On horcruxes and the saving of souls

[likeaglass]

It was sunny and the grounds around him were full of laughing people, and even though he felt as distant from them as though he belonged to a different race, it was still very hard to believe as he sat here that his life must include, or end in, murder....

OotP, 855-856

Comments

[courtaud]

"No, it doesn't!" said Dumbledore, sounding impatient now. Pointing at Harry with his black, withered hand, he said, "You are setting too much store by the prophecy!"

"But," spluttered Harry, "but you said the prophecy means -“

"If Voldemort had never heard of the prophecy, would it have been fulfilled? Would it have meant anything? Of course not! Do you think every prophecy in the Hall of Prophecy has been fulfilled?"

So, the prophecy was fulfilled because Voldemort believed the prophecy. An unheard prophecy does not work. If Harry believes the prophecy the he makes the same mistake Voldemort made.

But Harry believed the prophecy because Dumbledore encouraged him to do so, and clearly told him that his destiny was to kill the Dark Lord or be killed by him, what floored me was:

"But," said Harry, bewildered, "but last year, you said one of us would have to kill the other -"
"Harry, Harry, only because Voldemort made a grave error, and acted on Professor Trelawney's words! If Voldemort had never murdered your father, would he have imparted in you a furious desire for revenge?

Does Harry even show a furious desire for revenge? Will he begin to feel it now that Dumbledore has told him he has one. And worse still, a few lines below:

"By attempting to kill you, Voldemort himself singled out the remarkable person who sits here in front of me, and gave him the tools for the job!

and immediately after:

But, sir," said Harry, making valiant efforts not to sound argumentative, "it all comes to the same thing, doesn't it? I've got to try and kill him, or -"

"Got to?" said Dumbledore. "Of course you've got to! But not because of the prophecy! Because you, yourself, will never rest until you've tried! We both know it! Imagine, please, just for a moment,
that you had never heard that prophecy! How would you feel about Voldemort now? Think!"

Harry (...) thought of all the terrible deeds he knew Lord Voldemort had done. A flame seemed to leap inside his chest, searing his throat.
"I'd want him finished," said Harry quietly. "And I'd want to do it."

Dumbledore is quite forcefully seducing Harry into killing Voldemort. I really wish to find another reason for what he is saying in this scene but I cannot.

[likeaglass]

So, the prophecy was fulfilled because Voldemort believed the prophecy. An unheard prophecy does not work. If Harry believes the prophecy the he makes the same mistake Voldemort made.

Hmm, that's not how I interpreted that. Dumbledore isn't saying that a prophecy has to be heard to come true, he's saying that this particular prophecy was set into motion because Voldemort heard a part of it. I don't think that means that the prophecy must be fulfilled in its entirety. I think that's what Dumbledore meant when he said Harry was setting too much store by the prophecy; just because the first part happened doesn't mean that the second part, that one of them must kill the other, needs to happen as well.

Does Harry even show a furious desire for revenge? Will he begin to feel it now that Dumbledore has told him he has one....Dumbledore is quite forcefully seducing Harry into killing Voldemort.

No, I don't think he has one. I think the only 'furious desire for revenge' he has is to punish Snape, not Voldemort. It is disturbing that Dumbledore would do that, and I agree that Harry had not heretofore shown any deep and abiding desire to kill Voldemort himself. But just because Harry wants to kill Voldemort doesn't mean he will; he can 'vanquish' him by destroying the horcruxes, while someone else casts the final, fatal blow.