Prophecies Always Come True?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 131362

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tamara" <buffyeton at y...> wrote:
> Maybe it's because a lot of my mind still lives in the Buffyverse when 
> it comes to prophecies, but in HP land, do the prophecies always come 
> true? Or can they be thwarted?
> 
> Tamara

bboyminn:

The answer is YES ...sort of.

I assume you are wondering about the conflict between fate/destiny and
free will. Are we force to act in way over which we have no control,
our destiny seal no matter what we do, or can we still make free will
choices and even possibly avoid out fate? Again, the answer to both is
...sort of.

Harry does have free will. That is. he can move to Australia and try
to avoid the whole affair. Remember the Prophecy say he CAN defeat the
Dark Lord, not that he WILL. So, he can move away and avoid the whole
thing. On the other hand, even if he does avoid Voldemort, his life is
somewhat controlled by the Prophecy. Because he is forced to move
away, he has had to give up people and places he wanted. He has been
force to do things he would prefer not to do, and the specter of
Voldemort will always be hanging over him. So, while he has avoided
the Prophecy he is not free of it or it's influence.

Also, Prophecies are so vaguely and strangely worded that you can
always find data after-the-fact to fit your assumed interpretation.

Further, Harry wouldn't have been fated by the prophecy if it wasn't
in his nature to play in out. True, Harry could move to Australia,
there is nothing stopping him from making that choice, but is he
likely to, is that in Harry's nature? Is he one to run from a fight? I
don't think so. My point here is that Fate or Prophecy is not forcing
these choices on him, these are the choices he would naturally make.

So, the Prophecy influences our future, but it doesn't force it. The
prophecy defines our destiny but it doesn't dictate it.

At least that's how I see it.

Steve/bboyminn