Paradox of Time Travel in PoA

[davenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 132341

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, heather the buzzard 
<tankgirl73 at s...> wrote:
> Actually, I addressed this in another post.  Free Will can still be 
in 
> play.  An individual still 'chooses' to go back in time, and chooses 
> their actions when they do so.  The difficult part is that the 
effect of 
> their choice appears to precede -- by our linear perception -- the 
> making of the choice. 
> 
> However, in the greater scheme of Time, looked at as a whole rather 
than 
> as a forward-moving line, the choice came 'first' -- or perhaps more 
> accurately, which came 'first' becomes irrelevant.

My whole problem with this approach is that when Harry and Hermione go 
back in time, they are acting within that time AFTER the event of time-
turning, from their perception.  You are basically saying that what 
their actions will be when they go back is not up to them, since in 
the greater scheme of Time, that time has already passed, so they've 
already done what they are about to do.  I just don't think this makes 
sense, nor do I think that is what JKR had in mind, at all.  What 
makes sense to me is to consider the linear progress of each person, 
and Harry and Hermione are acting, as time travelers, AFTER they have 
time-turned, NOT before.  I don't care what Hawking or anyone says 
about the possibility of time-travel, I think this is the way the 
story was intended to be read.

While I don't think that JKR thought through the notion that there was 
a different set of events that were changed, and we are now seeing the 
changed events (from two perspectives), I think that is the 
consequence of what she HAS written.

- davenclaw