Neville's importance and the Prophecy

[kalmeeeh]

No: HPFGUIDX 74276

Dumbledore assumes the prophecy means that either Harry or Voldemort 
must kill or be killed.

The prophecy goes

"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...."


A rather confusing quote, but my interpretation is that the "either" 
and "neither" are refering to Neville and Harry, and not Harry and 
Voldemort, as both Harry and Dumbledore assume. It's more than a 
coincidence that there are two boys that could fit the description by 
the prophecy, and that the most confusing part of the prophecy can 
have many different meanings.

Perhaps in the next two books, both Harry and Neville will face a 
life and death situation, and only one of them will survive the 
confrontation with Voldemort.

Perhaps Harry protects Neville from Voldemort and this act kills both 
Voldemort and himself.

This turn of events would make the surviving part make more sense.