The Prophecy and the End

[linlou43]

No: HPFGUIDX 69589


I know. I know. The prophecy has already been discussed and then 
discussed some more but I think I have a new perspective on this. If 
any of the theories included in this post seem to be repeated 
from earlier posts without acknowlegment, I apologize in advance. 
With the current volume of the boards, I hope you'll understand. I'm 
not wearing steel-toed boots or anything so it shouldn't hurt *too* 
much if I step on anyones toes. OK. Now that the disclaimer is out 
of the way, on with the show.


All definitions are from the on-line Merriam-Webster dictionary.


VANQUISH
1 : to overcome in battle : subdue completely
2 : to defeat in a conflict or contest
3 : to gain mastery over (an emotion, passion, or temptation)


SURVIVE ( intransitive definitions only)
1 : to remain alive or in existence : live on
2 : to continue to function or prosper


LIVE ( I chose # 8 out of nine intransitive definitions)

- to have a life rich in experience


  Now the prophecy.
  Do we really need to be reminded what it says?

   "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord 
approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the 
seventh month dies...And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, 
but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...And either must die 
at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other 
survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be 
born as the seventh month dies..."
 


  There were several early posts immediately after first readings 
that brought up the impossibility of the prophecy if read literally. 
It was stated that for five books now both had lived while the other 
survived so the prophecy had to be flawed, false, or not what it 
seemed. It is my belief that not only can the prophecy not be taken 
at face value but that Dumbledore himself has not interpreted it 
correctly. Harry will need to discover it's true meaning and that 
will be his journey in the last two books. So what is it's true 
meaning? Here's what I think. ( Please bear with me, I'm going to 
take the prophecy slightly out of order so as to preserve a linear 
train ofthought.)


   "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..."

     In most of the posts I have read *vanquish* seems to have been 
equated with *kill*. According to the definitions I found ( the 
three above were the only ones listed for the entry), it means 
nothing of the sort. Either definition 1 or 2 would fit just fine 
for Harry's purposes.


   "Neither can live while the other survives..."

      I'll start with *live*. I didn't bother to copy all nine 
definitions because we all know what the main usage of the word 
denotes. Instead, I kept the one that seemed most fitting to the 
prophecy. (IMO) By this definition, neither Harry nor the Dark Lord 
have lived for 16 years. I would however, for these purposes, expand 
the given definition to include the ability to be fulfilled. Harry 
has been held back from a rich life by his constricted upbringing 
and, since his return to the WW, the constant awareness of the Dark 
Lord's inevitable and then eventual return. As far as the Dark Lord 
is concerned, in this sense, IMO, he hasn't lived since he began his 
rise to power.      
     
     For *survive*, I'm using definition number two (especially the 
word prosper). Logically, this ties in to the definition I am using 
for *live* and the same explanantions apply.
        

    "And either must die at the hand of the other"

      No, I am not going to try and use some tricky definition of 
*die*. Instead, at this point I am going to address the two parties 
involved-namely Harry and the Dark Lord. (This is where the meat of 
the theory is.) Did everybody notice yet that I have constantly 
refered to the Dark Lord throughout this entire post instead of 
Voldemort or Tom RIddle? That has not been done without reason. I 
was attempting in my own ( pitiful? ) way to make a point. The Dark 
Lord is a created entity; created from the person who was once Tom 
Riddle. ONLY the Dark Lord needs to die for Harry to live. TOM 
RIDDLE need not. Harry must find a way, using the weapon (love?) in 
the locked room at the department of mysteries, to seperate the two, 
then kill the monster that is the Dark Lord, giving both himself and 
Tom Riddle (finally) the chance to *live*. (I have to wonder if Tom 
is fighting the good fight from the inside ever since the Dark Lord 
made the mistake of using Harry's blood.)

  Summary of prophecy interpretation:

          Harry has the power to defeat(vanquish)the Dark Lord.

          Neither has Lived for years.

          Through Harry's power both Harry and Tom will Survive but 
the Dark Lord will be defeated.

 Have fun with it everyone-linlou


 PS: I am also working out exactly how Neville is involved in all of 
this but I am still working out the details. I'll post that when I'm 
finished.