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Quick note: I loosely based this poem on 'Heart' by Sleeping At Last. Check it out, it's a great song. Geez, I should create an Atlas Project masterpost by now.
What if Voldemort just... tossed Lily aside? Stunned her, knocked her aside. If this causes her ritual to fail, what does she do? If her ritual still succeeds (I mean the details of the ritual are up to you) what does she do?
Also answering this anon ask:
I thought she wasnt insta-killed because of snapes request to voldemort?
So, first of all, frankly the idea that Voldemort was vanquished because of Snape’s request is utterly repulsive - Lily deflects the Killing Curse and defeats Voldemort and fucking SNAPE gets the credit?! ABSOLUTELY NOT.
But, anyways, IMO it wouldn’t have gone any other way because I think something (intentionally woven into the magic by Lily) was manipulating Voldemort’s thoughts and emotions and actions when he was about to kill Lily, because the verbal agreement in Lily’s last words seems to be a necessary part of the ritual. There's a lot of magic that affects characters' emotions like that, most notably horcruxes do this when someone gets close to them.
I actually don't think Voldemort telling Lily to stand aside had anything to with Snape - because Voldemort never agreed to Snape that he would spare Lily and was never planning to. And in fact Snape says as much:
“Ah, yes,” said Dumbledore. “How much did you relay to Lord Voldemort?”
“Everything — everything I heard!” said Snape. “That is why — it is for that reason — he thinks it means Lily Evans!”
“The prophecy did not refer to a woman,” said Dumbledore. “It spoke of a boy born at the end of July —”
“You know what I mean! He thinks it means her son, he is going to hunt her down — kill them all —”
“If she means so much to you,” said Dumbledore, “surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?”
“I have — I have asked him —”
“You disgust me,” said Dumbledore, and Harry had never heard so much contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to shrink a little. “You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?”
Snape said nothing, but merely looked up at Dumbledore.
“Hide them all, then,” he croaked. “Keep her — them — safe. Please.” (DH)
Snape doesn't say that Voldemort agreed to spare Lily - only that he asked.
Snape doesn't even mention that he asked Voldemort, because it's so insignificant to him. Dumbledore is the one who brings it up - I presume he's Legilimizing Snape here because that's such a specific thing to ask him, it's cutting and designed specifically to guilt trip and manipulate Snape, and I doubt Dumbledore would trust a Death Eaters without Legilimizing him. Why would Snape risk his life to ask Voldemort to spare Lily, if he was simply not going to believe him when he said yes? Okay, yes, you can say he asked impulsively in a panic out of desperation and then remembered, Right, Evil Dark Lord Will Obviously Not Keep His Promise.
But we also know how capricious Voldemort is. Snape would've made this request long before Voldemort killed the Potters, if for some reason Voldemort felt like rewarding Snape at the time, you can bet he would've changed his mind soon enough and felt like punishing Snape instead. The idea that he would stick to the decision to spare Lily for over a year since whenever Snape asked (? can't remember timeline), and then inexplicably change his mind within three seconds just because he couldn't be bothered to wave his wand and move her aside... is very bizarre.
And it is just OOC for Voldemort to spare a parent of the prophecy child. I can buy that maybe he would agree to that if it weren’t for the prophecy - granted, Voldemort has won by then but, we do see that Death Eaters don’t always automatically kill Order members in DH.
But Voldemort was never going to take any chances with the prophecy. (I am also of the opinion that Voldemort chose Harry over Neville because he identified with Lily, not Harry who at the time was a baby with no personality yet, and who would’ve grown up a completely different kind of half blood to poor orphan Tom Riddle had James and Lily lived. But this makes it even less likely Voldemort ever would’ve spared Lily.)
The way it goes down is very specific and clearly a part of some ritual. Others in fandom have pointed out how Lily's last words create a verbal agreement/contract - she offers her life in exchange for sparing Harry, Voldemort accepts the agreement by killing her, then breaks it by trying to kill Harry too.
This agreement also matches the wording of the prophecy exactly -
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. Lily offers her own life three times (take me, kill me instead, I'll do anything) and says "Not Harry" seven times.
There are several allusions to this agreement elsewhere, and to how important magical contracts are:
“The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract.” (GoF)
“I-I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think,” she took a deep breath, “that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we’re doing. So if you sign, you’re agreeing not to tell Umbridge — or anybody else — what we’re up to.”
