Timing: Trelawney and Dumbledore's version of the Prophecy

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 179495

I'm always amazed that so many fans see Trelawney and 
Dumbledore's version of events that lead to the original
hearing of the Prophecy as being so diametrically opposed.

I've always felt the two version we completely consistent the
way any two accounts of a single event are different yet still
consistent. Each speaker merely emphasizing aspects that 
seem momentarily important to them. It is entirely possible
that two separate accounts by the /same/ person could deviate
as much as Trelawney and Dumbledore's account.

As an experiment, I waited until the second hand on my watch
reached '12' and started reading the prophecy out loud. It
took 25 to 30 seconds depending on the length of dramatic
pauses.

Then I constructed the scenario below and timed it as I played
it out in real time. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Aberforth climbed the stairs in the dusty old inn that he ran.
Upon reaching the top he saw a man crouched in front of a door.

Moving forward, Aberforth cried, "You there. What are you doing?"

"What? ...I... I'm not... I just... dropped something", said the
dark man has he rose suspiciously to his feet.

"You were listening at the door."

"No", said Snape nerviously looking around for a means of escape.
"I thought I saw something on the floor, and bent to have a look."

Aberforth stepped forward giving Snape a furious glare. Snape 
retreated a few paces looking nervously about.

"You were eavesdropping," Aberforth said as he grabbed Snape by
 the nape of he neck.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Twenty (20) seconds to play out in real time. Twenty seconds 
distraction from a 30 second Prophecy. Note as soon as
Aberforth speaks, Snape is pulled away from the Prophecy in
progress. 

Following this scene, Aberforth pushes Snape through the door
into Trelawney's room to see what Albus wants to do with him.
They decide to throw Snape out. 

Now, as far as I can tell, this scene is consistent with both
Trelawney's and Dumbledore's account. Especially given that
no one ever speaks in absolutes. Neither Trelawney or 
Dumbledore is saying that their account is a precise second-
by-second account of the events. In each case, the accounts
are a summary. Each account emphasizing what it feels is
relevant to the listener and the speaker in the moment, and
equally hiding what the speaker feels is not relevant to the
speaker and the listener.

Any deviations between the two accounts are common variations
that you would find in the account of any two witnesses to
the same event, and are even consistent with the same telling
by one person on two different occasions.  

As to why they chose to throw Snape out, I think is a matter
of timing. The event just happened and Albus hasn't had time
to analyze it. He's not sure if Trelawney is for real and 
doesn't know how much weight to give to the Prophecy. If
Trelawney is a fake, then she merely faked a nonsensical
Prophecy about the most notorious Dark Wizard of the time. 
That's not too far from Trelawney's normal mode of operation.
She is constantly making dramatic dark sounding, but
generally half-baked predictions. 

In the moment, I suspect Dumbledore let Snape go because
he wasnt' sure it mattered. Plus, exactly what is the 
legal penalty for eavesdropping? To what extent did Dumbledore
or Aberforth have the authority to hold Snape? What were 
they going to do, lock him in the bell-tower for 
eavesdropping? Hardly a crime against humanity. 

So, again, even though they don't match, I have always
held Trelawney and Dumbledore's account of the event as
consistent.

But then, that's just my opinion.

Steve/bboyminn