That damn blood protection thing

[fishinginthemud.livejournal.com]

My sincere apologies if this has been addressed before, but I haven't found anything on it yet.

We are told that Harry survives the Killing Curse from Voldemort because Voldemort is now a "blood relative" and Harry can't be harmed in the presence of his "blood relatives." But at that point, hasn't the "blood protection" spell already ended, since Harry is now 17 and no longer lives with the Dursleys? Have I missed something?

Comments

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

I thought it was fairly explicitly stated that Voldemort's second body acted as a sort of blood-Horcrux for Harry. The familial protection thing only worked at 4 Privet Drive, and I don't think any of the pre-existing blood protection spells had any effect on Harry's survival in the Forest.

[fishinginthemud.livejournal.com]

Maybe it was; it's been a while since I read the book and I'm not planning to read it again. My understanding of the whole stupid mess was that Voldemort now shared Harry and Lily's blood and ended up creating some kind of paradox where Harry couldn't be harmed by his own "blood" because his "blood" was the source of his protection. At least it's slightly less stupid and arbitrary than the Elder Wand business.

[sunnyskywalker]

Also maybe that since Harry was carrying both his soul and a piece of Voldemort's, maybe only one had to actually suffer the effects of the AK? So he's like a cat with two lives in the bank or something? It's not clear to me either.

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

That was one of my theories too. Rowling never endorsed it.

[fishinginthemud.livejournal.com]

I actually preferred your theory that the Elder Wand was given a "choice" of who to kill and went with Voldemort because it doesn't like incomplete souls. That would have been a lot more straightforward and logical.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes, that's pretty much what Albus says in King's Cross.

Had Voldie used some other enemy's blood (as Peter suggested) Harry would have retained the original Lily protection, while the other enemy would have had the blood-Horcrux protection.

And with the original Lily protection, the next time Voldie tried to AK Harry he would have Vaporized again, I think.

[oryx_leucoryx]

And with the original Lily protection, the next time Voldie tried to AK Harry he would have Vaporized again, I think.

But the Harrycrux would have remained intact.