All about the prophecy: meaning, significance and wording

[ComicBookWorm]

Not unless they were born at the end of July to parents who trice defied Voldemort and had been marked equal by him, along with power the Dark Lord knows not (love).

Dumbledore said it could only have been two boys. And so does JKR.

[drummer]

Correct, that was part of it. That part could be about the two boys. How about the other part - neither can live ...? Doesthat have to be about the two boys?

[ComicBookWorm]

No, the prophecy could have referred to two boys, but once Harry was chosen, it only referred to him. JKR has specifically told us it no longer refers to Neville only Harry.

[mysterious]

Originally Posted by ComicBookWorm

JKR has specifically told us it no longer refers to Neville only Harry.

Here is the part where she clarifies that

Jk Rowling.com So where does this leave Neville, the boy who was so nearly King? Well, it does not give him either hidden powers or a mysterious destiny. He remains a 'normal' wizarding boy, albeit one with a past, in its way, as tragic as Harry's. As you saw in 'Order of the Phoenix,' however, Neville is not without his own latent strengths. It remains to be seen how he will feel if he ever finds out how close he came to being the Chosen One. Some of you, who have been convinced that the prophecy marked Neville, in some mystical fashion, for a fate intertwined with Harry's, may find this answer rather dull. Yet I was making what I felt was a significant point about Harry and Voldemort, and about prophecies themselves, in showing Neville as the also-ran. If neither boy was 'pre-ordained' before Voldemort's attack to become his possible vanquisher, then the prophecy (like the one the witches make to Macbeth, if anyone has read the play of the same name) becomes the catalyst for a situation that would never have occurred if it had not been made. Harry is propelled into a terrifying position he might never have sought, while Neville remains the tantalising 'might-have-been'. Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences. link

[Evil_Voldemort]

Hi. I think it is a must for Harry to kill Voldemort. Then the Prophecy would be done and the world would be saved from evil. But it's sad that, because of the Prophecy, many lives were killed by the Dark Side.

[magical4life]

Originally Posted by Evil_Voldemort

Hi. I think it is a must for Harry to kill Voldemort. Then the Prophecy would be done and the world would be saved from evil. But it's sad that, because of the Prophecy, many lives were killed by the Dark Side.

Yeah.

Originally Posted by ComicBookWorm

No, the prophecy could have referred to two boys, but once Harry was chosen, it only referred to him. JKR has specifically told us it no longer refers to Neville only Harry.

Exactly. Since Voldemort chose Harry, Neville is no longer involved. I think it was mentioned in OotP to show that Voldemort actually had a choice. He didn't have to kill Harry but he chose to. I wonder why Voldemort picked Harry over Neville seeing that Neville's parents were so powerful also. Did he relalize he had the choice?

[BurrowGhoul]

Originally Posted by Evil_Voldemort

Hi. I think it is a must for Harry to kill Voldemort. Then the Prophecy would be done and the world would be saved from evil. But it's sad that, because of the Prophecy, many lives were killed by the Dark Side.

Many lives were lost before the prophecy as well. Voldemort was gaining power at that time, and a lot of people died because of him.
In a way, the prophecy gives hope, because people can believe that there is finally someone who is able to defeat Voldemort.

[HGHPRW]

Originally Posted by BurrowGhoul

Many lives were lost before the prophecy as well. Voldemort was gaining power at that time, and a lot of people died because of him.
In a way, the prophecy gives hope, because people can believe that there is finally someone who is able to defeat Voldemort.

Exactly, the prophecy is like a beacon of hope, but with a thorn hidden in it, because it could go in the favor of the Dark side. However, I thought only a few people knew of the prophecy, because only Dumbledore and the Death Eaters have ever mentioned it to Harry.

[Dancing_Blade]

"...the one must die at the hand of the other" Will harry have an engorgio spell on himself and then crush Voldy in his hand? (just being silly!)

[RJB]

I just wanted to get an idea of where i'm on the right track here:
-If Voldermort hadn't acted on the prophecey it wouldn't have ment anything and anyone could have killed him,
-Becuase Voldermort chose Harry this means the phrophecy only refers to Harry
-Before the phophecy anyone could have killed Voldermort
-If Harry dies anyone could kill Voldermort becuae it only says "neither can live while the other survives", it doesn't imply that Harry or Voldermort would be imortal.

[seamus_fan]

I'm interested on the part where it says the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal. Dumbledore says that this obviously points out that this means that it is in deed Harry and not Neville whom the prophecy concerns. But many wonder how a seventeen year old wizard is to defeat Voldemort who is now the most powerful wizard. As John Noe from Pottercast likes to point out Harry is unable to perform a drying charm whilst inside the cave- he most definitly has alot to learn. I believe that by giving Harry his scar and 'marking him as his equal' he did just that. He created a wizard that was capable of defeating him, we know that he gave Harry the power/talent of parsletounge perhaps there was more knowledge or power that was passed on.

