Unbreakable Vows: What is the Truth?
So, let’s start somewhere familiar: Snape and Narcissa’s Unbreakable Vow. From this chapter/scene in the books/film we get a pretty straightforward explanation of what a Vow is and how it works.
Bellatrix is shocked into silence when Snape agrees to the Vow. Her mouth drops open, it’s actively described that Snape kneels across from Narcissa beneath her ‘astonished’ gaze as they grasp right hands. It’s repeated throughout the actual process of the Vow that she is astonished, that she is shocked, that her eyes are wide; that she is astounded that this Vow is taking place. That it’s working.
1) Watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to fulfil the Dark Lord’s wishes.
2) Will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm.
3) Should it prove necessary, if it seems Draco will fail, will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform.
With each Request, there is a tongue of brilliant flame that coils around their hands.
The first is like a wire.
The second entwines itself both around their hands and with the first flame to make a chain from wire.
The third shoots from the wand, entwining itself with the others to make a rope from the chain, and is bright enough to light Bellatrix’s face in glowing red.
In the films there are three small flame strings that sink into the skin and leave behind scars- there is no proof that the book version leaves behind marks, but for the sake of consistency let’s say that it does- for there is no proof of otherwise, either.
Based on this, A Vow seems to require:
3 people: Bonder (who holds the wand) Requester (who voices/asks for the Vow) and Bondee (who is held to fulfil the Vow)
3 terms: especially in this circumstance it seems to be a bit excessive to say three statements that equate to the same general task of protecting Draco if it weren’t a requirement.
The Bondee and Requester to hold dominant wrists/hands, with the Bonder’s wand touching where their hands are clasped.
I think it’s interesting to note the use of the number 3- it’s seen as the divine number in many religions, and so many things come in threes (past/present/future, faith/hope/charity, heart/mind/body) that I think it’s safe to assume that the requirement for these sets of three is FACTUAL and not circumstantial.
These rules also apply to the circumstances Ron describes when he talks about Fred and George trying to trick him into a Vow when he was a kid. And the fulfilment of these circumstances probably heavily contributed to Arthur being so distressed when he caught them at it.
But, more to the point, all of the terms given in this example are worded vaguely- but both the Requester and the Bondee know what’s specifically being referenced (the Bonder does as well, but the role of the Bonder seems to only be to confirm the verity of the promise and channel the magic of the Bond)
We know quite a bit about Snape’s actions concerning Draco in the wake of the Vow- but they are given to us through the biased view of Harry, so we must take them with at least a grain of salt.
- Harry hears, while listening at the keyhole, Snape berate Draco for ignoring repeated summons. Snape states plainly, in this moment, that he is trying to help- that he swore to protect him, that he took a Vow with Narcissa.
- Harry hears Snape sounding almost desperate in how he presses for information (what is your plan, if you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you, then why not confide in me)
- Hagrid lets slip (as he is wont to do) that Snape and Dumbledore had a disagreement (Snape saying Dumbledore took too much for granted an’ maybe he- Snape- didn’ wan’ ter do it anymore… Dumbledore told him flat out he’d agreed to it an’ that was all there was to it)
- Snape healing Malfoy after Sectumsempra (which likely would have happened regardless, but it’s still protection within his ability. Honestly, how did he know to come to that bathroom right then? Myrtle hadn’t been screaming loud or long enough to be heard from the dungeons, so what prompted him??)
- Dumbledore reveals during his confrontation with Draco that Snape was watching over him on his orders as well.
- Also during the Lightning Struck Tower, Dumbledore states plainly that Draco is hesitating, and Draco replies that he has no options
- Only after the series is over, once we have The Prince’s Tale, do we as the reader understand the truth of the line ‘it is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now.’
- ‘Draco’s hand was shaking so badly he could barely aim’
- Dumbledore pleading with Snape (Severus, Severus please) as he gets to the Tower
- Snape actively pushing Draco out of the way, making his way forward with a look of revulsion and hatred ‘etched in the harsh lines of his face.’
- Snape killing Dumbledore
- Snape, after Dumbledore is dead and they are making their way from the castle, directly guiding Draco by the scruff of his neck.
- Snape yelling for Draco to run before turning to duel/fight with Harry.
The latter two could have simply been general care for Draco’s well being, but as these actions are particular to Draco I’m going to keep them on this list.
Now, the Vow didn’t directly do anything of significance that Dumbledore did not also desire. Snape might not have been as tuned in to Draco if not for the explicit ‘watch my son/keep him from harm’ portion of the Vow- but everything else would have been the same.
Has the Vow been fulfilled at this point? It depends on how we define the terms, and/or if (somehow) the Vow can understand that it’s confined to the year/specific task of killing Dumbledore without it being explicitly worded that way.
- Snape certainly watched over Draco as he attempted to fulfil Voldemort’s wishes for him to kill Dumbledore- but Voldemort will certainly have other wishes/tasks for Draco to accomplish in the future.
- Snape definitely did all he could to keep Draco from harm- but there’s a war on. One Draco just solidified his position in- so harm is closer at hand outside of these exact circumstances.
