Prophecy - Thrice Defied?

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 113515

Angie said:
"Does anyone else wonder what "thrice defied" means in the prophecy in 
OOP? Does that mean Lily & James and the Longbottoms refused to join 
LV three times each?  Or does "defy" mean something else? Regardless 
of what it means,why would LV give them a second or third chance to 
defy him?  Unlike DD, I would imagine LV doesn't believe in second or 
third chances."

DuffyPoo:
I don't think it is quite as simple as standing up to LV and saying 'I'm not going to join you.'  As you said, I don't think they would have been given a second chance, that way.

I think defying is things like joining the Order of the Phoenix, for example.  Fighting DEs, having them arrested, could be another.  The basic definition in all three of my dictionaries is "to resist openly."  We don't know, exactly, what either the Potters or the Longbottoms did, although I think one of Frank and Alice's 'defys' was becoming Aurors hence DE hunters.  I've also never really been sure if it means each James and Lily three times, or three times together.

I've always thought Sirius Black made his first step of defiance when he left his Dark Wizard family, and another when he joined the OotP, although how many times he defied LV is unknown as he's not part of the equasion.  JMO YMMV


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]