Chapter Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban Ch 16: Professor Trelawney's prediction

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 190298



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Bart Lidofsky <bart at ...> wrote:
>
> Steve:
> >
> > Keep in mind that Hermione had been time turning all year, are we really to suppose she spawned hundreds of new unique time lines simply by going to multiple classes? ...
> 
> Bart:
>      Hermione's warnings imply that alternative timelines can be 
> generated, and that, in the WW, it is what is widely regarded as
> a Bad Idea. It would not be unreasonable to assume that insanity
> or death would be a likely outcome. And Harry did create a paradox.
> 
>     ...
> 
>      Bart
>

Steve responds:

Certainly I'm just picking at semantics here, but I'm not sure Hermione's warning implies the possibility of multiple time lines or alternate time lines, but more so an alteration of the existing time line. It is the classic paradox of going back in time and killing your grandfather. 

If we start with the assumption that time happened twice, meaning that Harry and Hermione's interference spawned a second time line, then we must assume the first time line continues on as if there had been no interference, and the second new time line creates the outcome that we ultimately see in the book; Sirius escapes. However, the multiple time theory implies that the first time line carried on and Sirius was subjected to the Dementor's kiss and ultimately died. 

As complicated as time travel is, it is massively more complicated if we assume multiple times or multiple time lines. The simplest solution is a single time line with multiple characters. Though a mistake in time travel could potentially alter the one existing time line, which is why Hermione insists that the be so careful. 

Although, as I read the story, I do not see Harry/Hermione creating a paradox. As I said, JKR drops subtle hints in the book that the second TT!Harry and TT!Hermione are already there the first time we read through the story. And the second time we travel through the story, those subtle hints are, more or less, confirmed. 

Though, on the boarder and more general scale, I do agree with what you said. I'm just nitpicking here. 

Steve/bboyminn