[HPforGrownups] Reconciling Prophesy Dates -

[Wendy St John]

No: HPFGUIDX 62483

Rowen Avalon wrote: 
> "I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything 
> unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in 
> hiding for fifteen years...."
> 
> And I thought, that's odd. I wonder why. Of course, now that I've 
> read OoP, I would assume that this is when he found out about the 
> prophecy. BUT I'm having a hard time reconciling these 15 years in 
> book 3 with Trelawney's stated "almost 16 years" at Hogwarts in Oop. 
> I also have problems with V's defeat being 12 years ago, because it's 
> really 12 1/2 years at the end of book 3.
> 
> Could I get some theories or explanations by someone who is good with 
> time? I think it all depends on whether JKR is rounding up or down in 
> her years, but it doesn't seem consistant. I always have a hard time 
> dealing with ... time. Ok, but you know what I mean.
> 


Now me (Wendy):

I've always assumed that the 12 years referred to the time since Voldemort
was "vaporized" by Harry (which fits with the timeline as we know it), and
that the reference to 15 years in hiding meant that even before Voldemort
was defeated, he was in hiding from the Ministry and the aurors who were
trying to catch him. Even though he was at the height of his powers, I
imagine he wasn't actually strolling around Diagon Alley and such with most
of the Wizarding World trying to stop him.

:-)

Wendy St John
hebrideanblack at earthlink.net