MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER - THE ALCHEMIST THEORY IN TWO ACTS

[tinglinger]

No: HPFGUIDX 131975

This post contains a theory that explains the entire
backstory of the Potter series, up to and including
events at Godric's Hollow.
=====================================================
MAJOR SPOILER ALERT IF YOU BUY INTO THIS
(and believe me, i am not tossing dung bombs here )
=====================================================

Tinglinger
-------------------------------
The Original Post of The Lily & James Alchemist Theory
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/messages/131930

Jen Reese
--------------------------------
I'm afraid the motive is the break-down point for me,
even though you make a good case for your theory, tinglinger.
Dumbledore himself admits there's not much positive about
immortality, that the very things we hope to gain through
immortality turn out to be the very things humans don't
truly need--neverending life, money, fame-- all the
temptations that can conquer us in the end.
<big snip>


tinglinger
-----------------
Yes, but that is the beauty of it - the fact that the
Elixir's effect ISN'T permanent. Dumbledore has a plan to
lure Voldemort to his destruction based on a bogus
prophecy by Cybil Trelawney. 
Voldemort believes the "prophecy" and concludes that
either Harry must kill him or he must kill Harry.

Dumbledore feeds Harry the Elixir EXPRESSLY to lure
Voldemort to Godric's Hollow at a time when Harry is
temporarily immortal due to the elixir of life.

Voldemort goes to Godric's Hollow and uses the AK spell
on Harry, but it does not work because though unstoppable,
IT CANNOT KILL A HUMAN WHO IS IMMORTAL, even if only
temporarily so.
So what happens when an irresistable force meets an
immovable object? The force rebound back to it's caster
with disasterous results.

Then, after Voldemort's body is destroyed, the Elixir
wears off and Harry goes back to being The Boy Who Lived,
and nothing more.......

Or at least that is what Dumbledore hoped would happen...
but unforseen events doomed Albus' plan as we shall see.


tinglinger - answering the BIG question
--------------------------------------------------
You might ask why James and Lily would agree to such
a dangerous plan, even for all the gold in Gringot's?
Two reasons.
First, the wizarding world and the order are doomed
if nothing is done. In OOP Lupin talked about the order
being outnumbered 20 to 1, and being picked off one by
one (OOP CH 9, pg 177).
Desperate times require desperate measures.....,

and second .... even more important ........

BECAUSE DUMBLEDORE HAS DONE IT ALL BEFORE AND
SUCCEEDED..... almost.


When? in his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945.
Huh? Howzzzat?


How The Dark Wizard Grindelwald was Defeated
---------------------------------------------
Remember, Tom Riddle was in his final year at
Hogwarts in 1945. He is a Slytherin - only concerned
about himself. Bright, but flawed, an orphan with no
family. Brilliant, but starting to lean to the dark
side, capable of ruining the career of a fellow
student (Hagrid) just so that he won't have to return
to the orphanage. He wanted an edge.

And Dumbledore had this plan........
He approached Tom Riddle and says "How would you
like to live forever?"
Riddle goes "Sure, but what's the catch?"
"You must drink the Elixir of Life that I and my
partner have produced from the Sorcerer's Stone.
That will give you immortality. Then you must face
this dark wizard Grindelwald, who will try to kill
you with an Avada Kedavara spell. But don't worry!
You can't die because the Avada Kedavera spell
cannot work on an immortal! And guess what YOU will
become after you drink the Elixir of Life!"
"Oh," continued Dumbledore. "Don't worry - I'll be
right behind you if something goes wrong. You won't
see me because I will be invisible, but
I WILL be there..."

Riddle was stunned, but like all Slytherins, clearly
sees what is in it for him, and agreed.

Dumbledore figured that either way he can't lose.
He can get rid of Grindelwald if the plan works,
or if it doesn't and Riddle dies, his only loss
would be a student with no morals or ethics who
would turn bad eventually anyway......

To win a war, sacrifice a pawn.....

Riddle drank the Elixir and prepared for battle...

Grindelwald dueled Riddle and uses the AK spell.
The spell reversed and Grindelwald's body was
vaporized. Dumbledore was nearby as promised to
finish off his Soul. End of problem.

No more body or spirit - victory achieved!

But Riddle was not satisfied - he got darker and
darker by the day. It finally got bad enough for
Dumbledore to say "No more Elixir for you, Tom!!!
(Think soup Nazi in Seinfeld)......

And soon Riddle reverted to a mortal after the elixir
wore off and, knowing that he cannot get any more
from Dumbledore or Flamel, he disappeared......


the Voldemort Years
----------------------------------
Now when Riddle reappeared as Lord Voldemort and
wreaked havoc with the wizarding community, and in
particular started beating up on the Order to pay
back Dumbledore for his broken promise,
Dumbledore knew he can't use the same trick
again......
So he created this bogus prophecy about a boy and
a big bad dark lord -- one must die at the
hand of the other, one cannot live while the other
survives.... yeah, right...a load of old tosh if
you ask me... Dumbledore figured that Voldemort would
buy into it, and he was right.

Vodemort set out to find the Potters, but they are
in hiding... no luck so far.....


BUT DUMBLEDORE HAD ANOTHER PLAN!
-----------------------------------
the Godric's Hollow Plan was simple .....
Godric's Hollow was the Potter's hiding place but
James and Lily wouldn't be there when Voldemort
arrived -
Harry would AND ...

SO WOULD DUMBLEDORE WHO DIDN'T NEED AN
INVISIBILITY CLOAK TO BECOME INVISIBLE
(SS CH 12, pg 213 us ed)

When Voldemort is fed the info about the Potter's
hiding place, he would head into the trap and ...
poof ... AKing Harry would destroy LV's body
and Dumbledore would destroy LV's soul --
just like 1945 ....
just like Grindelwald.......

THE TRAGIC FLAW IN THE PLAN
--------------------------------
only one problem, though .......
someone screwed up big time, and
Voldemort found out before the
Potters were able to leave
Godric's Hollow and Dumbledore arrive......
and that is why James and Lily died.
and that is why Harry lived....

Voldemort arrived earlier than
expected, and thus his soul escaped
because though the AK curse worked as
expected, Dumbledore was not around
to finish him off.
James and Lily had no choice but
to fight - though they never were
expected to if Dumbledore's plan
had worked......

Now you know the rest of the story...
so to speak.....

So who screwed up? my guess is Sirius
by leaving that scrap of parchment
around...
don't count out the Droobles Theory
to fast now ...

I await your comments

Thanks to all of you for your help and insight, and 
thanks Jen for the final lightbulb 
And thanks to Jo for putting Manxmouse
on the shelf - the clue that started it all
tinglinger