JKR's FAQ poll -- Neville's potential as prophecy boy (spoilers for FAQ)

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 129081

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mad_maxime" <mad_maxime at h...> 
wrote:
 
> 
> To say that the rebound curse was unheard of because *Voldemort* 
never
> targeted a child before seems incomplete to me. First of all, it's
> never been implied that the ancient magic is only activated when
> Voldemort is using the AK. I think we can safely assume that the
> ancient magic is not limited to any one individual. It's ancient 
magic
> after all, and has been around long before Voldemort.

Hickengruendler:

Still, it does seem plausible for me that even former Dark Lords or 
villains don't necessary target children. They are not an imminent 
threat after all.  
  
> Secondly, I don't think we can assume that the rebound effect only
> occurs when one sacrifices themselves for a child. The love for a
> child is certainly very deep and unique, but love for a spouse, 
parent
> or other family member can be just as powerful.

Hickengruendler:

And there I disagree. I can't really say why, since I'm aware that 
there is nothing in canon that explicitly states this. All I can say 
is, that from reading the books I got the impression, that it is 
something special that it was a parent, who sacrificed herself for 
Harry. But we will see if this is further explained in the later 
books. But note that JKR's poll answer at least doesn't contradict 
this, when saying, that Frank and Alice could have sacrificed 
themselves for Neville the same way Lily did for Harry, and the curse 
would have rebounded as well. There is no mention of Gran or Great 
Uncle Algie doing so. (Of course I know that it's entirely possible 
that this was just to make the answer at least a bit shorter ;-) ). 
 
Hickengruendler