Lily's Sacrifice and Voldemort's Use of Harry's Blood in 'Goblet of Fire': Explaining Harry's Survival

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the profound protection provided by Lily Potter's sacrifice plays a pivotal role in protecting her son from Voldemort. However, Voldemort's use of Harry's blood introduces a complex interaction that leads to a nuanced understanding of how Harry's life is interlaced with Voldemort's.

The Power of Lily's Sacrifice

Lily Potter's sacrifice gave Harry a powerful form of magic, derived from her willingness to die to save him. This magical bond created a permanent protection that made Voldemort unable to kill Harry while the protection was active. This protection was so potent that even the Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra) would rebound if Voldemort tried to kill Harry while this bond was in place.

Voldemort's Contingency Plan and the Unintended Outcome

However, when Voldemort attempted to use Harry's blood to nullify this protection, he made a significant miscalculation. In the previous book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Quirrell was unable to touch Harry without being burned, a result of the protective bond. Yet, in Goblet of Fire, Voldemort was able to touch Harry without harm, suggesting that the protective bond was still intact.

The indisputable use of Harry's blood by Voldemort brings a complex scenario where Voldemort effectively made Harry part of himself, altering the nature of the protective magic. When Voldemort tried to kill Harry in the Forbidden Forest, he inadvertently destroyed the bond he had created with Harry, thereby allowing Harry to survive the Killing Curse. This paradoxical outcome means that while Lily's sacrifice provided permanent protection, Voldemort's action led to a situation where their fates were intertwined, ultimately resulting in Harry's survival.

The Evolution of the Scenario

Harry's protection was initially meant to last until he became an adult. This is why he had to be removed from Privet Drive before his 17th birthday to prevent Lily's protection from breaking. In the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry had already surpassed 17, so any blood protection from Lily had already expired.

Voldemort's intention was to use Harry's blood to nullify the protection that Lily provided. Instead, by using Harry's blood, he created a new, unforeseen dynamic. This connection between Voldemort and Harry not only nullified the protection but also created a new form of interdependence, where the destruction of Harry would also destroy a part of Voldemort.

The Memorable Consequence

Harry's willingness to save his friends and the resulting battle with Voldemort led to his friends gaining protection from Voldemort. His sacrifice in the forest not only saved his life but also gave his friends a form of protection that Voldemort could not breach. This demystified the notion that the blood protection only prevented Voldemort from killing Harry; instead, it reinforced the idea that Harry's actions forged a new, complex protective bond.

The books never explicitly stated that the blood protection prevented Harry from dying. However, the events in the forest demonstrated that the blood connection did more than just prevent the Killing Curse from working; it sealed a fate where Harry's survival was intertwined with Voldemort's. This story teaches us the intricate nature of magic and the potential consequences of magical actions.