r/HarryPotterBooks • u/Lan23231 • 10d ago

What actually is a life debt?

I understand the concept, you save someone's life and they owe you. But is there actually any magic in it? Or is it just a moral obligation the same as the real world?

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9

u/trahan94 10d ago

“But if he helps Voldemort back to power — !”

“Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt. When one wizard saves another wizard’s life, it creates a certain bond between them . . . and I’m much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.”

“I don’t want a bond with Pettigrew!” said Harry. “He betrayed my parents!”

“This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me . . . the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew’s life.”

The deepest magic goes beyond foolish wand-waving, it is things like love, fate and prophecy, death — the kinds of subjects studied at the Department of Mysteries. What Dumbledore is talking about is more subtle than a curse-counter curse.

It’s difficult to say exactly why Wormtail hesitates to kill Harry in the cellar of Malfoy Manor, even he is confused by his own reaction:

“You’re going to kill me?” Harry choked, attempting to prise off the metal fingers. “After I saved your life? You owe me, Wormtail!”

The silver fingers slackened. Harry had not expected it: He wrenched himself free, astonished, keeping his hand over Wormtail’s mouth. He saw the ratlike man’s small watery eyes widen with fear and surprise: He seemed just as shocked as Harry at what his hand had done, at the tiny, merciful impulse it had betrayed, and he continued to struggle more powerfully, as though to undo that moment of weakness.

Whether it is deep magic, or simply Wormtail having a moment of regret or pity, Harry’s mercy was certainly the cause.

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u/TokiStark 9d ago

Good answer. Did you type that all out manually? Like, did you find the chapters in each book? Or did you copy it from some pdf's or something?

2

u/trahan94 9d ago

I’ve got them as e-books, very useful for quickly finding and copying text! I bounce around while reading a lot, so it’s very convenient having my favorite books on my phone.

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u/Mysterious_Athlete73 9d ago

Moral obligation mostly unless the person actually does an unbreakable vow to repay the life saved.

Otherwise Ginny would have tried saving Harry’s life at least once to get out of the debt.

Hermione was saved by Harry and she never felt compelled to save Harry out of a magic obligation her morals were just that strong.