Happy endings and locked rooms

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 164725


Jen wrote:
><snip>  The prophecy seems to be saying if one dies the other can
actually 'live' for the first time since their two fates joined, and I
read 'live' to be both literal and figurative.  Unlike Carol
mentioned, I'm not convinced one of them must live from the way the
prophecy is worded. <snip>

Carol responds:
I wasn't going by "neither can live while the other survives," which I
merely interpret as meaning "neither is really living now, nor can he
live (as opposed to survive) until the other is dead." But "either
must die at the hand of the other" is different. "Either" means "one
or the other of two." It does not mean "both." So *one of the two*
must die, killed or destroyed by "the other." Since the chances of
Voldie being the victor are slim to none (there'd be no Epilogue to
write about those who survive VW2 if he won), it seems clear to me
that Harry will not only win the battle and destroy Voldie permanently
but survive to see the aftermath. In fact, he'll cease to merely
*survive* because the survival of "the other" will no longer prevent
him from living a full and happy life.

Carol, who realizes that the Prophecy is deliberately ambiguous but
sees no way to interpret "either" except as "one or the other"