OotP Chapter 37 - The Lost Prophecy

[cheeringcharm]

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to

Comments

[jabbamacmilly]

I was discussing this chapter with my cousin not that long ago. She was let down by it in the sense that there was so much hype concerning some big revelation. When she finished the book she didn't find that the fact that Harry is the one to kill Voldemort was such a big surprise. I must say that in that regard it isn't all that surprising that in the end it has to be Harry, it would be stupid to go all this way and by the end of book 7 have like Dumbledore kill Voldemort. The big surprise for me was that Neville could of been the one to kill Voldemort. I ask you who saw that coming??

[cheeringcharm]

I'm with your cousin. I was so disappointed in this big reveal. The only thing that was shocking was the revelation about Neville.

[jabbamacmilly]

I agree it was really disappointing. As readers it was prettu obvious that Harry will be the one in the end...
Plus, I think having a prophecy be the thing the moves the plot is not very convincing. I mean we heard in the last three book how hard it is to predict the future, now hard it is to know what effect out actions will have and how complicated things are, and yet we (and them) have to fully believe in a prophecy? Have it as the event that started everything? I don't like it. Especially after waiting for the big secret since book one.

[cadesama]

I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't a twistier prophecy, but I don't think we could expect that the prophecy wouldn't say Harry had to kill Voldemort. Plus, the wording is nicely vague, so I do think that a twist is inevitable.

I absolutely didn't see the Neville connection coming, but I was thrilled about it. Neville's always been Harry's shadow-double, and it was cool to see that made explicit in canon.

[muggle_prof]

Boy, this chapter just drips with guilt, doesn't it -- Harry and everyone he can lay some guilt on, DD and everyone he can heap a little guilt on

[_pennyfeather]

* What is this ancient magic, blood protection, lingering protection his mother left him, and how does it all work? I want details (especially since DD says it works as long as Harry can call Petunia's place "home" and if Harry ever really thought of it as home, he hasn't for 5 years now.)
That never made any sense to me either. Perhaps it means that as long as Petunia allows him to stay there? Because, obviously, Harry doesn't consider it as being his real home. I figured that it meant so long as Harry can always go back there (however begrudgingly) that it is his home from Petunia's perspective.

But then I still don't understand why he has to stay a 'certain' amount of time there every year.

* what is this plan DD keeps mentioning? The one that will call for many lives to be lost if it fails... Is Harry really the weapon?I'm kind of bothered that DD was so disapointed at himself for thinking, "Wow, I actually care about this boy and am now somewhat conflicted as to my whole plan of using him to destroy Voldemort.' It's as if

[cheeringcharm]

What is this ancient magic, blood protection, lingering protection his mother left him, and how does it all work? I want details (especially since DD says it works as long as Harry can call Petunia's place "home" and if Harry ever really thought of it as home, he hasn't for 5 years now.)

And, does this mean that if Harry steps outside the house he is vulnerable? Can Voldie go to the park Harry frequents and kill him there? Or is he protected no matter where he is as long as Petunia's is his residence?

After re-reading this, I got the impression that the charm was placed on Harry after his parents died. So, his mother didn't put a charm on him before she was killed, but DD did it after. Man, I really hope that she explains all of this.

[cheeringcharm]

The timing of the prophecy has always been weird to me. It was given 16 years ago which would be before Harry's birth. That was even referenced in the prophecy itself "The one with the power to vanguish the Dark Lord approaches." But, Voldemort didn't try to kill Harry until he was over 1 year old. Why did he wait? Did the eavesdropper not tell him until that much later? Why did the eavesdropper wait? Who was it? There's speculation that the eavesdropper is Mundungus. I do hope we get more info about the details surrounding it all.

I do hope that this is the end of CAPSLOCK!Harry. By the end of this chapter, Harry seems to have no fight left in him. I hope that he channels his grief and anger instead of lashing out indiscriminately like he did in this book.

[cadesama]

I do hope that this is the end of CAPSLOCK!Harry. By the end of this chapter, Harry seems to have no fight left in him. I hope that he channels his grief and anger instead of lashing out indiscriminately like he did in this book.

