Why did Lord Voldemort want to kill Harry's family?

Answer 1

Voldemort did not enter the Potter's home specifically to kill Lily and James. He was there to kill Harry due to the piece of the prophecy Snape had conveyed to him.

However, Voldemort really did not care who he left dead in his wake. James tried to give Lily and Harry a chance of escape, so he was killed without a second thought. Lily stood between Voldemort and the infant Harry. Since Snape requested mercy on Lily's behalf, Voldemort gave her the choice of moving out of his way. When she refused him, he killed her anyway.

Answer 2

A prophecy was made which said that a baby born at the end of July would be the person to defeat Voldemort. Harry and Neville both fitted this and Voldemort chose Harry therefore marking him as his enemy. Voldemort didn't want to die so he tried to kill the person who would ruin him.

Answer 3

He didn't want to kill harry's parents, he wanted to kill Harry and they got in the way so voldemort killed them, voldemort jut wanted to kill Harry and if his parents had steped aside they would be alive

Answer 4

Lord Voldemort wasn't out to kill Lily and James, it was Harry he wanted to kill. They just got in the way.

He wanted to kill Harry because a prophecy stated that the person who would destroy Voldemort would be born at the end of July. Voldemort, thinking that meant Harry, then fulfilled the second part of the prophesy by marking him as his enemy when he attempted to kill him.

Answer 5

He originally wanted to kill Harry alone because Harry Potter was, according to a prophecy Severus Snape overheard, the baby with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. However, the prophecy did not include his name, but only the requirements that the baby would have to fulfill, and Neville also fit these requirements, though Voldemort chose Harry to be his enemy by trying to kill him. To answer the question, Voldemort saw Harry as a threat to this reign.

Answer 6

SHORT AND SWEET ANSWER:He did not really care about killing them he wanted to kill Harry because Harry was the one who could defeat him. They James and Lily Potter were only in the way. In fact before he killed Lily he did tell her to stand aside. and only killed her when she try to protect her son. Side Note -Snape had asked the dark lord to spare Lily. VERY LONG AND EXPLANATORY ANSWER:Lord Voldemort wanted to kill Harry Potter and his family because it had been predicted by Sybill Trelawney (a Seer, or psychic) that either Neville Longbottom or Harry Potter would be the greatest threat to Voldemort, and that Voldemort would mark him as his equal. Voldemort realized that both he and Harry were half-blood (Harry's mum and dad were both wizards, but Lily was Muggle-born), and Neville was Pureblood; he and Neville weren't equals in that way. So he attacked the Potters on Halloween, 1980, to kill them. This would take care of Harry, the threat, and he killed Harry's parents because they were trying to protect Harry. However, the killing curse on Harry (Avada Kedavra) failed, which is why Voldemort went sort of "into hiding" for years.

Answer 7

He was ashamed to have a muggle father. His mother was already dead from childbirth, but I'm sure since she was a Squib he would've killed her too.

Answer 8

A prophecy decreed that a boy born at the end of July would have the power to destroy him. Voldemort believed this to be Harry and decided to kill him. Lily and James were just in the way.

Answer 9

I think because he hated Harry's parents.