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

[cadesama]

Dumbledore said "suffering like this proves you are still a man. This pain is part of being human." As opposed to what? I think the word still throws me.

It might be a clue regarding Harry's connection with Voldemort, since Voldemort is no longer truly human.

And how did Kreacher know to distract Sirius at that time? I had thought Harry calling #12 was the signal it was a go, but Kreacher had already gotten Sirius out of the way.

I think Kreacher knew they were moving that day. I don't think there was any communication between him and Narcissa as to when the vision had been sent that day, but it's possible. Anyway, I think Kreacher knew the vision would be in the afternoon and hurt Buckbeak badly enough that Sirius would be dealing with it for hours, rather than getting him out of the room momentarily.

Hang on, they knew teaching Harry Occlumency would further open Harry's mind to Voldemort? Would that be the part where they try to get in so Harry can try to block? Maybe they expected this risk would diminish as he practiced.

That is something I absolutely don't get. Snape teaching method doesn't seem the slightest bit effective, even if Harry had tried harder. "Clear your mind"? What does that mean? But maybe the act of attacking a person's mind is what does the teaching, not trying to get them to prepare. Does that mean that Occlumency isn't a learn discipline, but a conditioned reflex?

Lily's blood was Harry's best option for protection, so he was delivered to her only remaining relative. Might that leave room for Potter relatives?

Nah. No matter how worshiped Dumbledore is in the WW, if Harry had a paternal grandparent or uncle no court would have allowed Harry to stay with muggles -- let alone abusive muggles.

[cadesama]

It might be a clue regarding Harry's connection with Voldemort, since Voldemort is no longer truly human.

It's probably what he meant but I think it's not very smart of him to think that Voldemort, eveh though isn't truly human, doesn't feel pain. I think that pain is at least one of the things that made him the way he is. It doesn't excuse Voldemrot, of course, he is pure evil, but I think this evil is still fed by the pain from his childhood. So I agree with Dumbledore that his pain is normal and human thing to feel, but I don't think it proves anything.

[cadesama]

Yeah. I don't know if Voldemort feels pain over loss or suffering of others, which may be what Dumbledore meant (compassion litterally means to "suffer with", after all). But Voldemort definitely feels pain about other things. It's an awfully strange thing to say to comfort someone, no matter what he meant, though.

[cadesama]

t's an awfully strange thing to say to comfort someone, no matter what he meant, though.

Yeah. That one of the many reasons I hated Dumbledore's behavior here. Harry needs real comfort, not Dumbledore analyzing him.