[...] There was an odd feeling in the group now. It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract. (OoTP)
The DA contract is signed specifically in the Hog's Head - the exact establishment where the prophecy was given, which is explained later in the same book.
And then these are the most direct parallels to Lily's agreement. First, the Unbreakable Vow Snape makes to Narcissa to protect Draco:
“Well, you can’t break an Unbreakable Vow...”
“I’d worked that much out for myself, funnily enough. What happens if you break it, then?”
“You die,” said Ron simply. (HBP)
Snape's vow to Narcissa reads as a marriage, to protect a boy who is framed as a pseudo-son to him. In Malfoy Manor, Snape likewise is framed as taking Lucius's place in a way. This echoes how Voldemort takes a vow to "protect" (AKA not murder) Harry, who is also framed as a pseudo-son to him.
Likewise, what Dumbledore says about the blood wards - directly related to Lily's sacrifice - also alludes to the agreement:
“But she took you,” Dumbledore cut across him. “She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother’s sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.”
“You sent that Howler. You told her to remember — it was your voice —”
“I thought,” said Dumbledore, inclining his head slightly, “that she might need reminding of the pact she had sealed by taking you.” (OoTP)
“Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!”
“Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now.”
“Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead —”
“This is my last warning —”
“Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please — I’ll do anything —”
“Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!” (DH)
Voldemort accepted the agreement of Lily saying take me, and in doing so, sealed the charm Lily placed on Harry. Note that Lily also thought that Voldemort needed a reminder of the pact Voldemort made by taking her life - hence her showing up as a ghost during Priori Incantatem when Voldemort tries to break the pact in GoF by using the Killing Curse on Hary again.
I'll do anything as one of the times Lily offers her life is further hinted at in the scene where Snape agrees to spy for Dumbledore:
“If she means so much to you,” said Dumbledore, “surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?” (DH)
“Hide them all, then,” he croaked. “Keep her — them — safe. Please.”
“And what will you give me in return, Severus?”
“In — in return?” Snape gaped at Dumbledore, and Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, “Anything.” (DH)
She's giving her life in return and exchange for sparing Harry, she's striking a bargain with Voldemort.
But, basically, if the verbal agreement was a necessary part of the magic - and we do see that saying actual words out loud is important for certain rituals (i.e. Peter when he brews Voldemort’s rebirth potion, the Unbreakable Vow, etc.) - then the situation had to allow for Voldemort actually making that bargain. Hence, some form of magic making Voldemort spare Lily long enough for that to happen.
The way it goes down is a little too convenient - he spares her for just long enough to make the agreement, he goes "this is my final warning!!" and then gives her two more warnings, and changes his mind and chooses to kill her at the exact moment that Lily finally offers her life for the third time, thereby completing the ritual.
ETA: AND the whole memory resembles the story of the Death and the Three Brothers, which Lily as Death and Voldemort specifically telling her to “Stand aside” echoing the line “And Death stood aside”. I talked about this here. But that’s probably related to whatever Lily did. (i.e. in this fic Lily managed to contact Death and made a deal with him to kill Voldemort, among other rituals).
We can read Voldemort's POV thinking about his intention to spare Lily as he's getting physically closer to her, which indicates that the magic’s working:
He could hear her screaming from the upper floor, trapped, but as long as she was sensible, she, at least, had nothing to fear... He climbed the steps, listening with faint amusement to her attempts to barricade herself in... (DH)
He does allude to him sparing her in PS:
“Don’t be a fool,” snarled the face. “Better save your own life and join me... or you’ll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy...” (PS)
“How touching...” it hissed. “I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn’t have died... she was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.” (PS)
But Voldemort's words don't necessarily contradict him being influenced by the magic - he could be saying this because the magic genuinely made him believe that he willingly chose to spare Lily, or he knows that he was manipulated by some magic and is just using that memory to manipulate Harry anyway.
Like, I also believe the theory I’ve seen several times that the Gaunt ring with the Resurrection Stone had a temptation enchantment on it along with the fatal curse, which is why Dumbledore put it on, rather than “Dumbledore was stupid” lol.
And if you accept that theory and if he's being truthful with Harry here, then Dumbledore still believes that it was just his own choice to put on that ring:
“When I discovered it, after all those years, buried in the abandoned home of the Gaunts — the Hallow I had craved most of all, though in my youth I had wanted it for very different reasons — I lost my head, Harry. I quite forgot that it was now a Horcrux, that the ring was sure to carry a curse. I picked it up, and I put it on, and for a second I imagined that I was about to see Ariana, and my mother, and my father, and to tell them how very, very sorry I was...
