Does a prophecy have to be fulfilled? (Why is everyone so convinced ...)

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 82428

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at e...> 
wrote:
> The part I continue to wonder about though, is whether a prophecy 
> *has* to be fulfilled.  Since you compared the Prophecy to the 
time 
> turner, we have this remark from canon:
> 
> "...Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you 
anything, 
> Harry? The consequences of our actions are so complicated, so 
> diverse, that predicting the future is very difficult, 
indeed....." 
> (Dumbledore, POA chap. 21, p. 426).

If you reread the prophecy, notice how vague it is. It predicts the 
birth of a rival to Voldemort, giving fairly precise information on 
how that child is to be identified. But it does not tell how and if 
that child will actually defeat him.

The prophecy already appears to have been mostly fulfilled. That 
child was indeed born and marked as foretold. By all signs, he is as 
powerfull as Voldemort - though a lot less experienced and 
knowledgable. What is left unclear is how - and if - he can 
accomplished the task for which he was born.
 
>But if a Prophecy *must* be fulfilled, and a certain path 
> *must* be taken, i.e. there has to be an eavesdropper who only 
hears 
> the first part and Voldemort must act on that part, etc., then a 
> person's choices along the way aren't required. It is a pre-
ordained 
> outcome.

Well, the eavesdropper was the way fate has chosen for how to bring 
about the prophecy. It could have happened differently of course, 
but the fatal "marking as equal" had to happen.

I disagree that choices are not required. Without DD's intervention 
Harry would never have even survived to reach Hogwarts.
Notice the prophecy was fulfilled mostly (other than for the 
either/neither part) when Harry was 15 months old. If DD did not 
have the foresight of placing Harry with the Dursleys, then 
Voldemort even in his vapor form could have caused Harry's death 
long before he grew up. That would not contradict the prophecy but 
it is certainly not how we'd want it to happen.

DD's role is to ensure that Harry lives and learns enough to have a 
fighting chance against Voldemort. How he does it and whether Harry 
will succeed are no part of the prophecy.

>f Voldemort needs to attempt to kill 
> Harry to "seal his doom" as you said, then the fates aren't 
observers 
> but participants who are actively trying to bring about LV's end.

Well, this is an alternate world with its own rules. Why wouldn't 
they? I was certain since book 3 that Trelawney's first prophecy 
must have predicted Harry as a rival to Voldemort - otherwise why 
would LV try to kill a baby? A prophecy is the only explanation that 
makes sense in the context of this story. I did not expect the 
Neville twist though...

> Also, if all the prophecies at the MOM are certain of being 
> fulfilled, why are they stored? I guess they could be safeguarding 
> them, but if the future has already predicted the events that will 
> take place to fulfill a prophecy, then there's no need to 
safeguard 
> them. And they wouldn't be keeping results data if they are all 
> fulfilled. How would that piece fit in?

They may be safeguarded because they have not yet happened and for 
them to happen, it is essential they don't become general knowledge 
(just like Harry and Voldemort's prophecy which is only partly 
fulfilled). Or for research, or because secret documents tend to 
keep that designation for years after the event.

Salit