Prophecy's value/ was Re: seeking knowledge and keeping secrets-long

[phoenixmum]

No: HPFGUIDX 80781


> <sarcasticmuppet at y...> wrote:
> > but if Harry knew exactly what Voldemort was up to should he rise 
> > again, he would have actually studied Occlumency, and Voldemort 
> > wouldn't have the prophecy, and Sirius would be alive.
> 
> Occlumency takes time to learn. Voldemort ripping the information 
> out of Harry's head wouldn't take very long. So knowing about the 
> prophecy before finding a way to resist Voldemort's legilimency is 
a 
> sure fire way for Voldemort to learn of the prophecy's details and 
> for Harry to become the prime target of the Death Eaters.

Reply:  I thought the irony in OOtP was that Voldemort extended great 
effort to learn the "rest of the prophecy," but there really wasn't 
anything of value to learn (for LV anyway). LV doesn't know this, and 
may continue to seek it in other ways. But Harry has already been a 
target for LV, who has tried to kill him repeatedly, without LV 
knowing the complete prophecy. What part doesn't LV know? That's not 
clear to me.  (Maybe the part about "having powers the Dark Lord 
knows not.") But he already seems to know the essential part: that 
Harry/the prophesized child being the source of his downfall.

Phoenix 

PS: Agree  with the comment upthread about the moral of OOtP being 
that excessive secretkeeping causing bad things to happen.