THEORY: Phoenixes, Potters, and You

[Heather Moore]

No: HPFGUIDX 30093

> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Gabriel Edson" <feycat at f...> wrote:
> > Does anyone know why Voldemort wanted to *specifically* wipe out 
> the Potters?
> [...]
> > What's up with that? Hopefully, THAT will be a major element in the 
> coming book!
> > 
> > -Gabriel


 Here's my short-but-sweet theory:

 The Order of the Phoenix does *not* refer to the phoenix tailfeathers in anybody's wands; I believe that this is a red herring of sorts. The "Phoenix" of the group's title is in fact a reference to the Prophecy about the Heir of Gryffendor's ultimate defeat of the Heir of Slytherin. 

The Order is a society of wizards and witches who had taken on the task of identifying and protecting the Heir. When Snape (we assume) tipped off Dumbledore that Voldemort had turned his attentions toward finding and destroying the Potters, the Order came to the belief that the Heir of Gryffendor was Lily's baby. 

I believe that what Voldemort discovered was that Lily Evans' ancestry derives from Godric Griffendor, either through a squib ancestor or because Lily herself was actually an orphan as was Tom Riddle had been. 

I *assume* that Snape is an associate of the Order of the Phoenix, but only because he wants Voldemort destroyed; he dislikes the whole "Gryffendor Good Slytherin Bad" part of the rhetoric. He also obviously hasn't bought the idea that Harry Potter is some mystical wizard messiah, and is frustrated that nothing has happened to discount that interpretation. 

I think Snape in fact left the Death Eaters at some point *before* Voldemort discovered where the Potters were -- this may have been accomplished under the device of leading Voldemort to believe that Snape was going to spy on and sabotage the Order. He may have fed back some false information to slow Vol down, at some risk to himself. But by he time LV returns in the body in GOF, he clearly realizes that Snape is no longer in his camp. 

 SO... the short answer is: LV went after the Potters specifically to destroy Harry, because of the prophecy; he believed Harry was the Phoenix who would rise from the a dormant line of Gryffendor to defeat the Heir of Slytherin. 

 -- Uma-was-Heather
 gettin' all Arthurian on your heinie