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Voldemort offered Lily Potter mercy at Snape's request, demanding that she get out of the way so he could kill Harry. When she refused, why didn't he simply stun her or put her in a full body-bind or something like that? It seems obviously unnecessary for him to kill her; there was no clear benefit to him, and he risked alienating a loyal follower.

Which he did, because:

Severus Snape became an inside man for Dumbledore.

EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine
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    Because when you've killed someone's child, they have a tendency to take that personally. Not killing her means that there's someone out there who's willing to die to kill him. – Valorum Mar 13 '17 at 18:00
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    Yeah. He’s an evil person. Not removing people in the most direct and brutal manner possible often doesn’t even occur to him. Not to mention, he has serious anger management issues and likes killing. His idea of self-control is not killing random Halloween revelers. – Adamant Mar 13 '17 at 18:01
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    @Valorum: Voldemort was prepared to take the risk of letting Lily survive un-stunned, though, because of Snape’s request. It doesn’t seem more risky to stun her. – chirlu Mar 14 '17 at 03:43
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    Stunning someone would make Voldemort look like... uh... Harry Potter. Stunning is not his signature move. Avada Kedavra is. – sampathsris Mar 14 '17 at 06:09
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    Maybe he thought he had set the wand to stun and the just tried to get out of the situation in the best way possible ("THAT was my plan all alone. Im SO evil, mwahahaha...ha..haha...") – xDaizu Mar 14 '17 at 08:32
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    So Rowling could demonstrate that he's evil through meaningless, petty violence (although killing baby Harry would normally be enough, but he had specific reasons there). Just saying "Voldemort is a srsly evil meanie 4 realz" doesn't convince readers that Harry should have life-long vendetta against him, but committing a meaningless murder is so far outside accepted civil behavior that it can't be ignored by anyone not clearly Evil(TM). And for Harry especially, it's Personal. – brichins Mar 14 '17 at 17:33
  • @chirlu one difference is that if she stands aside she's allowing -- under duress, true -- Voldemort to kill Harry. If he has to go through her, even just by stunning, she didn't allow it, she just couldn't stop it. (Though of course, she did stop it.) – Keith Davies Mar 14 '17 at 18:52
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    @Adamant That’s just not true. The only characters in the series that can reasonably be described as evil are Bellatrix, Umbridge, Fenrir Greyback, etc. They kill and hurt because they can and because they enjoy it—that is sadistic, unadultered evil. Voldemort is an unforgiving, remorseless sociopath, but he does not particularly enjoy killing and does not do it when it doesn’t serve his purpose. He doesn’t care if what he does is ‘good’ or ‘evil’, as long as it serves him; if sparing Lily had been advantageous to him, he would of course have done it without hesitation. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Mar 15 '17 at 18:39
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    @JanusBahsJacquet That's true, but at the same time Voldemort isn't completely above sadism either (e.g. using the cruciatus curse on Harry in the graveyard; I suppose that was slightly different because he saw Harry as his primary enemy). An interesting question, though, is whether he genuinely enjoys killing Charity Burbage. I agree in the general case that he doesn't seem to particularly enjoy killing in the same way that Bellatrix does, though - although he doesn't mind it much either. – EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine Mar 15 '17 at 18:45
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    @EJS Like almost anyone, he can enjoy inflicting pain—but like most others, he only does so in the right context. He enjoys hurting Harry because Harry has been a royal pain in his back side for the past decade and a half, directly causing his downfall and somewhat prolonged near-death experience. He has a temper and enjoys taking his anger out on others (again, like most people). And he has nothing against inflicting pain in general, either. But inflicting pain and killing does not in itself bring him pleasure, either. He enjoys killing Burbage the way most of us enjoy swatting a mosquito. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Mar 15 '17 at 18:49

5 Answers5

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Well we know essentially why, because we see the murder from Voldemort's own eyes.

'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 -'

He could have forced her away from the cot, but it seemed more prudent to finish them all ...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - p.281 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 17, Bathilda's Secret

It seems really, then, that he was a killer through and through. He didn't need to kill her. But he didn't really need to kill James either, they were in the way. He would have spared her for Snape, but she defied him, she stood up to him. She tested his patience as we see here. And, after all, this was his big moment, wiping out, once and for all, the one inexplicable, great threat to him. Not a time for half-measures. A time for a show of strength surely.

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Au101
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There are a couple of reasons:

  1. So he didn't have to deal with her. If he got past her without killing her and then killed her son, her life would be ruined--and she would probably go into the revenge business, which could be a nuisance for him.
  2. Because he's Voldemort. He's evil. That's just what he does.
  3. To make a Horcrux. Killing her can only be good for Voldemort--he can make another Horcrux if he wants and he doesn't have to deal with her annoying noises. There's no reason in his mind not to kill her.
  4. She's a Mudblood. We all know that Voldy would rather have less of those in the world.

Or maybe he killed her simply because he didn't even think of doing anything else. For Voldemort, stunning isn't really an option. It just doesn't cross his mind to stun people, especially people he has no use for.

