Department of Mysteries Prophecies - Smashing Orbs

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 125390


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Maria" <queen_amidalachic at y...>
wrote:
> 
> ... reading ... the Beyond the Veil chapter, ... ... I tried 
> deciphering it, and whether this is a clue, or just me and others 
> over analysing the part of the book, or perhaps a red 
> herring on JKR's part.
> 
> Pg 692, OOTP, English Edition:
> 
> ... several of the glass orbs there shattered.
> 
> Two figures, pearly-white as ghosts.... began to speak; their voices 
> vied with each other.
> 
> "...At the solstice will come a new..." said the figure of an old 
> bearded man.
> 
> ....
> 
> "... and none will come after..." said the figure of a young woman.*

>  - - end quote - -
>
> I realised that maybe this really is a clue.
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Maria

bboyminn:

Sadly, I feel like the Grinch who stole Christmas; I think you are
over analysing.

First on a tangental point, why did several Prophecy Orbs break, but
only two spoke?

Remember Harry's earlier description (in narative) of what he saw in
the Hall of Prophecies; rows and rows of glass orbs, some shining
bright, other dull and dark as burnt-out lightbulbs. I'm guessing that
the 'burnt-out' orbs are prophecies that have expired. That is, they
have been fulfilled, and are no longer relevant; therefore, they are dark.

When analysing the books, we can approach it from two angles, internal
and external. Internal means we place ourselves inside the books as if
it were the real world, and analyze characters and situations from a
reality perspective. External means we analyze the books as readers,
aware that it is fiction created by an author. 

I think this is one of those times when we need to use external
analysis. The reason for having the prophecies break is for the author
to introduce the concept of what happens when they break, so that
later when Harry/Neville break Harry's prophecy, we will understand
what is happening, and know (or at least think) that in the chaos, the
Prophecy will /play/ unheard.

Internally, I think the only purpose of the scene is to give Harry the
idea of smashing the Orbs and the shelves in order to create a
distraction that will allow them to escape the DE's.

The two partial prophecies we hear are of no value in substance. They
are simply 'spooky' prophecy-sounding phrases.

That's /just/ my opinion but ...none the less ...that is my opinion.

Steve/bboyminn

"Smashing Orbs" - a great name for a punk rock band.