Why Couldn't LV get the prophesy for himself?

[Phyllis]

No: HPFGUIDX 75295

Mhershey wrote:

> <snip> my question is, why couldn't LV just have Apparated in 
> front of the orb, taken it off the shelf, and then Disapparated?  
> After all, didn't he just want to stay hidden until he got the 
> prophecy so that he could see what was in it?

Well, the question of why Voldemort didn't just go and get the 
prophecy himself bugged me, too, and it took several readings for me 
to sort it out.  This is my conclusion (and opinion): Before 
Voldemort was aware that he and Harry were sharing thoughts, 
Voldemort was operating under Avery's inaccurate information that he 
could send a DE or someone under the Imperius Curse into the prophecy 
room to steal the prophecy. In Harry's vision, he sees Rookwood 
informing Voldemort that if anyone other than the person to whom the 
prophecy relates attempts to take the prophecy from the shelf, he/she 
will go mad and will be unable to retrieve the prophecy. So Voldemort 
then has to change course, but at this point he's already aware that 
Harry can see into his mind, so it's now far too dangerous for 
Voldemort to attempt to retrieve the prophecy himself. In addition, 
he now knows that he doesn't have to retrieve it himself - he can 
lure Harry into retrieving it for him. 

~Phyllis