Explain This Passage

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 180597

> RL:
> 
> 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?

Mike:
First off, I wanted to correct the attribution: the above was
written by RL, not Potioncat. PC's good, but she's not *that*
good. So let's not put words in her mouth.

Now, on to your question; Someone pointed out, on a different thread 
I think, that Voldemort would not have stopped with Harry if he had 
succeeded in killing him. He would have taken out Neville, too. He 
just picked the Potters as his *first* victims, he wasn't thinking 
there was anything to stop him from proceeding to the Longbottoms 
after that. I'm sure the Longbottoms were in hiding too, maybe LV 
just hadn't found them yet.

But as far as the whole blood thing; I don't think Voldemort really 
cared that much, despite what Dumbledore said.  I think the pure-
blood mannia was for his followers consumption. He needed a hook to 
recruit them and to keep them focused on their tasks, a reason d'etre
if you will, giving them something *they* believed in to pursue 
Voldemort's goals. Give the DEs somebody to lord over and they won't 
notice how much self determination they've lost to Voldemort. Another
Hitler parallel, with the DEs playing the part of the Gestapo.



> Angel:
> <snip>
> 
> The prophecy was another farce, I've tried everywhich way to
> scramble sense out of it, and it hurts my feeble brain, lol.  I
> gather JKR meant for Voldemort to have seen himself in Harry
> long before his soul latched onto Harry, however both her and
> Dumbledore aren't doing a good job of 'splainin :)

Mike:
Actually Angel, I don't think the prophesy had anything to do with 
*how* Voldemort saw himself in Harry. His choice of Harry over 
Neville, if he really made that choice (see above), was irrespective 
of what the prophesy said. As Dumbledore 'splained, both boys fit 
the prophesy description. Dumbledore thought Voldemort picked Harry 
because of their similar heritage.

I do agree with you, and RL, on one point, this whole pure-blood /
half-blood factoring on Voldemort's part sounds mighty flimsy. If 
Dumbledore had said that LV just came after Harry *first*, that 
would've sounded more like the Voldemort we all know and love.

Maybe DD didn't want to dishearten Harry any more by telling him, 
"Sorry mate, it was the luck of the draw." Trying to, I don't know, 
make Harry seem special, like he's not that much different from 
Voldemort and that he can be just as great as he is? I'm floundering 
here. ;) Because DD's story doesn't make sense to me either.


> Angel:
> But I'm saying it now if I haven't so before, this story is not
> Harry's it's Snape's!!!  It always was :)  Any explanation that
> excludes the Snape factor in Riddle gunning for Harry over
> Neville will undoubtedly fall short.

Mike:
Whoa Angel, You can't do that! ;) You can't just leave us hanging 
after a statement like that. C'mon girl, dish. LOL