for neither can live while the other survives

[sunnyskywalker]

I've been frustrated for years that the prophecy seems exactly backwards: it says "neither can live while the other survives," when what we see is that neither Harry nor Voldemort can die while the other survives. How can you make that work even with all the wiggle room inherent in prophecy bafflegab? It's just backwards!

D'oh. What's one thing Potterverse wizards have that we don't? Proof that souls exist, and almost certainly an afterlife too. They don't have to take it on faith. Souls can be sucked out, ripped, and torn to pieces. Wizards can sit next to the Veil and listen to the voices of the dead.

The prophecy didn’t mean neither of them could live in their mortal bodies while the other survives. It meant that because they couldn't die, neither could go to their eternal lives.

Does this really work? I keep feeling I must be missing something. Like a giant gaping hole somewhere that blasts all possible interpretations to pieces. mary_j_59? Anyone?

Comments

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

All I can say is: I think you're dead right (pun unintentional). The prophecy makes no sense as written. At least, it makes no sense if you read it as referring to Harry. He is living just fine! Always under threat, yes, but he's quite definitely alive.

Actually, this is why, from the sixth book on, I was convinced the prophecy actually referred to Severus, not to Harry at all. It is Severus who is trapped in a sort of half-life; it's Severus who cannot move on. I was convinced it was Severus who was going to kill Voldemort. Harry was simply the last horcrux.

Oh, well. You're quite right. There is no theory or interpretation, at this point, that can make sense of the prophecy. It would make sense if it read, "neither can die while the other survives." But that's not what it says.

[sunnyskywalker]

And Severus is literally marked (though not as an equal; Voldemort doesn't go for equals).

Ugh, I think I found the hole in the "eternal life" interpretation (knew there had to be one). Dumbledore tells Harry he could take that train to the afterlife if he wanted, even though Voldemort "survives." So I can't even take it as "neither can live (eternally) while the other survives."

Dammit, Jo, we're really trying here! Couldn't you have given us just a little more to work with?

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

Ugh, indeed! You're right. So even Neither can die while the other survives" makes no sense. Oh, dear. Also--well, I think I'm going to put a short post above this one.

Thanks for these intriguing questions, though, even if they are frustrating.