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Why Did Voldemort Want To Kill The Potters

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How Did Voldemort Decide Who The Boy In The Prophecy Was

Harry Potter: 10 Hidden Voldemort Facts

Even though Neville Longbottom was another potential candidate for the boy in the prophecy, Voldemort assumed that the boy being referred to was Harry Potter. This is because, like him, Harry was born to a half-blood parent, Lily Potter, whose parents were both Muggles. He, therefore, set out to find and kill Harry Potter.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

Ian HartProfessor QuirrellHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Voldemort makes his debut in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In this story, Rowling introduces him as the Dark Lord who tried to kill Harry Potter because the boy was prophesied to destroy him. Voldemort murdered Harry’s parents, James and Lily, but as a result of his mother’s love and willingness to sacrifice herself for him, baby Harry survived when Voldemort tried to murder him with a Killing Curse. Voldemort was disembodied, and Harry was left with a mysterious, lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead as a result.

In the book, Voldemort unsuccessfully tries to regain his dissolved body by stealing the titular Philosopher’s Stone. To achieve his objective, Voldemort uses Professor Quirrell’s aid by latching onto the back of the latter’s head. However, at the climax of the book, Harry manages to prevent Voldemort from stealing the stone.

Why Did Snape Have To Kill Dumbledore

The most important thing to remember is Snape didnt want to kill Dumbledore he HAD to. Dumbledore was cursed and knew he was dying, but he wanted to avoid a death that would degrade his image and be excruciatingly painful. He asked Snape to help him end his suffering when the time came. Snape showed his loyalty to Dumbledore in killing him and granted him the mercy of sparing him a long, painful death.

Furthermore, Dumbledore knew that Voldemort had ordered Draco Malfoy to kill him, and he wanted Snape to do it so that Draco wouldnt have to. Dumbledore didnt think that Draco would have the courage to kill him and knew Voldemort would kill the boy if he failed. On the contrary, if he succeeded, Dumbledore feared Draco wouldnt be able to live with himself after the fact, and his soul would become dark.

And finally, Dumbledore knew that if Snape killed him, Voldemort would consider him still loyal to HIM, and Snape would remain a Death Eater. Keeping up this ruse was important to Snape because his ultimate goal was to protect Harry from Voldemort since he had failed to protect Harrys mother, who was also his first love. Snape had also made an unbreakable vow with Dracos mother Narcissa, which would have resulted in his own death had he not intervened and killed Dumbledore.

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But First Of All Remind Us What A Secret

To be a Secret-Keeper meant using the Fidelius Charm the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. Such a charm was used to hide Lily and James Potter from Voldemort, after the Dark wizard targeted the couple as his next victims. Using a Secret-Keeper meant the Potters had no need to change location when they were hiding, as long as the Secret-Keeper kept their silence. It shouldve been the perfect way of protecting them.

Why Didnt He Try Straight Up Murder

Why Did Voldemort Want To Kill Harry Potter?

This is a question that we could ask about pretty much every character in the Harry Potter series, but it seems especially relevant since Voldemorts ultimate goal throughout the story is to kill someone. And that is, why didnt he just try some more traditional killing methods? Why didnt he just stab Harry? Or shoot him with a gun?

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There are literally dozens of different ways too successfully kill someone without using magic, so instead of trying a murder method that had already failed and yielded horrible results for Voldemort, why didnt he try something different that presumably wouldnt once again end with Voldemort accidentally killing himself?

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Why Did Voldemort Want To Kill The Potters In The First Place

This may well be because Lily and James were some of Dumbledore’s most powerful and avid supporters as well as integral members of the Order of the Phoenix. So the biggest threat to V-Voldemort and his Order.

But why go through all the motions of murdering an entire family, even though they are cooped up in a hidden house and posing no immediate danger?

References preferred. But justified conjecture is also welcome.

Edit:I wrote this just after reading that Neville broke the prophecy. So I thought it might never be answered, which is why I asked the question.I now know the full reason.

  • 6Feb 21 ’14 at 3:54
  • 1I just wanted to point out the irony: the parents of Neville were Aurors and had defied Voldemort thrice as well. Now guess at the end of which month Neville was born: July. By going after Harry, Voldemort fulfilled the Prophecy with Harry as adversary, but Neville would have been in Harry’s place had Voldemort tried to kill Neville.Feb 21 ’14 at 12:27
  • bcuz, if it hadn’t been in that way, the story wouldn’t have progressed :)Feb 22 ’14 at 6:34
  • One word The Prophecy

There was this prophecy:

Sybill Trelawney’s first prophecy, sometimes simply known as The Prophecy, refers to the prophecy made by Sybill Trelawneyto Albus Dumbledore at the Hog’s Head Pub in 1980. It referred to a boy born at the end of July, who has the power to defeat Lord Voldemort and Lord Voldemort himself.

