How is a Person 'Chosen' to Hear a Prophecy?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 84795

"For he {Harry} has been better protected than I think even he 
knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, *when it 
fell to him to arrange the boy's future*."  {emphaisi mine}
(Voldemort in GOF, US, chap. 33, p. 657).

I used this quote in another post and was intrigued by the 
part, "fell to him to arrange the boy's future." Voldemort may not 
know the whole story, but assuming he does, I started thinking again 
about Dumbledore and the Prophecy. This seems the logical starting 
point for when the responsibility "fell" to Dumbledore, for he was 
involved in protecting Harry long before James and Lily died.

What is the ethical responsibility of a person hearing a Prophecy? I 
firmly believe a person is chosen to hear a Prophecy based on their 
ability to take responsibility for the situation and make tough 
choices based on the "will" of the Prophecy rather than personal 
biases. A person can't just hear the thing and decide—"I don't like 
that outcome" and proceed to steer the course in another direction.  
Possibly, hearing a Prophecy even constitutes a binding magical 
contract, like a life debt.  That would also mean people chosen to 
hear a prophecy must have certain ethical standards that jive with 
the intentions of what they hear.

Harry unconciously assists in fulfilling the second Prophecy by 
granting mercy to Wormtail.  Could we even say he's been chosen to 
hear the 2nd Prophecy *because* he holds the ethical standard that 
killing Wormtail would be wrong? 

I also think the fact that Dumbledore heard the first Prophecy is 
more evidence for his high ethical standards. Otherwise, if 
prophecies can be channeled to any old person, especially ones 
willing to interfere in matters of the metaphysical realm (? not 
sure what to call it), then what would be their purpose?