JKR Chat "The Crucial and Central Question"

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 92345

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> Merci for the detailed explanation of how you read DD.  I am much 
> relieved to understand the you approve of whatever it is that DD is 
> up to. <g> Also that he's not arranged the ending so much as perhaps 
> knows the ending.  Now I see why you *must* say that Harry's choices 
> aren't real choices at all.  We may not agree, but your message is 
> clearer to me now.
>

Kneasy:
Ta muchly. Sorry it took so long for me to get my words in the right 
order so that my meaning was (moderately) clear.

As to how much he can see - well, that's up for grabs. As a *very*
rough analogy, and I'm by no means offering this as an hypothesis,
it's  as if he has knowledge of a series of events, each a marker post 
along the route that must be taken. This would be the guide to his plan.
Interestingly, I think his plan came off the rails in GoF. The Portkey Cup
was a surprise, I think, but the events in the graveyard that produced
that famous gleam told him it was alright again.
 
Sue:
> One question remains for me.  If DD knows the ending, then surely he 
> knows whether Harry survives or not?  Does DD believe the prophecy?  
> If he does, and if we've understood it properly, then how could it 
> ever come to DD's needing to sacrifice Harry to the greater cause of 
> saving the WW/defeating Voldy?  Doesn't it have to be Harry & Co. 
> winning or Voldy & Co. winning?  Or do you have a different take on 
> the prophecy--that there might be some wiggle room for someone other 
> than Harry as the vanquisher?
 
Kneasy:
This is where I start getting disgruntled. This is the point where those
time loop horrors could raise their ugly heads. But let's ignore those.

The assumption is that DD  wants to win the war above all else. Maybe
the way to achieve that is all he knows. The fate of individuals is, after
all of secondary importance -and I include in that his own fate. He
knows there will be casualties, sad but true, there always are in these
things - in fact certain deaths may be necessary, just as James' and Lily's
were. What can he do - what dare he do about these? Nothing. He cannot
disrupt the plan with impunity.

Harry is obviously important, but his victory is not guaranteed by the
Prophecy. He has (will have) sufficient power to vanquish Voldy. That
is not the same as saying he *will* vanquish Voldy. Hmm. Ask me after
the next book is published - I might be able to make a more informed
guess then.

Alternatively:-
Mind you, that prophecy might already  have been fulfilled.
Vanquish is another word for defeat, not for destroy.
Think what happened at Godrics Hollow - Voldy defeated, Harry marked,
parents dead - "neither (James and Lily) can live while the other (Harry)
survives" - could be, could be. Wouldn't that annoy a lot of people?
Just look on it as my irritating thought for the day.

In which case, who the hell knows what's going to happen?
Fun, isn't it?