Your mother needn't have died
I can understand why so many people jump to Snape asking Voldemort to spare Lily. Voldemort claims to reward his followers, and there's a big "Snape loved Lily"-shaped hole in the story right now.
But... ew. It ultimately just comes off as creepy, and like Snape is unhinged to a degree that we really haven't seen yet. Not that Rowling can't write in extra shades of grey to deal with... but the guy's already been a Death Eater, turned over the prophesy, been a really mean teacher, and killed Dumbledore. Is she also gonna have him be so insane that he thinks he'd have a chance with Lily after James and Harry were dead? I hope not. Creeeeeeepy.
Maybe it could work if James tried to cash in Snape's life debt by having Snape beg for both Lily and Harry's lives, but Voldemort only agreeing to spare Lily's. But it still seems overly complicated.
And really, does every key part of the story secretly have to be about Snape? Again, I hope not.
For now, I'll be sticking with the "Tom M. Riddle had Mommy issues" school of thought.
But... ew. It ultimately just comes off as creepy, and like Snape is unhinged to a degree that we really haven't seen yet. Not that Rowling can't write in extra shades of grey to deal with... but the guy's already been a Death Eater, turned over the prophesy, been a really mean teacher, and killed Dumbledore. Is she also gonna have him be so insane that he thinks he'd have a chance with Lily after James and Harry were dead? I hope not. Creeeeeeepy.
Maybe it could work if James tried to cash in Snape's life debt by having Snape beg for both Lily and Harry's lives, but Voldemort only agreeing to spare Lily's. But it still seems overly complicated.
And really, does every key part of the story secretly have to be about Snape? Again, I hope not.
For now, I'll be sticking with the "Tom M. Riddle had Mommy issues" school of thought.