The only one he ever feared?

[kgpopp]

No: HPFGUIDX 117275


> Kim replies:
> > I think we may be on to something!  From the prophecy about "the
> > coming of the Dark Lord" or "Slytherin's heir" maybe DD wouldn't 
> > have known exactly who that Dark Lord would be, but he might have
> > put two and two together when he saw what kind of student Tom Riddle 
> > really was.  And the Dark Lord prophecy might have mentioned certain
> > specifics, like a time when the Dark Lord would appear, etc., that
> > would have pointed to Tom Riddle being the one.  Kind of like the 
> > way Harry's prophecy didn't mention Harry's name, but did mention 
> > the circumstances of his birth.  And doesn't OotP show that only 
> > the ones about whom the prophecy is written can open the prophecy 
> > sphere?  So maybe TR went to the Ministry years before, found the 
> > "Dark Lord" sphere and opened it?


Okay, I'm new to this so please understand I comment only because I 
find the conversation interesting, not to criticize.

1st)  To the question about a connection between Lily & VD or her 
having some special power.   I don't think VD thought Lily had any 
special power, or was jealous of or taken with Lily.   I think that 
Lily was special in that she had a very deep love of her family.   
But VD did not see that in Lily, let alone understand the power of 
love or how far a parent might go to protect.    In the 1st book DD 
explains to Harry that Lily's sacrifice left a mark of love and that 
mark protected Harry from VD.    In COS, when Tom R. confronts Harry 
in the chamber, the Tom memory realized that there is old magic that 
he forgotten about and that is why the spell had not worked.

2) Going back 16 years when VD tries to kill Harry
 I think VD 
assumes that baby Harry would someday have or learn a great power 
and challenge him because he has not heard he whole prophecy. So VD 
figures he would kill Harry, before he learns to defend himself.   
As far as killing, why he didn't just kill Lily.   His objective was to 
kill the competition.  It's not so much that he minded killing Lily or 
wanted to spare her but rather that she was not the objective and he 
wanted to deal w/ Harry.     I'd even go so far as to say the VD did 
not consider Lily a threat and might have wanted to see her suffer.  
(He seems the sicko type)
 
Side note:  Per DD, in OOP the lost prophecy, he interviewed 
Trewawney 16 years ago.  Since Harry is in his 5th year in OOP, the 
prophecy was given about the time Harry was born.     Since the 
prophecy was not known until about the time Harry was born, VD was 
already at the height of his power and I assume DD knew he was Tom.   

Reference: American non 1st ed.
"The one w/ the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches.  Born to 
those who have thrice defied him.  Born as the 7th month dies and the 
dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have powers the 
Dark lord knows not.   And either must die at the hand of the other 
for neither can live while the other survives."

3) Back to the power that Harry has that is un-known to the Dark Lord.

DD explains to Harry that 2 kids were born in July whose parents had 
3 times escaped VD.   But when Harry suggests that he might not be 
the person in the prophecy and that it might be Neville (the other 
July Baby whose patents fought VD 3 times), DD points to the last 
part of the prophecy about marking him as an equal.   I think this is 
both a literal and subtle clue.

a) When VD tries to kill Harry he leaves the scar which is visual 
mark 
b) Going on just a bit more, DD thinks points out that VD considered 
Harry the son of a non-pure-blood to be the threat rather than the 
kid of the pure-bloods.   This also ties back to COS when Harry 
notices the similarities b/w him and VD.   Both sons of not "pure-
blood" parents.   When VD kills Lily and James he makes Harry an 
orphan just like him. So VD is most threatened by someone like him or 
an equal.   I think when VD attacks him he is unconsciously 
recognizing or marking Harry as his equal.  The question is does this 
mean equal in status or
 because of the accidental power transfer 
does it means Harry really is VD equal in terms of magical 
powers.     Perhaps the power is different in Harry though, because 
Harry developed a different moral core that gives him an equally 
powerful but different kind strength.  

Thoughts?
Kristen