CHEESE
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    One other thing, as far as the Snape connection: Being incapable of love, Voldemort is unable to understand Snape's feelings for Lily, and unable to forecast Snape's reaction to her death. – Matt Gutting Mar 13 '17 at 18:26
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    Avada Kedavra is Voldy's signature spell, the way Expelliarmus is Harry's. – MissMonicaE Mar 13 '17 at 18:52
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    Technically, he was planning to make a Horcrux out of Harry's death. – The Dark Lord Mar 13 '17 at 19:42
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    +1 "could be a nuisance" made me laugh. Not a problem or danger, just an inconvenience, really. – Bishop Mar 13 '17 at 20:45
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    @Bishop Lily was known to be a highly talented witch. Magical power is something Voldemort understands, and hate he understands too, and I doubt he was keen on leaving Dumbledore an aide that might possibly rival Bellatrix Lestrange in determination to fight for his cause. He might not have reckoned her a real danger, but more of a problem than just inconvenience? I think yes. – leftaroundabout Mar 13 '17 at 22:53
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    I really like this answer, but it feels awkward to not-accept the canonical source's one. – mgarciaisaia Mar 14 '17 at 00:47
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    @TheDarkLord planning to make a Horcrux from Harry? But Dumbledore says that Harry was the Horcrux Voldemort never intended to make. Was he wrong? – Anthony X Mar 14 '17 at 02:58
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    I've downvoted because of the first point. Voldemort was ready to let Lily survive if she had gone out of the way herself, even though she would most likely “go into the revenge business” then, too. That is no argument against stunning her. – chirlu Mar 14 '17 at 03:48
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    @chirlu: If she had gone out of the way herself, that would be a pretty good indicator that maybe she would not be so serious about the revenge thing later on. – tomasz Mar 14 '17 at 08:44
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    @AnthonyX We're talking technicalities here. Technically, Harry is not a Horcrux, just an accidental soul container. Technically, Voldemort was planning to make his sixth and final Horcrux as a result of killing Harry. Dumbledore said that Voldemort reserved Horcrux-creation for 'special' deaths. Killing the Chosen One qualified, killing Lily not so much. – The Dark Lord Mar 14 '17 at 09:22
  • @MattGutting raises a good point - in fact, doesn't Voldemort basically tell Snape "sorry for your luck, find someone better"? – EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine Mar 15 '17 at 03:49
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    To @chirlu 's point, at some level, there were so many people who wanted Voldemort dead that who's one more? Then again, it would make her desire for revenge personal. Alternatively, the fact that he killed her gave Harry and Snape a desire for revenge, which they eventually carried out. Did Voldemort ever consider the possibility that he'd alienate Snape (or does he just fundamentally lack that kind of empathy and/or is just arrogant)? – EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine Mar 15 '17 at 03:51
  • @mgarciaisaia You must do what you feel is right, of course – CHEESE Mar 16 '17 at 15:51
  • Yeah, the only parts of this answer that I can even consider agreeing to are number 4 and the last paragraph. Option 1 doesn't make sense since Voldemort already asked her to move aside several times. Option 2 is thrown out way too often for big bads - most of them definitely do things that further their goals and sparing Lily would have marginal benefits for Voldemort because one of his trusted followers asked him to do so. And based on all of the Horcrux canon we have, it's unlikely Voldemort was planning to do option 3. – Ellesedil Apr 25 '17 at 21:16
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While Au101's answer offers an excellent explanation, another point is this: Voldemort's concern for the wants/needs/desires of others (including Snape) is entirely utilitarian. He is only willing to accommodate their wants/needs/desires as long as he perceives a net benefit to himself from doing so.

In this situation, the liability of Lily Potter's continued life exceeded the utility of pleasing Snape by giving her to him following the deaths of James and Harry. This utilitarian view was shown in the final line quoted by Au101:

He could have forced her away from the cot, but it seemed more prudent to finish them all....

Another example of his utilitarian view of people (even of Snape!) was demonstrated by the way in which Voldemort killed Snape when it became beneficial for him to do so:

"...[I]t is of you that I wished to speak, Severus.... You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable....

"You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen....

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine....

"It cannot be any other way," said Voldemort. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."

  • Deathly Hallows, Chapter 32
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Deacon
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    I suppose he kept Peter Pettigrew around for the same reason: Voldemort knew that Peter was a disloyal coward, but he was a useful coward (and Voldemort said as much in the graveyard). – EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine Mar 15 '17 at 03:46
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He had already threatened to kill her and so if he did not kill her after saying he would, his reputation would be damaged. He was also aware that Lily was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and he would have seen her not only as a threat to him but an opportunity for him to damage the order and for him to stay in power.

mikestore89
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My answer first take on this question was this--we know from the books that this spell, the killing curse, is unblockable. As far as ol' Voldie knew at the time, any other spell would have a chance of failure if she had any magical protection.

Second take is that she's an enemy and would definitely be an enemy after he killed her son. Why not eliminate an enemy when you have the chance.

Third take on it was that Avada Kedavra is actually a signature spell of Voldie's.

Fourth take is what others have already covered--he's an evil dude, and this is what he does.

As to the risk of alienating Snape, consider how close to the vest Snape played his cards--he may have asked for Voldie to spare Lily, but Voldie underestimated what effect that would have because, as we all know, he doesn't understand the power of love. The only reason why he did not kill her outright to begin with is because Snape asked. As far as V is concerned, he tried.

'Well, Severus? What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?'

'No - No message - I'm here on my own account....

'I - I come with a warning - no, a request - please....'

'What request could a Death Eater make of me?'

'The - the prophecy... the prediction... Trelawney...'

'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 does 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 -'

As you can see from this exchange, Snape may have asked, but he certainly didn't beg--to do so would have shown his hand and make him someone that Voldie might watch in future. Judging from Snape's overall actions and words throughout all the books, especially in concern to Voldie, he KNEW what a monster he is--and he KNEW that he could only push so far without raising suspicions--plus it's likely he already had the back up plan of going to Dumbledore to get Lily protection, something he could only do if his protest was framed in a way that wasn't "weak." Likely he told Voldie that he owed her something, or that he wanted her as a plaything later, rather than that he loved her.

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Erin Thursby
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