Let's pick at that prophecy a little more, shall we?

[scoutmom21113]

No: HPFGUIDX 77707

There were so many good thoughts in this thread that I tried to 
collect them and comment in just one post.  I think I've managed to 
give credit where necessary.  If not, my apologies.

Wanda wrote (77580):
Voldemort could just have *identified* Harry as the one he was 
looking for. It doesn't necessarily mean that he *made* Harry into 
his match. <snip>
Next point, in what way is Harry Voldemort's "equal"? He has nowhere 
near as much power; even though he's outwitted him 4 times, he 
himself says that it had as much to do with luck and help as 
anything.

RB responds:
How is it that that a teenage boy has been so lucky on numerous 
occasions against one of the most powerful wizards of the age? 
Normally luck will only go so far before a certain amount of 
experience or talent is necessary to continue on.  But Harry as a 
baby, then again as an innocent 11-year old, had no experience.  So 
was it luck or was it talent?  Is that potential talent what 
Voldemort noticed (marked)?

Laurasia wrote (77613):
The point I'm trying to make here is that Voldemort has marked Harry 
as equal just by considering him a threat.

RB responds:
Did Voldemort mark him by considering him a threat?  Or by the 
failure of the killing curse?  IMHO, there is something more 
involved with this failed curse – whether it's Lily's sacrifice, or 
something within Harry himself.  The prophecy says: "...he will have 
power..." not "...he will be given power..." 

Hickengruendler wrote (77625):
We don't actually know this, that he hasn't bother Neville. In fact, 
if I were Voldemort and heard, that a baby could be my downfall, I 
would try to kill both possible candidates, just to get sure. It is 
IMO absolutely possible, if not likely, that Voldemort wanted to 
kill both babies, but that he had the opportunity to kill Harry 
first, because the Longbottoms had a secret keeper, that wasn't a 
Death Eater.

RB responds: 
I agree this is the most likely scenario.  Didn't Sirius tell Lupin 
in PoA that Wormtail was made Secret Keeper only a week before the 
Potters were killed.  That would support this idea.  On the other 
hand this is a very simple explanation and we all know how sneaky 
JKR is <g>. 

Laurasia wrote (77644):
Well, he didn't seem remotely interested in Neville at the 
Department of Mysteries. Neville wasn't kidnapped and tied to a 
Gravestone in his fourth year. So maybe Voldemort *wanted* to kill 
both Harry and Neville when they were one, but he seems to have 
stopped trying to kill Neville since then. This, IMO, shows that 
Voldemort has accpeted that Harry is the one spoken of in the 
prophecy.

RB responds: 
Or by this time he really really wants revenge.  And did he even 
notice Neville at the Ministry?  Voldemort didn't show up until 
Harry had chased Bellatrix into the entrance hall.  If he watched 
the earlier fight he likely thought Neville was just one of the 
students. 

Margaret wrote (77638):
I still think the prophecy *may* mean Neville. No, Voldemort did 
not "mark him" in the physical sense, but not all marks are visible. 
Perhaps it means psychologically, in a way Voldemort's responsible 
for who Neville is, just as he is for who Harry is.

RB responds:
There have been a number of posts discussing whether or not Neville 
is involved in the prophecy (mine included).  I think Harry is "the 
one", mainly because he is the main character, but I think Neville 
will be involved in some way.  Otherwise, Neville's development in 
OoP makes a nice, but unimportant, side plot.  There is so much in 
this book that sets that stage for books 6 and 7 (JKR supposedly 
said that she had to made sure all the right clues were included) 
that there isn't room for anything that isn't necessary.  

Donna wrote (77645):
Since "blood" is so important to Voldemort, wouldn't he think that 
someone in his own bloodline be more powerful than someone who 
wasn't? 

RB responds:
There has been a lot of speculation on Harry's family, and JKR is 
being very cagey about James and Lily.  I'm certain there will be 
some kind of family connection, but IMHO, I don't think we are going 
to read "...Harry, I *am* your [grand]father..." <bg>

Margaret wrote (77700):
The prophecy doesn't say he will acknowledge that he's marked him as 
his equal, just that he will mark him.

RB responds:
Actually, it does.  Page 841 (US): "...and the Dark Lord will mark 
him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..."

Another thought: do Harry and Neville share the same birthday or was 
Neville born a day or two before?

Ravenclaw Bookworm