Timing of the prophecy

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 117454


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "khinterberg" 
<khinterberg at y...> wrote:
> 
> > khinterberg wrote:
> > > 
> > > Why have people agreed that the prophecy was given shortly 
before
> > > Harry and Neville's births?  Trelawney was hired 16 years ago 
> from
> > the
> > > beginning of Ootp.  As Harry is 15 there, wouldn't it have been
> > given
> > > a full year before they were born?
> > > 
> > 
> > Eustace_Scrubb:
> > Isn't it in the last chapter of OoP that Dumbledore says he heard 
> the
> > prophecy 16 years ago?  That would be much closer to Harry's 16th
> > birthday than to his 15th.  Dumbledore isn't precise about the 
> timing,
> > but it was cold and wet, so let's say early spring/late winter, 16
> > years ago.  That might make it 4 or 5 months prior to Neville's 
and
> > Harry's births.  Not sure whether that's "shortly before" or not.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > 
> > Eustace_Scrubb
> 
> 
> khinterberg now:
> True, but let me present my evidence.
> 1.)The HP Lexicon timeline says that Ron is made Gryffindor keeper 
> on Friday, Sep 6.  
> 2.)The whole of the next chapter, Percy and Padfoot, seems to take 
> place in one day, Sat the 7th.  
> 3.)The very next day, Dolores Umbridge is made Hogwarts High 
> Inquisitor and begins inspecting classes.  
> 4.)That very day, Umbridge inspects Professor Trelawney, and 
> Trelawney reluctantly reveals that she has been employed in that 
> post for "nearly sixteen years."  
> 
> The only thing that bothers me is that "nearly." But do you see my 
> point of view?
> 
> khinterberg

Hickengruendler:

I don't think we should take Trelawney's statement to literally. Seh 
said she worked in Hogwarts for nearly sixteen years in the scene you 
mentioned, and then again she said that she's in Hogwarts for sixteen 
years, in the scene where she's sacked. All that it means is IMO that 
she was hired between October 1979th and April or May 1980. Not a 
very specific date, but I don't think we can come any closer in our 
guesses.

It's the same about Snape. He said in September/October that he 
worked in Hogwarts for fourteen years. If we took it literally, he 
was hired nefore Voldie's downfall. But it's way more likely that he 
was speaking losely and was hired in November, after Harry defeated 
Voldemort. That would still count as 14 years, even if not exactly.

Hickengruendler