The only one he ever feared?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 117568


Kneasy wrote:
At the beginning of OoP there's talk of a 'weapon'. So what is it and
> where is it? Some of us write about Weapon!Harry, but it wasn't Harry
> the Order was guarding, it was something in the Dept. of Mysteries.
> Why waste manpower on a grotty old globe that won't help Voldy
> in the slightest and can't even be taken off the shelf by anyone
except Voldy or Harry? No reason to at all - unless someone wants to
convince someone else that it's important.

Carol responds:
IIRC, the term "weapon" was used by Lupin and Black to derail Harry,
giving LV something plausible to be seeking that didn't give away the
real object of his quest. That was badly phrased, I know. I mean, they
didn't want Harry to know that LV was seeking a prophecy that related
to him because of course Harry would ask questions that they either
couldn't or didn't want to answer. And calling the Prophecy a "weapon"
wasn't a lie, exactly, since LV did intend to use it against Harry and
clear the way for destroying or controlling everybody else. 

As for "wasting manpower guarding a grotty old globe," yes, of course,
they were trying to make it look important. The longer they could keep
LV focused on the Prophecy, the more time their side would have to
prepare for the coming war. Stave off the main onslaught as long as
possible with a diversionary tactic.

Kneasy:
> Of course, I've got a vested interest in this sort of thing; 
convoluted plotting, dirty work at the cross-roads, sneaky  stuff.
Plus wondering if it's the globe-like bubbles from Droobles Gum that
Agnes is trying to bring to mind and communicate to Neville. Then
there's the silvery orb that is Lupin's Boggart. Is it the moon? Or a
globe? Ah! Paranoia can be so much fun!

Carol responds:
Well, Lavender (or Parvati?) thought it was a crystal ball, and Lupin
does seem to be afraid of having his fortune read!

And, erm, I think you mean Alice (Longbottom). Agnes is the dog-faced
woman whose son visits her at Christmas. (At one time we speculated
that the son might be Snape. Wouldn't that be fun--an encounter
between Snape and Neville as they visit their respective mothers in
St. Mungo's at Christmas. Especially if Agnes, too, turns out to be a
victim of the Death Eaters!)

Carol, who is not a conspiracy theorist and is only having fun