How much of the Prophecy Snape heard

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 159029

---  "dumbledore11214" <dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:
>
> > Mike:
> > So, what does she tell us? Here's Sibyll (HBP US, 
> > p.545):  ><SNIP of the quote, go UPTHREAD to read it>
> > Sibyll goes into a trance-like state during her 
> > prophesy telling, she is unaware that she even made 
> > them. She is unaware of what is happening until 
> > *after* she comes out of her trance. There is no way
> > she can know Snape was there unless he was there 
> > *after* Sibyll *completes* the prophesy. ...
> 
> Alla:
> 
>Not necessarily, Montavilla offered alternative scenario
> and I have another ..., ...
> 
> Snape hears the first part of the prophecy and Aberworth
> catches him at that moment, but the first thing that 
> Aberworth does is casts "Muffliato" ..., so Snape ... 
> does not hear anything else ..., then he opens the 
> door and pushes Snape for Dumbledore to see and Sybill
> comes out of her trance now and sees Snape who is indeed
> there, ...
> 
> I mean, I think it is perfectly logical IMO that the 
> first thing Aberworth would be concerned with is to 
> protect his brother's privacy and then smack Snape.
> 
> Alla
>

bboyminn:

I'm afraid I won't be able to add much to the discussion;
perhaps just a few minor points. 

First and foremost, I think Montavilla's idea is 
brilliant. Being the linear thinker that I am, it would 
never have occurred to me that Snape could have been 
caught first and the Prophecy started after he was caught,
then he was thrown from the room. I think that fits the 
information we have perfectly. Though as I said, it is a 
sequence that would never have occurred to me. 

Alla's idea also works. It is possible that Aberforth
caught Snape and cast some type of silencing or sound
masking/blocking charm between Snape and the room.

However, how necessary is that silencing charm really? I 
think one thing that people are forgetting is that as 
shabby and run down as it is, the Hogs Head has still 
stood for something approaching 1,000 years. This is not 
a building built like the cracker boxes we muggles, 
primarily USA muggles, call houses. 

In general, in Europe, even a modest house is built with 
the intent that it will last 500 years. The typical Wood,
and even stucco or brick, American house is only intended
to last 100 years. And a few modern suburban houses 
will be very very luck to even last 100 years. 

So, it is very unlikely that the door Snape was listening
at was not a flimsy hollow veneered door like that found in 
most interiors of modern houses. It was probably solid 
very thick English Oak. So, all Aberforth has to do is 
pull Snape away from the door and it is unlikely that he
would have been able to make anything out of the very 
little sound that was escaping from the room.

Note that when Harry is eavesdropping on Draco and Snape,
he has to literally press his ear to the keyhole to be 
able to hear anything. The keyhole is probably the only
route of escape for any sound coming from behind a very
substantial castle door.

So, I think if Snape was prevented from pressing his ear
firmly to the door or the keyhole, and was futher 
distracted by Aberforth yelling at him, that would have
been sufficient to prevent him from hearing the rest of
the Prophecy.

I think the fact that the Hog's Head has stood for many
many centuries should tell us something about how solidly
constructed it is, and that solid construction would very
likely have prevented Snape from hearing any details 
without very substantial effort on his part. 

So, in view of all this, I really don't see what the 
problem is. We have expressed here three very logical and
reasonable ways in which the events could have unfolded;
three scenarios that fit the available facts.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bboyminn