prophecy - defy

[Arya]

No: HPFGUIDX 83369

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sachmet96" <sachmet96 at y...> 
wrote:
> If this has been discussed before could someone direct me to the 
> right posts, I searched the archives but couldn't find anything. 
> Thanks.
> 
> I was thinking about the prophecy (again) and suddenly the word defy 
> stood out. I assume the prophecy is talking about Lily, James and 
> Voldemort. But this leads to some problems imo.
> 
> To defy someone doesn't one need to be in contact/know someone 
> personally? English is not my first language, but I wouldn't use
> the word defy in context with someone I don't know personally (at
> least as it is used here `defied him'). If James and Lily
> were the
> ones who defied Voldemort wouldn't that mean they had to know him
> personally and pretty well too? And if so how/where did they get to 
> know him and what reason did they have to know him? And to defy him 
> three times, wouldn't that mean they had a lot of contact?
> 
> My Oxford dictionary defines `defy' as:
> 
> 1) openly resist or refuse to obey
> To not obey someone wouldn't that mean they had reason/were
> expected to obey but didn't do it? What reason would they have to 
> obey him in the first place? Or how would they get into a position 
> where they were expected to obey? 
> 
> 2) challenge to do or prove something
> How would they get into the position to challenge Voldemort, that 
> implies to me that they actively though him out. I don't think
> this is the meaning of `defy' used in the prophecy.
> 
> 
> Also I always understood it that the defying was done with an action 
> (like refusing to do something) and not a fight/duel.
> 
> Any comment? Did I understand the meaning of the word `defy'
> wrong? 
> 
> sachmet96

I agree to a large extent.  I think that "Defy" is likely (in my mind, anyway) to 
mean that one refused to give/divulge/die/cooperate with some wish or plot of 
Volde's.  It could be foiling one of Volde's plans (that would be defiant by 
challenging), escaping capture/torture/death that was ordered to be carried 
out by Volde or to be done by Volde himself, or even refusing to cooperate 
and give in to Volde's demands (Think Longbottoms' tortures).  There are tons 
of other 'could be' scenarios, but I do think the loosest, most liberal 
interpretation of the word, is best and the most immediate interpretation--likely 
a red herring.  

Arya