- There is no denying that Snape carried out the deed Voldemort had asked of Draco when it would seem he would fail. But does the Vow apply to any task the Dark Lord asks of Draco?
Now that we have the familiar territory laid out before us, let’s dive into the relatively unknown: Yusuf Kama’s Vow.
We know very little about this Vow, so most of this is extrapolation- to be perfectly frank, the only thing we truly know about this Vow is that it exists.
But that doesn’t mean that there are not clues scattered throughout these new films- though we knows what will matter in the long run.
- Kama’s father Mustafa charged him to take revenge; that he charged him to kill the person Lestrange loves best in the world in his madness and grief.
- Yusuf was 12 when Lestrange took his mother (who died in 1901ish, 3 months prior to the new wife based on the years given in the screenplay) and that learning of his stolen wife’s death drove Mustafa to madness.
- We know that Yusuf was 17 or so when his father charged him with the Vow, as Laurena was stolen in 1896 and she died in 1901, so he was an adult.
- Yusuf has been searching for the subject of his Vow with his father for an undetermined amount of time.
- Yusuf Kama has been using the Predictions of Tycho Dodonus to justify his coming to the conclusion that Credence is the person he needs to kill.
Now that seems like a lot, but it all boils down to two things we know about Mustafa’s Vow:
1- To seek revenge for his mother’s abduction and death
2- By killing the person Lestrange loves best in the world.
If we take the rule of 3 into account, then we are missing 2 key ingredients to this Vow: a third term, and a Bonder.
Yusuf Kama came to his conclusion about Credence’s identity and managed to track him down to the Circus Arcanus (and then the mausoleum) within a year. This implies that he didn’t stop searching for Corvus after the boat sank in 1901- that he was always on the lookout.
Which would mean that the Vow has, without any seeming direct action toward being fulfilled, been sitting idly within Kama for at least 27 years.
We don’t actually know anything of substance about Yusuf Kama. We know his family history, and we know he’s made a Vow. That’s it.
In what ways could the Vow have impacted/directed Kama’s life? The career he chose? The skills he learned? Where he travels/lives? His very morals? Having taken a Vow at such a young age, who is to say that he’s made any significant decisions in his life without them being impacted by the Vow?
And, more importantly, can/does an Unbreakable Vow let the Bonded person know that they terms have been met? Can they tell when they’ve fulfilled their Vow? Or could a person accidentally fulfil their Vow and never know?
With all the textual bits out of the way, I’m going to throw the philosophy in here- we are here to figure out the Truth, after all.
To start, there are two basic kinds of truth: Objective, and Subjective.
Objective Truth is fact. The kind of statements that can’t be argued. Think along the lines of ‘humans need air to live’ or ‘water freezes.’ Objective Truths are universal, whether or not they are acknowledged/known to an individual/or recognised to be true. (Like with flat-earther’s, ignorance does not change these statements. They were true before discovery/acknowledgement.)
Subjective Truth is more personal. It’s the kind of judgement that may be true for the individual making the statement, but not for everyone. A more personal knowledge- think ‘it’s cold in here’ which, while true for you, may not be so for somebody else. Beauty is subjective- and even if there are widely accepted ideas of such things, they change wildly over time.
So when it comes to an Unbreakable Vow, what is the Truth??
Is it what the Bondee believes to be true?
Is it what the Bonder believes to be true?
Is it what the Requester believes to be true?
Or is it what is fact to the world/magic as a whole, whether known to any of the 3 involved in the Vow or not?
If a Vow is to be taken literally, as to-the-letter instructions, how are the Bondee’s actions judged? By their intent, or by the action itself?
If a Vow has somehow become defunct (if that’s even possible) what does that mean for the person who is Bound by it?
What circumstances cause the magic to kill a person?
Taking the things that we now know, or understand, of Truth- et’s try to make some judgement calls.
Severus Snape fulfills his Vow. He observes and watches over Draco’s actions, attempts to talk to Draco repeatedly, offers his assistance, kills Dumbledore in his stead, and directs him away from the battle (harm) in the wake of the murder.
Yusuf Kama is less clear. He has tracked Credence to the Circus Arcanus, kidnapped Tina to prevent her interference, pities the child but is entirely willing/desperate to kill not just the kid but anyone who would prevent him from doing so- but with the seeming-reveal of Corvus’ death, is more than willing to help protect Paris from Grindelwald’s Protego Diabolica with the very people he nearly murdered before.
There are a few possibilities:
1- Corvus Lestrange Sr. loved someone else most.
2- Corvus Lestrange Jr was already killed by Yusuf unknowingly.
3- Corvus Lestrange Jr is still alive somewhere (Grindelwald interference/manipulation?)
4- Corvus Lestrange Jr is already dead, as the text/film displays, with no connection to Yusuf at all.
Which brings me back to the big question- what is the Truth?
Does the Unbreakable Vow simply stop working if it becomes impossible to fulfil? Can magic itself tell if a Vow is still viable- does it already know if Corvus is truly alive or dead, or even the actual subject of Mustafa’s terms?
Is there a way to tell if a Vow has been completed?
Or do we just have to assume?
