Help me understand the importance of the prophecy, please

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 82074

Hi Dumbledad :-)

I think the prophecy holds a big clue, that many readers, including 
me, didn't realise in the beginning. It's in the sentence "And he 
will have powers the Dark Lord knows not". Voldemort hoped, that the 
prophecy might give him a hint, how to kill Harry. It doesn't. But it 
gives a hint, how to kill Voldemort (probably through love). Once 
Voldemort found out, that Harry has powers he hasn't, he would try 
everything to find out, what these powers are, so that he will be 
prepared, if Harry uses these powers against him. That's why 
Dumbledore didn't want Voldemort to hear the prophecy.

Hickengruendler