Prophecy Interpretation

I would like to preface this by saying I like Harry Potter. I'm not trying to degrade it, it's fans, or the author. I think prophesies have a lot of potential that is ignored because people don't realize what they could be and I hope breaking this down will help people be creative and inspired.

I will be starting with the first line. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ..." In the book I'm sure they mean about to be born, but approaches could just mean they are on a plane/boat ride over. Hell maybe they were literally approaching the bar that the prophecy was made in. Now I'm sure you will point me to the next line and say they specified born, I will get to that after I'm finished with this part of the prophecy.

It says "The one with the power" implies they have the power currently. How many baby unborn babies have power? Granted it's wizards, but still. I suppose the power was supposed to be love according to the books, and baby can have that depending on how far along the pregnancy is.

Nitpicking details but the prophesy never said which Dark Lord we were talking about. There have been other dark lords and if we just say a "lord" that is "dark" we can open up a lot more candidates.

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..." Now one can definitely make the argument that "born as the seventh month dies..." is in present tense thus we are looking for a baby, but it doesn't say "will be born" there is nothing to say it can't be an adult who was previously born as the seventh month died. Given how old Voldemort was it's quite possible for this to have happened years ago.

Now what counts as "defied him" ? In the books it was interpreted to mean fought, but all you really need to do is to verbally disagree or subtly disobey. You could be be his loyal minion and have defied him three times. I am sure there has got to be people who defied him when he was in school or the orphanage. Hell if you are a muggle or muggleborn, living could be considered defiance. Additionally his Deatheaters are acting with his authority so if you defy them, you defy him.

As for another nitpick: I'm sure there is more than one calendar with seven months, and the month dies at a different time depending on where you are in the world. And if they don't have to be a wizard there are probably a lot more candidates born at the right time regardless of calendars and time differences.

"And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... " "mark him as an equal" seems so open ended and entirely dependent on the individuals and society so I will move on from that and skip to the next part. "but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... " Is this power which he knows nothing about? Power he does not know how to use? Power he knows about but could never understand? Power the Dark Lord knows how to use, but doesn't know the prophesied one has. There are a surprising amount of possibilities in that sentence. "he will have" Implies he does not currently have but could also mean he has the base level but it not refined/powerful enough yet to be considered having.

"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..." Starting with "either must die at the hand of the other" That should mean neither has to worry about dying any other way. They must die by the other and if they're dead they can't do that, so if prophesies are valid they should at least be certain of a resurrection if they do fall off a cliff or something. "the hand of the other" So this could metaphorical by that person or if could you literally need to use your hand with no weapons allowed. Alternatively "Right hand man" is a thing so it could be considered "their hand" "neither can live while the other survives..." Now this line seems down right contradictory. But I suppose "live" could be the colloquial definition"to have a life rich in experience" so neither can have a "good" life if the other is "surviving".