Time-turning

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 167473

 Ken:
> Harry's survival of this near kiss experience is unexplained,
> unexplainable, and therefore unsatisfying. The time travel
> mechanism Rowling employs does tell me HOW Harry was
> saved, it fails to tell me WHY Harry was saved. Harry saving
> himself by means of time travel is exactly as unsatisfying 
> to me as if she had said "and then a miracle occurred and
> all the Dementors ran away for no reason that anyone could
> ever explain".

Finwitch:

Decicion 1: Hermione signed up for all classes. Result: Time-turner 
comes to her posession. (so NOT exactly deus-ex-machina, Ron&Harry 
knew all along Hermione *somehow* took 3 classes at once).

Another, very specific time-related event: Divination/Prophecy. It 
was, I believe, briefly before TT!Harry&Hermione appear. 
Harry 'divined' with the crystal ball a free, flying Buckbeak 
(despite of Trelawney telling him it wasn't LIKELY to happen). Next, 
Trelawney is in trance, prophecying PP's escape. (A decision made by 
Harry in SS (life) and later TT-way by Hermione. (don't interfere, 
we musn't change the past...))

I think that a *true* prophecy (as rare as they are), is the sort 
*Result* first, *Reason* later. (that's why logical Hermione 
couldn't stand divination ;-). Normally you can't make an absolute 
true prophecy - much like Muggle quantum physics principle of 
uncertainty - exactness in one aspect lessens it in others. (Which 
is, more or less, a point Firenze tried to get across).

Like Trelawney's favourites: you die. She never did say when, where 
or how that certainty would happen, did she? (apart from 'ripe old 
age with 12 children' after Harry's interview in the Quibbler. If, 
say, Harry would die 700 years after, of old age, it would not 
change the *Certainty* of his death. (and that's certain because 
Harry would NEVER do something so disgusting as a horcrux/drink 
unicorn blood - or even make a philosopher's stone after the trouble 
Nicolas' version got him to... no, Harry will stay human and mortal 
until he dies...)

Her other predictions: "Beware of the redhaired man" - Did she mean 
Percy the HeadBoy/Ministry official possibly spotting her doing 
something not really allowed? Or Ron's request giving bad dates for 
both her and her twin?

Finwitch