HP Timeline: Neville, Harry, Spoilery

[Milz]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...>
wrote:
> --- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Milz" <absinthe at m...> wrote:
> 
> > So, my question is, what is the date of the prophecy? I can't
> imagine  that Dumbledore or the Ministry would wait for 1 year
before
> putting  the Potters and Longbottoms in safehouses.
> > 
> 
> Pippin:
> Dumbledore didn't immediately know who the prophecy children were
> going to be, and judging by his attitude toward prophecy, probably
> didn't make much effort to find out. After all, he doesn't believe
> that prophecies always come true.
> 

I see your point but... according to Rowling's interviews, there is a
book at Hogwarts that has the name of every magic child when it is
born. I don't think it would have been too difficult for Dumbledore to
check that book for the July babies. Moreover, Lily and Alice were
both part of the OoP---again, unless magical pregnancies manifest
themselves differently from Muggle ones, I'd think Dumbledore would
notice a 7 months pregnant woman and I'd think he would be able to
estimate the date of the births by counting on both hands.

But if it is the case that Dumbledore chose to not act on information
because he didn't believe it was credible and that lead to James and
Lily's death, then I hold him as responsible for it as Snape and
Pettigrew.
 
> According to Fudge, Dumbledore didn't know that Voldemort was after 
> the Potters until one of his spies (Snape?) told him. He would have
> to be careful what he did with the information,  since acting on
> it would not only confirm to Voldemort that he had chosen the
"right"
> child but might alert him that he had a spy in his camp.

Right, but there are 2 children: Neville and Harry who are in danger
because one of them is "The Child". Dumbledore has known about this
prophecy at most a year before Oct, 1981. Common sense would dictate
to do something to protect both of these families because both of
these families are in danger, per the prophecy.  

That's why I'm having trouble with the timeline. Dumbledore knows of a
Prophecy that will endanger the life of a baby born in July 1980.
There are 2 babies born in July. If we are to believe the timeline,
then nothing was done until October 24, 1981 when the Potters went
into hiding at Godric's Hollow. That means for at least 1 year
Dumbledore, the OoP and the Ministry did nothing to protect Neville or
Harry until it was too late.

> It's an
> interesting question what took Voldemort so long to plan his attack.

Yes, it is. While it's possible he wanted more information on the
Potters, you would think that as soon as the July babies were born,
Voldemort would have picked which one it is. That's why I have a
feeling Trelawney's prophecy really occured sometime after July 1980
and nearer September or October 1981.
 
Milz