Arthur's near death is one of the most damning indictments of Rowling's writing, how she didn't know how to handle the prophecy.
In book 5 the prophecy is used as that tome's one-book wonder ... it's the reason for Voldemort taking the whole year to invade Harry's mind, it's the thing that props up the entire novel. But then in book 6 Rowling drops it on the floor ... she makes a farce of Harry's revelation of it to Hermione and Ron and then it's only mentioned once more, when Albus ("I speak for the author") Dumbledore tells us all that prophecies mean nothing.
And then in book 7 it's likewise forgotten until right at the end, when Rowling has Harry quote it in the final showdown to try and have it stick, to convince the readers it was relevant all along.
Anyway, why I say all this ... I just find Dumbldore's complete reversal with regard to the prophecy indefensible. Either via bad writing or horrible leadership two men died - the Order guard prior to Arthur and Sirius - and Arthur almost did, all protecting something that the following year Dumbledore was earnestly telling Harry didn't matter. "You are setting too much store by the prophecy!" screams Dumbledore ... probably because Harry was thinking "yeah, because two men died, Mr. Weasley was a near third, in protecting the damn thing".
Why didn't Dumbledore just hid the darn thing, anyway? Like he did the Stone in book 1?
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-09-19 12:53 pm (UTC)In book 5 the prophecy is used as that tome's one-book wonder ... it's the reason for Voldemort taking the whole year to invade Harry's mind, it's the thing that props up the entire novel. But then in book 6 Rowling drops it on the floor ... she makes a farce of Harry's revelation of it to Hermione and Ron and then it's only mentioned once more, when Albus ("I speak for the author") Dumbledore tells us all that prophecies mean nothing.
And then in book 7 it's likewise forgotten until right at the end, when Rowling has Harry quote it in the final showdown to try and have it stick, to convince the readers it was relevant all along.
Anyway, why I say all this ... I just find Dumbldore's complete reversal with regard to the prophecy indefensible. Either via bad writing or horrible leadership two men died - the Order guard prior to Arthur and Sirius - and Arthur almost did, all protecting something that the following year Dumbledore was earnestly telling Harry didn't matter. "You are setting too much store by the prophecy!" screams Dumbledore ... probably because Harry was thinking "yeah, because two men died, Mr. Weasley was a near third, in protecting the damn thing".
Why didn't Dumbledore just hid the darn thing, anyway? Like he did the Stone in book 1?