Explain This Passage

[rlevatter]

No: HPFGUIDX 180558

Wow!

For my first post, I'm amazed at the response. Much of it was
very interesting, and of course I agree the key issue is the
definition of half-blood, which may encompass more than just
"one muggle parent".

But instead of analyzing the terms, let's step back a moment
and think about what Dumbledore was trying to convey to Harry
in the passage in OoP that I initially quoted. Explaining the
prophesy to Harry, noting that it could have referred to either
him or Neville, what is Dumbledore saying here? I now paraphrase
the passage without using "blood" terms:

"And note, Harry, that Voldemort, with only one Muggle parent,
chose not to go after Neville, with two magical parents and a
long lineage of magic, despite his professed belief that those
are the only wizards of value. Instead he went after you, whom
he saw as just like him, even though you have two magical parents
like Neville while he had only one."

My point has less to do with bloodline definitions and more
with trying to understand the logic of what Dumbledore was
trying to tell Harry, or what Voldemort's thinking was. When
I rephrase it as I did above, is Voldemort's logic clear to
you? In a strong sense, neither Harry nor Neville are like
Voldemort in the circumstances of their birth. So why DID
Voldemort choose Harry over Neville?

RL