The two versions of the Prophecy

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 143186

Carol: 
> Since her time frame is confused (she seems to think young Snape was
> applying for a job almost two years before he actually received the
> Potions position), her entire memory may be confused. All I'm saying
> is that the two stories don't fit together to make a coherent whole.
> Or if they do, I don't see it.


Potioncat:
Only looking at this one small part of Trelawney's comments, that is, 
that Snape was job hunting:

It's likely that later she reflected on that day and assumed Snape 
must 
have been applying for a job. It's now many, many years later and 
things get blurred for sharper minded individuals than Trelawney. I 
think this idea was suggested upthread, but this is a "me too" 
because I think it's reasonable.

It's also possible that LV sent Snape to apply for the yearly DADA 
opening and DD turned him down a couple of times before hiring him. 
It's possbile that that year's DADA teacher was already out of the 
picture, or rumors were out that he/she would be leaving. 

With Snape visiting DD a couple of time to apply for openings, DD may 
have planted ideas in Snape's head, something like he did with Draco 
on the Tower. So that by the summer when Harry is one year old, Snape 
comes to DD with the news of LV's plan and Snape's remorse over it. 
Snape turns, is hired and in October the Potters are attacked. 
Although, as I look at this, many of us believe Snape had turned 
quite a bit (months? a year?) before that point. 

It was also suggested, that Snape was already working for DD when he 
heard the Prophecy and that bit of the prophecy was agreed upon 
information to take to LV. As Carol asked, how would DD know to have 
Snape listen at the door? But Snape and DD didn't have to plan for 
him to hear anything. He could have been listening for LV with DD's 
knowledge. The other complication is that it also makes DD somewhat 
responsible for James's and Lily's deaths. But I think this may be 
very well what happened. I'm not 100% sure, mind you. Even if he took 
the information to LV with DD's blessings, he could still feel 
remorse about the outcome.