“I was such a fool, Harry. After all those years I had learned nothing. I was unworthy to unite the Deathly Hallows, I had proved it time and again, and here was final proof.” (DH)
Another similar example of a theory that I subscribe to is that this is part of the magic of the diary:
Harry couldn’t explain, even to himself, why he didn’t just throw Riddle’s diary away. The fact was that even though he knew the diary was blank, he kept absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it were a story he wanted to finish. And while Harry was sure he had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he’d had when he was very small, and had half-forgotten. But this was absurd. He’d never had friends before Hogwarts, Dudley had made sure of that. (CoS)
We know Harry identifies with Tom later, but at that point there is no reason Harry would think of Tom as a friend or be so fascinated by the diary to the point that he keeps opening it all the time? All Harry knows is that the diary is from Muggle London but that in itself hardly means much.
So there was some enchantment on the diary that was luring Harry, that made the person close to it want to write in it, to think of it as a friend. This is likely what made Ginny write in it as well, and what she says about it echoes Harry's thoughts (It was like having a friend in my pocket etc.). And Harry doesn’t realize that the horcrux was influencing him there, of course.
I think Lily took several protective measures and did several rituals - blood wards on Privet drive and blood magic that keeps Voldemort from touching Harry, and magic that deflects the Killing Curse (which seems to be soul magic).
The latter being soul magic would be fitting, because as I explained, Voldemort’s soul magic (the diary and the Gaunt ring) works exactly the same way in manipulating the thoughts and intentions and actions of the person that’s close to it.
But I’ll get more into specifics about the magic in future metas.
I've lived with countless of sinners and if each and every one of their sins combined into one, singular, super mass of sin, it wouldn't even be 1/1,000,000,000,000th of the amount of sin you hold in your cold, rotten heart.
alex: i love you
magnus: i love you too
alex: i need you
magnus: i need you too
alex: how much
magnus: i can't live without you
alex:
magnus:
alex: what?
magnus: aren't you gonna say 'i can't live without you too'?
alex: no, actually we need to break up
magnus: ??
alex: you shouldnt need me this much
alex: find a hobby
magnus: what- but-
alex: good luck!
LATER
alex: and that's how magnus was put on my shit list
alex: he just let me go, tf??
Sally dies early on in Percy’s life and is taken in by reincarnated!Odysseus (who is closely regaining all his past life’s memories with the help of Athena(who is also of course way more involved in her children’s lives (like to think Odysseus babysits them like a fun uncle)))
Anyways, Odysseus starts to recognize that Percy is Poseidon’s son and is basically like (welp ok, so the water bastard is also a deadbeat, looks like you’re mine now kid (Tyson also gets into mix. How you may ask? Well I don’t know, I haven’t figured that out yet.)
With Ody taking care of Percy, Athena has a way better relationship with him, almost an aunt figure to him.
Plot twist: Percy is the reincarnation of Telemachus.
Sorry if this doesn’t make sense, I’m writing this with a migraine.
OH YOU'RE MAKING PERFECT SENSE—YOU ARE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE.
Telemachus (Past Life): 🎶I'll fight the harpies and chimeras! The minotaur, even Cerberus! I know life and fate are scary but I wanna be legendary!🎶
•Around 3,000 Years Later•
Percy (Current Life): I WAS WRONG! I WAS SO WRONG, I DON'T WANNA BE LEGENDARY! I TAKE IT BACK—
As for Tyson what if Ody spots him while they're out and about. On one hand he wants to book it on the other he wants to make sure this cyclops—though very small for a cyclops—isn't a threat. So he goes to check up on tiny toddler Tyson and Tyson does what Tyson does best—be an adorable ray of sunshine. So Odysseus is like—
"...Welp this is a shocking turn of events, guess you're mine now. Feels kinda ironic all things considered..."
What if Sally was Penelope in this Au? And Odysseus doesn’t find out until she dies? It’d make it a lot more melancholy since she’s dead but also slightly hilarious since she had a relationship with Poseidon (she didn’t remember but still). I feel like Odysseus would hate him even MORE in this situation.
You could have just stabbed me, that would have hurt less than the thought of Odysseus and Penelope finding each other in the next life only for her to die early (;~;)...But also—
Poseidon: ...
Odysseus: ...
Poseidon: ...Well I can see why you were so desperate to get back to her now—
Odysseus: *LUNGE*
Poseidon: OH SHIT—
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