*MY* confusion about the Time Turner

[sevenhundredandthirteen]

No: HPFGUIDX 124017


Del wrote:
>>>>
For me, where JKR *really* muddied the waters is when 
Harry managed to perform the Patronus Charm because he 
had seen himself do it. In this instance, Future!Harry 
had a very definite influence on Past!Harry.
Past!Harry is able to do something in his own future
because he saw Future!Harry do it.

What bothers me is that Harry *managed* to cast the 
Patronus Charm *because* he saw himself do it. 
>>>>

Laurasia replies:

It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Voldemort only attacks Harry
because he heard a prophecy which suggested Harry may be a threat, but
until he makred him as equal with that AK there was no threat... 

Harry only casts the Patronus because he believed that the Patronus
must be cast.

Are you equally bothered by the idea of self-fulfilling prophecies?
Events in the past that *only happened* because the future gave them
the idea in the first place? Without that prophecy, Voldemort would
not have bothered to go after a baby boy... 

IMO, it's the same idea. But I've never heard anyone express
frustration with the idea of Voldemort and his self-fulfilling
prophecy, yet the same logic gets applied to Harry and his Patronus.

~<(Laurasia)>~

Tammy Rizzo, I agree with what you wrote in post 124003. I was just
trying to fathom the difficulty some people have in seeing Time Travel
in such a simple way.