Here is the exact prophecy:

-Sybill Trelawney, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By Using A Disillusionment Charm During The Battle Of Hogwarts

How this thought didnt strike Voldemort really is a mystery. Since he was just as powerful as Dumbledore, casting a Disillusionment Charm wouldve been simple enough for him. Along with that, Voldemort could have made everyone believe he wasnt entering the fight just as hed announced while roaming around undetected.

That combined with his ability to fly wouldve made it extremely easy for Voldemort to locate Harrys whereabouts inside Hogwarts. When he did make his presence known, Voldemort beat McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley all by himself, so there was no chance of anyone overpowering him either. In fact, Voldemort wouldnt have needed his Death Eaters in this scenario, and could have ended the battle single-handedly using the Disillusionment Charm.

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What Does Snape Confess To Dumbledore

Snape, who had been in love with Lily Potter since their days at Hogwarts, felt guilty for relaying this information to Voldemort, putting Lilys life at risk. He confessed to Dumbledore about his undying love for Lily and told Dumbledore about Voldemorts plans to kill Harry. Snape then offered his loyalty to Dumbledore in exchange for the protection of Harrys mother Lily.

Why Did Voldemort Want To Kill Harry

Secrets About Harry Potter’s Family Tree: Wealth and A Voldemort Connection

The Dark Lord Voldemort wanted to kill Harry Potter because he was the only one who could defeat him in a duel, and he knew that if he killed Harry, the Potter line would end, and there would be no one to oppose him.

Voldemort wanted to take over the world. He wanted to rule it with an iron fist, and his supporters would be given the most power in his reign.

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Straight Dope Message Board

In the books its established early that Voldemort wanted the Potters to join him, and they refused it is even stated by Rowling to be one of the ways they defied him.

Thing is that Mrs Potter was a muggle born and hence the very last person Voldemorts philosophy would let join.

So? All Voldemort really cares about is power an immortality – Im sure he believes in muggle inferiority, but his emphasis on that as a philosophy is more a recruiting and legitimizing tool than anything else. If breaking with that doctrine will give him useful people, and he can still keep the anti-muggle crowd in line, why not do it?

This is a man who splintered his own soul for immortality and power. He isnt squeamish.

And remember that Voldemort was half Muggle himself. Consistency was not his one of his strong points.

And remember that Voldemort was half Muggle himself. Consistency was not his one of his strong points.

QFT. And remember that two boys could have fit the parameters of the prophecy, detailing the one who could vanquish the dark lord. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. Neville was full blooded, i.e., born to a very powerful couple of wizards, in a long line of pure blooded wizards. Harry was more like 3/4s wizard . Voldemort was himself, only half.

He considered sparing her as a boon to Snape, who had asked for her. Yes, like a trophy or a prize. ::spits on the ground.::

Hagrid says that the Potters were asked to join by Voldemort in the first book.

He Didnt Figure Out Harry Was A Horcrux

Albus Dumbledore is undoubtedly a genius and one of the greatest wizards who has ever lived. And although its hard to admit, the same could be said about Lord Voldemort. So why exactly didnt Voldemort seem to figure out that Harry was a Horcrux, even though Dumbledore himself did?

There really isnt anyone in the world alive who is more of a Horcrux expert than Voldemort is, so why didnt he ever even suspect that Harry may have been a Horcrux? Ironically, if Voldemort had figured that out and not tried to kill Harry he may have survived longer.

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By Making At Least One Random Object Into A Horcrux

Dumbledore did come up with the explanation that Voldemorts vanity wouldnt allow him to make a meaningless object into a Horcrux, but that still doesnt mean this wasnt an option for the Dark Lord. Considering there were as many as eight of these things, he could have easily spared one Horcrux to a random object in order to guarantee his safety.

Retracing Voldemorts steps turned out to be surprisingly easy, as Dumbledore, Regulus, and Harry figured out the location of each of the Horcruxes. Even one object out of the ordinary, though, would have meant no soul on Earth wouldve been able to locate the final Horcrux.

Why Did Voldemort Kill James And Lily Potter

why does voldemort want to kill harry

So if Voldemort was after Harry, why did he kill James and Lily? Especially James, since he was a pureblood wizard, which Voldemort held to a high standard. Basically, what it came down to was that Voldemort had made up his mind to kill Harry, and they got in the way.

Once Voldemort learned of the prophecy and who his possible enemies could be, he made his choice based on who he thought was a more significant threat to him. He wanted to kill Harry to eliminate the threat against him, but he never intentionally set out to kill James and Lily.

However, Harry was only a baby when Voldemort went after him. So, of course, when the Dark Lord showed up trying to kill their infant son, James and Lily fought back with everything had-including their own lives.

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He Couldn’t Just Shut Up And Kill Harry

It’s one thing that Lord Voldemort banned all of his followers from actually killing Harry Potter, but it’s quite another that Voldemort had half a dozen opportunities to kill Harry himself but he didn’t. And why didn’t he, you may ask? Well, because he had a lot of stuff to explain before he did.

