Voldermort learning the prophecy?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 165254

SSSusan:
> I'm not sure quite WHY I don't think we're going to see a return to
> his quest to get his hands on the prophecy, but I just don't "feel"
> it coming. (Not that that means much that *I'm* not feeling a
> premonition, heh.) Maybe it's just the way JKR dropped the whole
> thing for the entire 6th book? Maybe it's that I can't imagine how
> he wouldn't figure it all out (that it's about Love) if he does hear
> it. Maybe it's that we have -- JKR has caused us to -- switched our
> focus towards those horcruxes and wondering so much about how that's
> all going to play out.

Jen: JKR does have a pattern of dropping plotlines when they've 
served their purpose so that's a very real possibility.  I tend to 
think like houyhnhnm though, that Voldemort might believe there's 
something in the prophecy to help him understand how to destroy Harry 
(not knowing what IS in there).  

houyhnhnm:
> I can't even remember if we heard directly or indirectly from 
> Voldemort that he *knew* there was more to the prophecy, or
> if we are just assuming he did from Dumbledore's words to Harry.
> (And neither do I think we can *assume* that he knew about
> Trelawney.) 

Jen: I'm making assumptions to believe both things are true, but my 
assumptions are based on organizing canon according to how certain 
characters reliably act.  For example, I don't believe Voldemort 
would have spent a year attempting to obtain the prophecy if he 
didn't believe he could gain from hearing the entire thing or 
possibly, as pointed out by Pippin, he wanted to make certain the 
information he heard from Snape was true.  Either way he didn't 
complete his mission.

Another assumption--LV couldn't possess Harry and this gave him pause 
enough to start praticing Occlumency, a defensive move not typical of 
Voldemort strategy.  My speculation is he's starting to consider how 
he'll be able to defeat Harry when all his standard fare isn't 
working.  He was concerned enough about Harry to go after him as a 
baby and now it must look like his fears are coming true:  Harry is a 
worthy and dangerous opponent who can't be harmed due to a 
combination of the people around him and something within Harry 
giving him the ability to defy Voldemort more often than anyone else.

I also think it's a safe assumption Snape outed Trelawney as the Seer 
in question.  He did see her, he 'hastened to his master' to tell him 
what he heard.  LV would not overlook the importance of who delivered 
the prophecy if only to consider whether to hold her hostage in case 
more were forthcoming.  Dumbledore gave Trelawney a post right after 
the prophecy and I see two reasons for that: 1)  She might make 
another prophecy and he didn't want the first or any future ones to 
fall into the wrong hands; and 2) if Voldemort learned who delivered 
the prophecy he might attempt to get more information from her.  Like 
Jeremiah mentioned, the fact that Dumbledore won't permit Trelawney 
to leave the castle in OOTP tells me he believed her to be at risk 
from Voldemort. 

Jeremiah:
> Yes, going after her would be a fantastic idea but, as we know from
> PoA, she doesn't recall these trance-like-states. <snip> Since she
> has no memory I would assume it cannot be extracted, since eh has 
> not "thoughts" about it I would also think you cannot look into her 
> head and see anything about it. If she is tortured she will be 
> killed. Sadly, IMO, that is what would happen. LV's attempts to 
> find out about the prophecy are futile and that is his part of
> his quest for power, which is his hubris.

Jen: This is exactly why I think whether Voldemort could actually 
extract the text of prophecy from Trelwaney is a secondary issue.  If 
he believes it possible--and he would since he considers himself all 
powerful--he would proceed.  (Unless JKR has indeed dropped this 
plotline <g>).


Jen R.