What is the HUGE secret to be revealed about Lilly Potter?

[Pithy Cherub]

This probably ties to what James and Lily did for a living. My initial guess is something for magical law enforcement or Auror training. Would love to hear your ideas. Alas it is only 132 miserably long days until the Half Blood Prince!

http://www.mugglenet.com/books/futurebooks/book6facts.shtml

[davidinalameda]

1. we already know why Voldemart and Harry didn't die

when Voldemart tried to kill Harry

it was because of their wants sharing feathers from Fawkes

and I wonder who the new minister of magic will be

gods, I can't wait for this!

[Pithy Cherub]

2. Hmmmm, me thinks that was

the fourth time Voldemort tried to kill Harry. (GOF) The first time Harry was a baby and didn't even own a wand. What stopped it then?

The new Minister of Magic - I wonder if its the Bones lady from OOyP...
Right with you - can't wait....

[davidinalameda]

3. the first time was because of his mother

her love protected him or so states Dumbledore in the first book

[Pithy Cherub]

4. You raise a profound point that gives me pause.

With all of the witches, wizards and magical creatures that Voldy murdered, they all had to have moms that loved them just as much. What was it about Harry that made his mother's love different. that is what I think is tied to the Lilly Potter secret... Any ideas? ;)

[Matilda]

5. Lilly related to Voldemort?

n/t

[Pithy Cherub]

7. Don't think so...

That would make Harry related and JKR is emphatic that this is not Star Wars redux. ;)

Actually, my thought is Lilly put a charm on Harry when he was born... subject to change at the reading of HBP. :)

[outraged2]

6. "What was it about Harry that made his mother's love different."

Lily sacrificed herself for Harry. Voldemort wasn't terribly interested in Lily and James, he was after Harry specifically - remember the prophecy.

[Pithy Cherub]

8. The prophecy is a double message.

When I first read it I thought it applied to one person - Harry. Upon subsequent rereadings it could actually apply to two different people at the same time. The prophecy actually applies to both boys - Harry & Neville. Neville's mom also sacrificed herself potentially giving him the same protection as Harry. The first part says marking as an equal - most likely, Harry. The second part says the one with the power to vanquish - most likely Neville. Or you could reverse them...

Would love to hear your thoughts! :)

[outraged2]

9. I agree with you

Neville's definitely important in this. I don't know what his role will be, but he will be there when the time comes. Lots of little clues about Neville.... His grandmother tells us that his father was a strong wizard and that Neville has never been up to his level of competence, but we know the Sorting Hat saw something in Neville and put him in Gryffindor rather than Hufflepuff. And we also hear that Neville has come a long way with the help of Harry and the DA. He is clearly brave when it really matters in Order of the Phoenix. He also has the strength of convictions and is willing to fight to the last and encourages Harry NOT to hand over the prophecy - no matter the cost. He gets it.... Contrast that with the Weasley twins' willingness to risk everything to go to St Mungos after the snake attack. (That said, I appreciate the twin's concern for their father, but we hear about the "code" of the Order early on and they aren't yet up to it - Neville is)

I don't know about Neville's mom making the same sacrifice as Lily because Voldemort had already had his run-in with baby Harry and it was his supporters who attacked the Longbottoms and they may or may not have known about the prophecy. We just don't have enough information about that yet.

[davidinalameda]

10. the prophecy was misunderstood by Voldemort

Neville was supposed to have been the one attacked, not Harry

that's spelled out in Phoenix

[outraged2]

11. Yes misunderstood by Voldemort...

... but it was never said that Neville should have been the one, just that he COULD have been. Dumbledore and Harry went through this. Neville could have been the one, but Voldemort, not knowing the whole prophecy, decided that the half-blood was the threat to him and went after Harry. I think Pithy Cherub has it right, that it could go either way about who is the one to do the vanquishing. Harry is clearly the one 'marked' as equal (as far as we know now) We don't know if Neville is marked in any way, we don't have a lot of info about Neville and his situation - just a few clues here and there. The only thing clear is that Harry, Neville and Voldemort are all tied together by the prophecy.

[Pithy Cherub]

13. Snape is key to the vanquishing pieces of the prophecy.

Snape knows how and it is tied somehow to his secret trust bond and Death Eater past with Dumblebdore.

The US version of the book cover is VERY interesting even if it is chartreuse. I think it may be someone's pensieve, but Harry has his wand out so he would be going into his memories. On the British version it looks like both Dumbledore and Harry are freaked out by what they are seeing but the fire is eith engulfing or coming from Dumbledore's wand...

[politicat]

12. And now, Neville might have a wand that REALLY works for him....

Remember, the wand chooses the wizard, not the other way around. Neville has been using his father's wand, but it was broken at the end of OOP. The analogy the DH came up with is using another person's wand is like driving a stickshift when you're used to an automatic. You can probably do it, but it's going to be a less successful process.

It's a minor point, I know.

As for Lily Potter.... I keep thinking that she's more compassionate and personable than James was; James definitely had some character flaws at times (though don't we all?). I think that's going to play in, and Aunt Petunia is going to be critical again, too.

Pcat

[radfringe]

25. but the prophecy

says that the dark lord (voldemort) would place his mark on the one that would destroy him

in the Order of the Phoenix it states that the lightning bolt scar is that mark

Neville will most likely play a larger role -- however as far as being the "ONE", I doubt it

His parents are still alive, they were hit with the "pain curse" but it was voldemorts followers that used it on them, not voldemort himself

[Pithy Cherub]

26. Actually, Dumbeledore THINKS Harry's scar is the mark

because Voldy did not know the whole prophecy. Logical conclusion for Dumbledore based on the pieces of evidence on hand - tricky that JKR -isn't she... ;)

My working thesis is Lilly may have put a charm on BOTH boys. Until July 16, 2005 when we get even more info and start the countdown until the last book...:hi:

[uppityperson]

24. That has always bothered me too. n/t

[Nikepallas]

14. I'm thinking one of two things...Lilly basically is the "Deep Throat"

of the Volmont down fall.

