Harry himself, in a way, since Harry had reason to *want* Peter dead and also had the power to stop it? Who was Snape being "saved" from but James' best friend and partner in pranks Sirius-same idea. Peter and Snape weren't saved, they were *spared.* It seems to me like a different code of honor that very much assumes that Harry and James were being particularly gracious because Peter and Snape deserved to be killed, Peter for betraying Harry's parents and Snape for poking his nose where it didn't belong and trying to get MWPP in trouble.
That's a pretty old-school moral system there, I think. Snape, by contrast, is actively working to protect Harry from threat. However, if Snape had towered angrily over Harry after the Pensieve scene and then shown mercy as Harry and James did, I can't imagine that being seen in the same light and Harry given a life debt because of it. It really feel like there does have to be some feeling that the victim has earned their death in order to be spared, and perhaps it's the narrative voice that makes that choice. I might not say that in another series, but it could be true here. It's a little barbaric, imo, and not completely out of place. It seems like there's a hint that James and Harry would have been justified in not acting.
And you're right about Sirius seeming more reckless pre-Christmas. I feel like characterwise one might say that this is because after Xmas he falls into despair. In the beginning he's still lively so wanting to try to join in with things maybe, so he takes a risk at the station, envies Harry his fight with Dementors, begs Harry to go to Hogsmeade. Hermione-the-Queen-of-Exposition suggests that Sirius was hoping Harry would be expelled so he'd get to stay with him. I wonder if Sirius came to the conclusion on his own that Harry would never be any way close to him like James was, that he really had no one, and so after Christmas just accepted his fate.
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Date: 2004-11-17 11:00 am (UTC)unless the rule is "it only matters if you're saved by a Gryffindor"...
Seems that way, dunnit? But I think there's also other things the two life debt cases have in common. Who was Peter being "saved" from but Harry himself, in a way, since Harry had reason to *want* Peter dead and also had the power to stop it? Who was Snape being "saved" from but James' best friend and partner in pranks Sirius-same idea. Peter and Snape weren't saved, they were *spared.* It seems to me like a different code of honor that very much assumes that Harry and James were being particularly gracious because Peter and Snape deserved to be killed, Peter for betraying Harry's parents and Snape for poking his nose where it didn't belong and trying to get MWPP in trouble.
That's a pretty old-school moral system there, I think. Snape, by contrast, is actively working to protect Harry from threat. However, if Snape had towered angrily over Harry after the Pensieve scene and then shown mercy as Harry and James did, I can't imagine that being seen in the same light and Harry given a life debt because of it. It really feel like there does have to be some feeling that the victim has earned their death in order to be spared, and perhaps it's the narrative voice that makes that choice. I might not say that in another series, but it could be true here. It's a little barbaric, imo, and not completely out of place. It seems like there's a hint that James and Harry would have been justified in not acting.
And you're right about Sirius seeming more reckless pre-Christmas. I feel like characterwise one might say that this is because after Xmas he falls into despair. In the beginning he's still lively so wanting to try to join in with things maybe, so he takes a risk at the station, envies Harry his fight with Dementors, begs Harry to go to Hogsmeade. Hermione-the-Queen-of-Exposition suggests that Sirius was hoping Harry would be expelled so he'd get to stay with him. I wonder if Sirius came to the conclusion on his own that Harry would never be any way close to him like James was, that he really had no one, and so after Christmas just accepted his fate.