Dept of Mysteries Prophecies - Row 97=1997 potterplots

[tinglinger]

No: HPFGUIDX 125441



bboyminn:
Well, I will admit it is an odd coincidence that the Prophecy is in
Row 97, and that may have some significants, but oddly, I don't 
think it's significant significants. 

Geoff:
I tend to agree with Steve that the row number has little or no 
significance.
But - and it's a significant but - from the Wizarding World's point 
of view, the confrontation could have taken place any time after 31st 
July 1980. We know that Voldemort tried to achieve that outcome very 
quickly and failed disastrously. At intervals, he has re-emerged in 
one form or another to try to deal with his nemesis - and so far 
still proving to be unsuccessful. So I believe that row 97 might be 
another of JKR's red fish or possibly she just dropped on 97 as being 
a nice sounding number to use.
Time will tell.

Tinglinger/Samnanya:
I wonder then why JKR even bothered with the whole deathday chapter in 
COS and Nick's birthday cake. 1492 would be a lame date to use if not 
for the link to 1992 when COS takes place. This is a possilbe link to 
the row 97 discussed upthread. I just wonder why the details were even 
given. Too many herrings can smell up a book. If I have learned 
anything from this series, precious little written in the series has 
proven to be irrelevant. I am certain even GRAWP will be useful 
eventually.....  That said,

My greatest pleasure in reading the potter books is appreciating 
the tightly knitted puzzle/plot that is now snowballing rapidly
to it's conclusion, whatever it may be.

I can't think of any fantasy series that was both complex and  
consistant that held my interest over the lifetime of the series.
The fact that no one has found any major flints in the plotting is 
extraordinary; the fact that no one has "figured it all out" is
even more impressive. 

I know that JKR loves puzzles since they are an integral part of at 
least two of the books. Though puzzles and plot twists
can slow down a book if not handled properly, they can also add the 
spice that keeps me reading far into the night.

Other readers can believe what they want about whether a given item is 
a clue or red herring, but to me at least, that is the fun in the 
reading. To me, I would have punked out after SS if I did not sense 
that JKR enjoys writing these books as much as most of her readers 
enjoy reading them.  Some series are finished and no reason exists to 
reread or relive the experience again. To me, each book in this series 
provides many unanswered questions to think about long after the book 
has made it's way back to my bookshelf, only to reappear again and 
again like the timeturner cabinet in the MOM.

Being a mathematician (more specifically an actuary) I enjoy solving 
puzzles and playing with paradox, and I have spent countless hours 
working on riddles and puzzles for the sheer joy of it. If there is 
one flaw in this group, (to be fair, the flaw is with me not the 
group), it is that I have assumed that many members of this group 
share the same pleasure in analyzing the books and looking for clues 
in an attempt to "predict the future" that I have.  After being active 
here since just before OOP, I realize that I was wrong. This group is 
a discussion forum rather than a detective agency, as it states, and I 
have been remiss in expecting too much regarding plot dissection.
 
So, to try to satisfy my need to "peek behind the magician's veil", I 
have started a yahoo group called potterplots to post some of the more 
intriguing theories presented by both myself and others (with their 
permission) - theories that may not be popular but have some validity; 
theories that were never dismissed out of hand  yet never discussed 
for whatever reason; theories such as the trichotomy theory of the 
prophecy that I originally  presented in 105955 that was not commented 
on hardly at all, though still shows up in part in posts published 
since, or the now infamous "Luna was not on the train leaving 
Hogwarts" post that was never really addressed or changed and remains 
the only obvious error in the Harry Potter Lexicon (OOP - The Second 
War Begins Chapter Summary). 
Sometimes theories have worn out their welcome at HPFGU and get as 
smelly as the red herrings they may or may not be if posted over and 
over in an attempt to get answers that the group is not interested in 
commenting on for whatever reason. IMO these theoies do need a home.

So ....... if any of you are interested in the subplots and puzzles 
and predictability aspects of the series, please check out and [gasp]
join the potterplots group. I still enjoy posting here and am also 
interested in getting some answers rather than just opinions, but I do 
want to have some theories see light of day and not get lost within 
the posts or tossed out like herrings wrapped in old newspapers.