OR

Perhaps lilly and Pertunia are related to Dumbledor(Sp? late in the night not thinking.) That is why Voldormont



As for Neville: I think it would be intersting if it takes both Harry and Neville need to join Forces together in order to defeat Voldomont.

[Pithy Cherub]

15. Yes. And No. Forgive me having a Dumbledore moment : )

Lilly knew secrets of the Order and was really good with charm spells. Would Lilly have put a protective charm on BOTH Harry & Neville because of what she knew? Did Lilly tell Dumbledore so that was how he knew how much magic was protecting Harry beyond her sacrifice? My belief, subject to being proven horribly wrong by JKR, is that Dumbledore shared the prophecy with Lilly & James and Lilly tried to protect both boys based on whatever Snape told Dumbledore when he 'snapped out of it'.

Snape, (sorry ;)Headmaster Dumbledore),uh Professor Snape, also knows what will bring down Voldemort. Does this work in conjuction with what Lilly knew or against it? Professor Snape HATES both Harry & Neville. They are the real reason in someway that Dumbledore will not allow him to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Look at what Dumbledore hired just to keep Snape away - Umbridge, a fake Moody, Quirrel, a werewolf - whom I adore - Geesh, his hiring has left a lot to be desired for some reason. Edit: how can I forget Lockhart - that had to be freudian, hahaha.

Why did Lilly & James escape Voldemort three times? Harry is up to his fifth time. Lilly's final words were Harry's name. Did she secretly share something with Harry that only the pensieve will bring back to help him battle Voldy?

[davidinalameda]

16. Umbridge was forced on him

he didn't really have a choice in her hiring

[Pithy Cherub]

17. Choices and free will are the essence of Dumbledore.

:)Dumbledore absolutely could have slid Snape over to be the DADA teacher. A Potions Master would have been much easier to find - St. Mungo's is full of 'em. Madame Pomfrey could have done it. Dumbledore of his own free will, chose to negate that idea and suck it up and take the toad, Umbridge. That speaks to how bad Dumbledore doesn't want Snape near the DADA position - at that time.

Why would he make that choice knowing that he needed a DADA person at the beginning of GOF as Moody only obliged to do it for one year. For a full year, Dumbledore knew he needed that job filled. Hmmmm, the plot thickens again. What was the real issue and why not have the greatest wizard of all time not use a time turner to teach DADA rather than the pearl and twinset fashion disaster? :freak:

[davidinalameda]

18. because it made for a better story line

to have Umbridge in as DADA teacher

[Pithy Cherub]

19. LOL! nah... JKR has crafted the wizarding world

in such detail that she's being pushed to publish that too. JKR is very detailed in her logic - think the human version of Hermione ;) - and founded the story in grand classical style. It is scary that she laid it out years ago...just wish she'd wrote em all during that first binge.

[XemaSab]

20. There's definitely something

About the recursive nature of each of the books that's very classical.

Each book starts with Harry at the Dursleys, then Harry escapes from them in comical style and goes to school, where there is a new DADA teacher. During the year he learns to deal with fighting the DADA teacher as well as Snape and Voldemort, and each year he gets more adept at rising to personal challenges. Finally the book ends with Harry somehow thwarting Voldemort, and the end of the school year.

It's sort of like Groundhog Day.

For this reason alone Snape will never be the DADA teacher.

[Matilda]

21. In a recent interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival, JKR said

that people are asking the wrong question, "Why did Harry live when
Voldemort tried to kill him?", instead of asking "Why didn't
Voldemort die"?

This is because when you put a curse or bad spell on someone, if it
doesn't hit them, it comes back to you three-fold, according to all
the laws of witchcraft. So V. should have died when he failed to
kill Harry, and JKR says this is the important question - why didn't
he? (Hanged if I know).

[outraged2]

22. Why Voldemort didn't die

I can't remember which book it is now, but in one of them Voldemort tells us that he has done much to thwart death, and the the Death Eaters should have come looking for him after his encounter with baby harry because they knew he had taken steps to ensure his survival.... Ancient spells, dark magic and probably some things that he created himself. I'm sure we will learn more.

I imagine it will be love that ends up killing him. It is clear already that he cannot handle that powerful emotion in any form.

[Matilda]

23. Yes, it looks rather like that.

Did Lily work in the secret department in the Ministry of Magic -
did it have something to do with particular magic connected with
love that was too powerful for Voldemort? Seems James didn't know
about it, because he told her to run away with Harry, but she didn't.
She could have apparated, but obviously the protection of her
sacrifice and whatever magic she worked was greater than if she'd
taken Harry away with her, saving herself as well as him.

Voldemort was working with ancient magic - was Lily also working with
ancient magic, but coming from the Light instead of the Dark? Is
that why their magic sort of cancelled each other out, and left an
unresolved situation until one of them dies?

[philosophie_en_rose]

27. Why didn't Voldemort die?

I wonder whether Harry and Voldemort aren't connected in some way, so that one can only die if he takes the other one with him. Thus, Harry will have to die in Book 7 to get rid of Voldemort.

[Pithy Cherub]

28. My take on the prophecy is

that is applies to both boys: Harry and Neville. One is marked and the other will vanquish... Voldemort is still operating in the 'dark' but it will be something Harry thinks about all summer. Once he tells Hermione she may figure it out first! :)