Neville and the Prophecy (Was Re: A litte more on the Prophecy)

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 82236

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kneazle255" <kneazle255 at y...>
wrote:
> Reading your post it struck me that Neville touches the Prophecy in 
> the MoM without going crazy. The only two people to handle it are 
> Harry and Neville, I think.

Yes.

> I am not sure if once a prophecy globe is removed from the room 
> anyone can then handle it or not. But Neville is the only one who 
> does, besides Harry.

Lucius Malfoy keeps telling Harry to give him the prophecy and in
several instances, miscelanous DE's try to grab or force or magic the
prophecy out of harry's hand. None seem to worry about going insane.
So I think that once the prophecy is removed from the shelf, it can be
handled by just about anyone.

> COuld the Prophecy *STILL* apply to both equally?

I believe that the label on the prophecy is not really related to who
it applies to. The protection was set by DoM employees and refers to
the person (or persons) they believe are the subjects of the prophecy.
In other words, Harry being able to remove the prophecy only proves
that DoM employees thought he was the one the prophecy meant when they
relabeled it, but it may not be true.

That said, I can't see how the prophecy could apply to Neville at this
point. Neville was never marked by Voldemort (although I suspect he
may have had a memory charm applied to him, or he may have been
present when his parents were tortured and his poor memory may be the
result of the shock) nor has he ever even met Voldemort. Neville
hasn't really shown any indications that he could in any way, shape or
form be considered Voldemort's equal. He has no special power or
knowledge of any sort, e.g. he does not speak Parceltongue - aparently
of all living wizards only Voldemort and Harry do; he does not own a
wand that is akin to Voldemort's (although it is possible that one of
Fawkes' newly shed feathers may end up in his upcoming new wand). He
is clearly less talented than Harry. He has never done anything
remarkable to speak of - he faced the trio in SS/PS and he followed
Harry to the MoM - together with four other students. He did somewhat
better than the other kids (but certainly not better than Harry)
during the fight in the MoM but mainly due to courage, determination
and luck - not skill (his spells generally miss and his wand and nose
get broken early on, rendering him unable to use magic in the fight).

So the prophecy without a doubt applies to Harry. However, I am sure
that Neville has an important part to play in bringing it about.
Perhaps he will become the No.2 person under Harry in any type of
anti-Voldemort organization that will rise in coming books? I can't
see Ron in that role and Hermione made it clear that her interests lie
elsewhere than in dedicating her life to fighting dark wizards.
I think that just like Harry is set up as Voldemort's counterpart,
Neville may be set up to eventually defeat Bellatrix Lestrange - who
is probably slated to become Voldemort's number 2 now that Malfoy has
been arrested.

Salit