Er, I know you probably don't mean it that way, but the way you wrote Harry not having any fight left in him sort of seems like you're saying it's a good thing. Which I'd say it pretty definitively is not. I think that Harry losing his CAPSLOCK of indiscriminate rage really depends on the world, not on him. It's awfully hard to discriminate when almost everyone in the world is against you, and you're not allowed to take you're anger out on the people who are actually out to get you. I do think we'll see a turn toward more focused anger -- but this probably isn't a good thing, as the focus is likely to be on Snape for something he's not even directly responsible for.

[woman_ironing]

I do hope that this is the end of CAPSLOCK!Harry.

I do think concern about capslock harry is a bit overdone. (I'm never sure if the feeling is against Harry for doing it or JKR for having him do it.) Y'know, on reading OotP this time I was surprised at how little capslock harry there actually is. I wonder if we just tend to be afraid of emotion. Harry starts the book shouting and ends it almost entirely silent. I suppose it's a progression of sorts, but which is more disturbing?

[cheeringcharm]

I can only speak for myself, and I find the silence much more disturbing, considering Harry has plenty of reasons to be upset, I think expressing his emotions is needed. I actually loved angry Harry in OotP, I just didn't love that only Ron and Hermione were that targets, when they were probably the two less deserving his anger. Harry yelling at Dumbledore was the only part I liked in the end of OotP. Being able to get angry, proves that he still think he's worth being treated better, shows that he knows he has rights.

[schtroumph_c]

* "This office is supposed to be barred to all but the rightful Headmaster."

So, it can block the entry to someone else than Umbridge?

Is it a spell placed by the Founders?

How does it decide who’s the good Headmaster? And if it’s true, how Phineas was Headmaster if he was the worst?

Do they only be chose by the retired Headmaster?

* "They would much rather be tragically misunderstood, wallow in self-pity,…"

Phineas, stop reading emo kids’ livejournals, it’s bad for the health.

* Like what, even the evil Slytherins can care bout someone.

* ”I-persuaded him-to tell me the full story.”

Persuaded? How?

* Sirius was too much old and clever to have allowed such feeble taunts to hurt him.

Buh? How did he miss that? Did he ever talk seriously to his men?

* …some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could overcome his feelings about your father.No, seriously, how did he missed that? At least, he didn’t know Sirius since long, but how in the 14 years of working with Snape he missed the ‘too deep for

[muggle_prof]

How does it decide who’s the good Headmaster? And if it’s true, how Phineas was Headmaster if he was the worst?
Not at home, so I can't check, but I think Sirius says he's "the least popular" HM, not the worst. (and since Sirius hated everything to do with the Blacks, I'm not sure we can trust him on his judgement of Phineas.)

”I-persuaded him-to tell me the full story.”

s_c: Persuaded? How?

"Ve Haff Our Vays...." it does sound like a line out of bad movie, or something Jack Bauer would do on "24", doesn't it?

[cheeringcharm]

When DD said he persuaded Kreacher it put a chill down my spine. I have no doubt that DD can be ruthless at times. Kreacher didn't have a chance.

[house_elf_44]

How does it decide who's the good Headmaster?

Maybe the one voted on by the Board of Governors.

* "I-persuaded him-to tell me the full story."
Persuaded? How?

I wondered if it was Legilimency, Imperius, or a threat. But I don't think Dumbledore is evil unless it's for things like killing Grindelwald, so I'm going with Legilimency.

* I don't think it's the good moment to talk of the choice of prefects

I thought that was odd, too. But I think Dumbledore decided to tell Harry everything - come totally clean with him.

[anonymous]

I really really HATED Dumbledore in this chapter. For many reasons

[cadesama]

I agree on all counts.

[anonymous]

I'm glad I'm not alone in my anty Dumbledore campaign...

[woman_ironing]

It's ironic that Dumbledore shares with Voldemort the mistake of continually underestimating Harry.