Harry Potter - The power The Dark Lord knows not

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The power The Dark Lord knows not

by David Haber

It all comes down to this. The big difference between Voldemort and Harry. The only difference that's really important. It couldn't be more important to the climax of the Harry Potter Septology Mystery. And the reason we know it's important is because J.K. Rowling went out of her way to tell us about it, right out, in plain language, not couched in a riddle, in the very first Harry Potter book.

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Reader Comments:

Prophecy by its very nature is a double edged sword. Most prophecies have more than one meaning. Often several possible outcomes. It has occurred to me that there is another possible reading/interpretation of the prophecy. "He have power the Dark Lord knows not..." Love is not a one way street. Quite apart from Harry's ability to love, it could also refer to Harry's ability to command or attract love. People are ing to risk their lives for Harry and even for him simply because they love him. This might put a slightly different slant on the prophecy.

Love is the wildcard if you like, with unpredictable results.

Great article, pulling together all these threads about love. I think it may be pushing it to have Harry walk up to Voldemort and love him, but somehow it be Harry's capacity to love and to be loved that destroy Voldemort. After all, Luke Skywalker didn't have to love the Emperor!

Posted by Elizabeth from Australia on March 19, 2007 11:37 PM

I think too that love is important to the end of the HP saga. And I too had the thought that Harry could beat Voldemort by loving him (even before I read the text).

Posted by peter 14 from Espoo, Finland on March 19, 2007 11:42 PM

A well stated theory David. But I doubt that Harry walk up and give Voldemort a big hug any time soon. But LOVE is a strong and recurring theme in the series and most definitely play a big role in DH.
In SS/PS Voldemort/Quirrell can't touch Harry without feeling pain which ultamitely destroyed him. This was due to the protection of his mother's LOVE sacifice.
In GoF Voldemort makes big point to use Harry's blood in the regenerative potion to help him over come this problem.
Yet in OotP at the battle of the Ministry Voldemort still can not possess Harry for very long due to the great amount of pain he feels. I believe Dumbledore explains this to Harry by saying that it was due to the LOVE which Harry possesses.
Prehaps Dumbledore knows so much about the power of LOVE because this is what he used to defeat Grindelwald in 1945 (I think). We know so little about Dumbledore and yet he looms so large in the final installment.

Posted by Jeff from Tennessee on March 20, 2007 12:10 AM

It would be simply amazing to find out how JK Rowling puts this down on paper, eh? Because, I seriously wonder how Tom would let Harry walk up to him without casting the Avada Kedavra curse on him the moment he sees him. I'm not dissing the article, I think that there is a PROBABILITY that Harry would find love for Tom in his heart.

Hey, I just though of something else. We read about the glint of triumph in Dumbledore's eyes right? What if it is because Harry's blood itself contains love (or in a sense), and when Tom uses his blood to regenerate, he actually 'injects' some love into himself? As I said, this idea has probably been submitted by someone else. But there's a possibility.

Posted by Melissa from Australia on March 20, 2007 01:12 AM

Great article! I think you have a really good point. But don't forget that perhaps Snape could be the one who ends the duel and s in the process. This fits with JK's statement that two would in the end. You have a really good point though!

Posted by Raj from Bangalore, India on March 20, 2007 01:46 AM

I think it's an interesting thought, but even if Harry wanted to do this, you can not seriously believe that Lord Voldemort would let Harry walk up to him and give him a hug? He would curse him long before he could reach his body! I think that if Harry does need to love Voldemort to be able to destroy (maybe not even Voldemort as a person, but just his powers), it be much less a physical outing of love, a more of an emotional one.

Posted by The Princess from Ghent, Belgium on March 20, 2007 02:00 AM

The image of hugging Voldemort is perhaps a little far-fetched but the notion of defeating him by showing compassion and understanding feels like a likely part of the final act. The books are littered with examples of Harry's life or situation mirroring that of Voldemort - Harry can empathise with Riddle at the very least. I suspect, though, that an act of compassion only be part of the story and that Harry also need some sort of McGuffin to send the Dark Lord packing for good.

Posted by Mark from York, UK on March 20, 2007 02:31 AM

I think that there is another love that can Voldemort.
I think that Lucius and Narcissa's love for Draco can be a
help for Harry to finish Voldemort. If they (Lucius and Narcissa) turned against Voldemort to rescue thier only son from Voldemort's rage after Draco failure to Dumbledore, this give Harry potter a great help to finish Voldemort for good.

Posted by Bothayna from Doha - Qatar on March 20, 2007 05:09 AM

I do think it might be possible. It would create an astonishing twist in the story. By the way, do you think Voldemort had ever been in love? Maybe he did feel sorry that he had no parents and took up up to bullying. I admit, I did laugh when I read the theory, but again, anything is possible. Let's just enjoy to the fullest on guessing about the theory before the book is released.

Posted by Britney on March 20, 2007 05:25 AM

I too think the gleam of triumph in Dumbledore's eyes has some connection with what the article describes, I'm still thinking about what that could be.

About the big hug theory -- how about Snape slipping a love potion into Voldemort's drink with Harry as the intended target. This would tie in with the Sirius/Lupin thing noticed in Prisoner of Azkaban. I haven't seen that movie, I am just going by the Foreshadowing article on this site. There have been some suggestions they were . What if this foreshadows Voldemort obsessively loving Harry, thanks to Snape.

Posted by Patty from Quincy,Massachusetts on March 20, 2007 06:40 AM

I was howling with laughter when I first read that Harry was supposed to walk up to the most evil, hated sorcerer ever to exsist and give him a bear hug. That was just so.. Potter Puppet Pals. But then when Dave was all, "Seriously!" I knew it wasn't intended to be funny.
That didn't stop me from laughing.
Anyway, I think even Harry's ability to love won't amount to hugging Voldemort, because it is obscured by Harry's immense hatred for the Dark Arts.
Voldemort ed Lily, James, and Padfoot. Do you honestly think that Harry walk up to his parents' and his godfather's er and say "I love you Voldemort!"
I don't think so. I'm sticking with the duel idea.

Posted by Ashley from Missouri on March 20, 2007 07:31 AM

I don't really see much in this theory. I mean, there are plenty of eaters who love voldemort and mean it. He could be ed by love but not in a way by hugging him.

Posted by Claudia from Holland on March 20, 2007 07:45 AM

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