[Moriath]

Originally Posted by seamus_fan

I'm interested on the part where it says the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal. Dumbledore says that this obviously points out that this means that it is in deed Harry and not Neville whom the prophecy concerns. But many wonder how a seventeen year old wizard is to defeat Voldemort who is now the most powerful wizard. As John Noe from Pottercast likes to point out Harry is unable to perform a drying charm whilst inside the cave- he most definitly has alot to learn. I believe that by giving Harry his scar and 'marking him as his equal' he did just that. He created a wizard that was capable of defeating him, we know that he gave Harry the power/talent of parsletounge perhaps there was more knowledge or power that was passed on.

Perhaps this passage refers to potential only. Harry was made an orphan, became a Parselmouth, got a wand with the same core as Voldemort and could have been sorted into Slytherin. If he had put some energy into studying he could very well be more of an equal to Voldemort than he is now but at least they have the same background. It's only their choices that make them different.

[Hinoema]

Right. It's not about Harry's 'power', it's about the power he knows not and how Harry chooses to use it.

[dreamy_eyes_xox]

"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 vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

In order to understand the prophecy, we must break it down into parts.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..."

Obvioulsy this means..."the person who can kill Voldemort is coming soon"

"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..."

that means, "the person who can kill Voldemort will be born to those who have challanged Voldemort three times as July comes to an end (July 31st)"

"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..."

above means ""the person who can kill Voldemort will be born to those who have challanged Voldemort three times as July comes to an end (July 31st). Voldemort will mark him as an equal(make him as powerful as himself). But the one who has been marked as his equal will have the power Voldemort doesn't know about."

"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..."

that means, ""the person who can kill Voldemort will be born to those who have challanged Voldemort three times as July comes to an end (July 31st). Voldemort will mark him as an equal(make him as powerful as himself). But the one who has been marked as his equal will have the power Voldemort doesn't know about. Either Voldemort or the one marked as his equal must die at the hand of the other (one has to kill the other), for neither can live while the other survives (one must die so the other can live)"

"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 vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."



the person who can kill Voldemort will be born to those who have challanged Voldemort three times as July comes to an end (July 31st). Voldemort will mark him as an equal(make him as powerful as himself). But the one who has been marked as his equal will have the power Voldemort doesn't know about. Either Voldemort or the one marked as his equal must die at the hand of the other (one has to kill the other), for neither can live while the other survives (one must die so the other can live)" The one with this power will be born as the 7th(JULY 31) month dies.

so when we put this all together, the phrophecy is...

the person who can kill Voldemort will be born to those who have challanged Voldemort three times as July comes to an end. Voldemort will mark Harryas powerful as himself. But the one who has been marked as Voldemorts equal will have the power Voldemort doesn't know about. Either Voldemort or Harry has to kill the other, for one must die so the other can live. The one with this power will be born as the 7th(JULY 31) month dies.

SO WHEN YOU HONESTLY THINK ABOUT IT, IT BASICALLY IS SAYING HARRY HAS A WEAPON THAT VOLDEMORT DOES NOT KNOW OF. SO DOES THIS MEAN HARRY HAS THE UPPER HAND???

PLEASE REPLY

[Tenshi]

Originally Posted by dreamy_eyes_xox

SO WHEN YOU HONESTLY THINK ABOUT IT, IT BASICALLY IS SAYING HARRY HAS A WEAPON THAT VOLDEMORT DOES NOT KNOW OF. SO DOES THIS MEAN HARRY HAS THE UPPER HAND???

The power the prophecy is talking about is "Love". Voldemort never received and gave love in his live, so he doesn't know of. If this means that Harry has the upper hand because of this, I'm not sure. But we know that love saved him several times from beeing killed by Voldemort. The power of love can be anything in the last battle.

[omniscient01200]

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 forneither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...

If you look at it as a math problem it changes drastically.

Neither can live while the other survives: That’s three right?
Neither is two .............Other is one

Voldemort makes it four.

That would mean that Ron and Hermione would in fact be mentioned in the prophecy as well and that Harry will sacrifice himself in order to save his best friends.

This sounds like some thing that a writer would do to finish off a series. Not to mention the fact that no one would expect it.

I havent seen any where so I figured why not post it... Its just an thought.

[mysterious]

Originally Posted by omniscient01200

That’s three right?

How?

[smyonson]

I think that the "other" is in reference to the neither part, meaning one of the two. Sorry

[Mazuna]

I can see where you're coming from.

Originally Posted by The Prophecy

and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives

Either and other- two people
Neither can also refer to both of the people involved, either and other. Or, neither can be a separate two people altogether from other.

There is no real reason to believe this rather than the generally accepted prophecy, but there's really nothing wrong with it. I believe that there is more to the prophecy, and this very well may be it.

[omniscient01200]

For all we know Harry will become The Phantom of The Opera and try to get Hermione...