Snape's Request gave Harry a second chance? (Was: Snape/Dumbledore thingummy)

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 175836

Beatrice:  
> > Not to muddy the waters any more but, Doesn't the 
> prophecy 
> > state that the one with the power to vanquish the dark 
> > lord "approaches" born as the seventh month dies, which does seem 
> to 
> > indicate an impending birth rather than someone who is already 
> born.
> > > 

Frumenta:
> Actually, at least in my copy of OotP the Prophecy is:
> 
> The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches . . . 
> born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month 
> dies . . . and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he 
will 
> have power the Dark Lord knows not . . . and either must die at the 
> hand of the other for neither can live while the other 
> survives . . . the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord 
will 
> be born as the seventh month dies . . .'
> 
> pg. 741, UK edition
> 
> 
> So when she repeats it she says it differently and it's much 
clearer 
> that it's an infant not yet born. I don't know which part Snape 
> heard, I would guess the first but it's pretty confusing :)

Ceridwen:
Snape supposedly only heard the first part of the prophecy, and that 
was the part he delivered to Voldemort.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches" - could 
mean physically (some people suggested that this actually meant 
Snape, since he had approached the room where the prophecy was being 
given), or someone returning from exile; or it could mean 
figuratively - coming into his or her (no sex stated yet) powers, as 
colebiancardi mentioned, which I would take as either beginning or 
ending his or her education as well as other possible interpretations.

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month 
dies"  Was born, will be born, or is being born?  We know two of the 
criteria: this person's parents have thrice defied LV, and is born at 
the end of the seventh month.  Some have speculated that LV got it 
wrong in interpreting July as the seventh month - September actually 
translates as "seventh month", because it was the seventh month in 
much earlier times.  So far, we don't know if this just defines the 
One With The Power, or if this prophecies an impending birth.  We 
don't even know the sex of the One at this point in the prophecy.

I think this is all Snape was supposed to have heard.  I don't know 
how to interpret Trelawney hearing the commotion and seeing Snape 
brought into the room.  If Snape had heard the rest, LV would have 
been aware that he would mark this individual, that this individual 
was male, and that one or the other of them would have to die.  The 
second repeat of the opening lines makes it clear that the One *will 
be* born at the end of July, but, in my opinion, the beginning 
doesn't, given how screwy prophecies can be.

Ceridwen.