The two versions of the Prophecy

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 143173

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
<justcarol67 at y...> wrote:
I'm wondering whether anyone else views Trelawney's version of the
Prophecy and Snape's role as eavesdropper as irreconcilable with
Dumbledore's version.

Goddlefrood:
Certainly the relevant passages are telling and do conflict in a 
somewhat bizarre manner. I tend to partially agree with Red Hen's 
theory on this matter that you have cited in your post. It would 
account for many difficulties with the version of events we have 
been handed by Snape and Dumbledore.

I am reinforced in the view that Snape and Dumbledore set up the 
information LV received because in the Pensieve version (or so we 
have been led to believe) the memory reflects exactly what happened. 
If this is the case then unless the memories can somehow be edited 
to exclude extraneous events (here Snape's whole performance with 
Aberforth outside the door) then it should be concluded that when 
Trelawney was seen by Harry atop the Pensieve then there should have 
been some commotion from elsewhere. I rather doubt that editing is 
possible except as shown in the Sluggish Memory and if that is the 
way these things happen then there would be a silent portion that 
had been cut out (however short) and clearly from the passage 
concerned in the Prophecy chapter of OotP there is not.

> Carol again:
Yet she states that she heard a commotion and saw Severus Snape 
standing outside the door with the "uncouth barman." 

Goddlefrood:

This is suggestive of her having awoken from her trance shortly 
prior to the noises outside the door. That would then tie in with 
the view expressed above that the memory we see was unedited. It 
reinforces the speculation set out by Red Hen that Snape heard 
either all the Prophecy or only the second half and then concocted 
the version he subsequently fed to LV with Albus and possibly 
Aberforth.

There is of course the possibility, however slight, that Snape was 
already Dumbledore's man by the time of the Prophecy and the entire 
situation was a set up. The problem with this is that neither Snape 
nor Dumbledore would have any idea that Sybil would give her 
prediction at exactly that time, unless one of Dumbledore's 
instruments had previously indicated that a prophecy was to be given 
that particular evening through the medium of Sybil. 

Or perhaps as you speculate this is a case of JKR not fully checking 
the two versions to synchronise.

Goddlefrood now concerned with the lost day.