I believe that the deal was contingent on power enough to beat Justin, not on his death. I would love to see Jim do another Ask me Anything Reddit so some longer form questions can be asked instead of the quick Q&A sessions at book signings. The nature of favors and power with regards to the Fae deserves a longer response.

Hasn't Jim also said that Lea didn't really give Harry anything in the bargain but a boost of confidence that he could kill Justin in a fight?  So it was a pretty dumb bargain on the part of a inexperienced sixteen year old.

For ex, the Council does recognize self-defense exceptions to the First Law.  Did she kill her rapists in the process of defending herself...or in revenge for the assault?  Did she use magic to try to defend herself...or did she go past self-defense into something else?

They do, but without a good advocate what chance does the accused really have?  When Harry was dragged before the Council to be judged, he was a scared kid with a hood over his head, they spoke in Latin, he didn't understand a word of it.  What chance did he really to defend himself if Eb hadn't come forth?   Given the recent history of the Council and the attitude of the Merlin, Hannah would have had no chance... And there is also this, how much knowledge of the Council and her rights did she have?   If she only had rumor to go by, of course she ran...  Harry was totally ignorant of both the Laws and the Council..  In my opinion if he had a clue at all he too would have ran.

Of course there's always the issue of whether she was believed or not, Harry was acting in self-defense but the truth of his claims were doubted.  But then again, Harry himself notes that Eb was not the only member of the Council who had sided with him, either.  How much of Harry's problem was Morgan's obsessions?

His problems with Morgan came later because he was of the same mind as the Merlin that potential warlocks once they've crossed the line cannot be reformed.  It is unclear how much they sided with Harry, they were mostly afraid of this kid with so much raw power that he could take out a former Warden in a duel.

Hannah's case is not necessarily a binary "Telling the truth or lying" thing.  She could be telling the truth and the matter still not be entirely as she describes it.  The more so with Lasciel whispering in her head...

Oh I think it can be the truth and exactly as she described it down to her bitterness after her friends died..  The question is more about what happened after that.   Here is my theory, Andriel sees and hears everything, so through him, Nic would be aware of Hannah and her plight.   Nic also knows that Lasciel was rejected by Harry and is none too happy about it.  So from there I don't think it would be too hard for him to arrange "contact" between Lasciel's coin and Hannah..  We know how good she is at twisting the mind, we saw what she was able to do as "Sheila" to Harry in Dead Beat, only he was saved by Butters pointing out there was no Sheila.  He was saved by that and the fact he had had an earlier soul gaze with a Denarian in Death Masks and didn't want any part of that club.  So it isn't too hard to believe Lasciel could manipulate someone already angry and very bitter with promises of revenge for her friends.

Haha no, I was working from memory and forgot her last name lol.


Hannah had the Coin for a while I think.  The fireball that she had incredible control over killing the Fomor goons needed incredible control, and I believe Jim said that Lasciel was what gave her that precision.

All that says is she had the Coin post Changes...  So she still could be telling the truth..

Opportunities work best when you know when they are coming.

 Do they?  I think it is more the law of unexpected and unintentional consequences... 

   Yeah, the way I understand it a wizard is born with a "raw talent/power" baseline, some are greater than others.. Harry was born powerful, just as some people are born with a high I.Q.   But that only carries a wizard so far, he/she also needs to study, train, and gain experience to reach their full potential, not unlike someone who is born very intelligent.  As Eb pointed out to Harry when he took on Molly to train, doing so would make him stronger simply because he suddenly will find he has to work at it... And so it has, in areas where he was weak before, veils for example before were barely passable, now they are effective..  His over all strength has improved because he has been forced to study to keep ahead and teach Molly.  This has worked in other non-talent ways as well, Harry can now understand and speak in Latin decently.
One thing that has held Harry back before he took on Molly was his own admitted laziness..  He did pretty well without breaking a sweat, so he simply didn't....   

Gabby has weighed in as she purrs and disrupts my typing... She just gives it  big MEOW!!!  And you can take that any way you want to...

I think you are overselling your point.   Butters is very intelligent and very creative in using Bob's magic.  But that is a long way from saying Butters is a wizard in any way. 
*  The hard part of being a wizard is actually casting the spell.  It requires skill, concentration, power and knowledge.   Butters clearly lacks the power, skill and concentration required, although with Bob's help he has the knowledge.
*  Most of the work involved in Butter's use of magic is Bob's, not Butters.   
*  Most of the magic we saw used is an application of magic that Harry and Bob has already worked out years ago.  (skate board, potions, etc).  It is applied in creative ways, but the hard design work had already been done.   

Do not get me wrong. Butters is amazing.  It is just not wizardry.

Totally agree, what Butters has done with Bob's help is more science based than magic.  Like the bombs that he used in Skin Game..  None of it makes him any less amazing..

I think part of it is when you someone someone by their true name, you have to have the will to dominate them in order to require them to be summoned. That's why Mother Winter was offended and needed to test Harry to see if he had the will to fight against her will. Similarly Vadderung had to demoonstrate to Harry in Changes he didn't have the Will necessary to challenge the Lords of the Outer Night as was. Yet he was able to with the full power of Winter Behind him.

That is why the scene where full Monty Harry mentally shouts out his full name as he confronts Shark Face in Cold Days is so significant.  It is a serious message not just to Shark Face but to Outsiders in general... page 417

And I would be damned if I was going to roll over for some punk Outsider and his psychic haymaker.
The words first.  Damned near everything begins with words.
"I am," I breathed, and suddenly the ice was clear of my mouth.
"I am Harry. . ." I panted, and the pain redoubled..
And I laughed.  As if some freak who never had loved enough to know loss could tell me about pain.
I AM HARRY BLACKSTONE COPPERFIELD DRESDEN!" I roared.

Then a little hell begins to break loose... But the point is, Harry is roaring out his full name as a challenge to the Outsiders to try and use it to mess with him...  It is a pointed warning that they do it at their own risk and really the first time Harry uses his name in this manner..