Again, it’s no surprise that Voldemort’s ultimate downfall was his own arrogance, but you’d think after a couple of failed attempts on Harry’s life that Voldemort might hold off on the big speeches and just try to kill Harry. Had he done that, he probably would have actually succeeded.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort furthers his quest for ultimate power. He disposes of the Minister for Magic and replaces him with Pius Thicknesse, who is under the Imperius Curse. Establishing a totalitarianpolice state, he has Muggle-borns persecuted and arrested for “stealing magic” from the “pure blood” wizards. After failing to kill Harry with Draco’s father Lucius Malfoy‘s borrowed wand , he goes on a murderous search for the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand ever created, seeing it as the weapon he needs to overcome Harry’s wand and make him truly invincible. He goes on a quest that takes him out of the country to Gregorovitch‘s wand shop, where he kills the old wandmaker. His journey also takes him to Nurmengard, the prison where Gellert Grindelwald is kept, and he kills Grindelwald as well. He finally locates the Elder Wand and steals it from Dumbledore’s tomb.

Rowling stated that after his death, Voldemort is forced to exist in the stunted infant-like form that Harry sees in the King’s Cross-like Limbo after his confrontation with Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Rowling also mentioned that, despite his extreme fear of death, he cannot become a ghost.

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Using Anybody’s Blood Other Than Harry’s For A New Body

Harry ended up surviving Voldemort in the last book all because of the latters choice to use his enemy’s blood in making a new body. There was absolutely no mandatory requirement in using specifically Harry for the spell, meaning Voldemort pretty much signed his own death warrant because of Lilys magical protection.

The easiest solution to this would have been to use the blood of Bertha Jorkins as she was a pure-blood witch so Voldemort would have no qualm with having it run in his veins and had been murdered personally by him already. He could easily have made his last Horcrux through this kill and fashioned his new body, eliminating any chance of Harrys survival.

Magical Abilities And Skills

Wizard Battle: Dumbledore vs Voldemort | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Rowling establishes Voldemort throughout the series as an extremely powerful, intelligent, and ruthless dark wizard, described as the greatest and most powerful Dark Wizard of all time. He is known as one of the greatest Legilimens in the world and a highly accomplished Occlumens he can read minds and shield his own from penetration. Besides Dumbledore, he is also the only wizard ever known to be able to apparate silently. Voldemort was also said to fear one wizard alone, Dumbledore.

On her website, Rowling wrote that Voldemort’s wand is made of yew, whose sap is poisonous and which symbolises death. It forms a deliberate contrast to Harry’s wand, which is made of holly, which she chose because holly is alleged to repel evil.

Rowling establishes in the books that Voldemort is magically connected to Harry via Harry’s forehead scar. He disembodies himself when his Killing Curse targeting Harry rebounds on him, leaving the scar on Harry’s forehead. In the books, and to a lesser extent in the films, Harry’s scar serves as an indicator of Voldemort’s presence: it burns when the Dark Lord is near or when Voldemort is feeling murderous or exultant. According to Rowling, by attacking Harry when he was a baby Voldemort gave him “tools no other wizard possessedthe scar and the ability it conferred, a magical window into Voldemort’s mind”.

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Who Are Lily And James

But who are actually Lily and James Potter?

Both of them are students of Gryffindor at Hogwarts and also the members of the Order of the Phoenix. They are loyal to Dumbledore and fight against Voldemort.

James Potter is a pure blood wizard from a couple Euphemia and Fleamont Potter. When he gets into Gryffindor, he becomes best friends with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

James does not have a good relationship with Severus Snape, even Snape hates him. However, Snape really loves Lily, and therefore still wants to protect Harry.

Meanwhile, Lily is what some people called mud blood . Lily was born from Muggle parents. Lily becomes a good friend with Snape, because Snape helps her a lot to improve her magic skill. However, Lily gets into Gryffindor, becomes the Head Girl, and starts a love story with James Potter.

Lily and James are exceptional witch and wizard, that makes Lord Voldemort once tried to recruit them to be the Death Eater.

Lily And James Try To Protect Harry

The first reason why Voldemort kills Harrys parents is because they try to protect Harry so Harry will not be killed by Voldemort.

Voldemort tries to use the deathly curse Avada Kedavra on Harry, but Lily Potter comes in his way, and her love becomes the barrier to protect Harry from the curse.

At first, Voldemort does not want to kill Harrys parents. He asks them to move away, and that he just wants to kill Harry. But Lily and James do not move an inch and want to protect their lovely son. As her last chance, Voldemort asks Lily to step away, but she refuses and gives up her life for her son.

Voldemort really appreciates pure blood, which is what James Potter is. It seems like he doesnt want to kill a pure blood. At that night when Voldemort comes, James initially wanted to get more time for his wife and son, but forgot to bring his wand. So his death in the hand of Voldemort is inevitable.

There is another theory as well which mentioned that the reason Voldemort kills Harrys parents is because Lily and James are Dumbledores most powerful supporter as well as the members of Order of the Phoenix, thus Voldemorts biggest threat.

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