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GuySrinivasan comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 24, chapter 95 - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: palladias 18 July 2013 02:23AM

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Comment author: GuySrinivasan 21 July 2013 12:35:14AM 1 point [-]

Did I miss something, or do we still have very little idea about what the word substitution in Snape's remembrance of the prophecy means?

And Severus Snape drew a breath, and intoned, "FOR THOSE TWO DIFFERENT SPELLETS CANNOT EXIST IN THE SAME VULD."

versus

She couldn't imitate the deep, chilling tone of the original prophecy; and yet somehow that tone seemed to carry all the meaning. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."

"And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal," came Severus's voice, making her jump within her chair. The Potions Master loomed tall by the fireplace. "But he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must destroy all but a remnant of the other, for those two different spirits cannot exist in the same world."

That last line Severus spoke with so much foreboding that it chilled her bones; it was almost like listening to Sybill Trelawney.

Comment author: knb 21 July 2013 02:06:59AM *  6 points [-]

It's an impersonation of an accent (maybe Eastern European?) Spellets = spirits, Vuld = world.

Comment author: Kindly 21 July 2013 01:10:05AM 5 points [-]

I thought "SPELLETS" and "VULD" are just Seer-y ways of saying "spirits" and "world" respectively.

Comment author: elharo 21 July 2013 06:12:16PM 3 points [-]

I thought Severus didn't want to repeat the real prophecy to a random student, so he substituted in some nonsense words, while attempting to keep the tone, meter, and rhythm in place.

Comment author: DanielH 24 July 2013 02:54:18AM 1 point [-]

I thought approximately the same thing, but along the lines of wanting the student to focus on the tone, meter, and rhythm (which apparently carry much of the meaning) so taking away the meaning of the actual words to remove distractions.

Comment author: Kindly 21 July 2013 10:49:28PM 1 point [-]

I want to like this theory, but I'm not sure that the nonsense words sufficiently obscure the real prophecy. For example, if Voldemort tracked down the student, somehow reversed her Obliviation (if necessary), and then used Legilimency to find out the wording (if it turns out that Voldemort doesn't know this part?) then I'm pretty sure Voldemort would be able to reconstruct the original words.

For that matter, we are also told that "only someone who heard the prophecy in the seer's original voice would hear all the meaning that was in the riddle." Therefore what Voldemort would actually be interested in, given access to all of Rianne's memories, is Snape's own interpretation of the prophecy, or even any hints at it.

Comment author: DanArmak 22 July 2013 09:47:36AM 4 points [-]

Therefore what Voldemort would actually be interested in, given access to all of Rianne's memories, is Snape's own interpretation of the prophecy, or even any hints at it.

But didn't Voldemort already get that when he Legilimized Snape, when Snape originally told him the prophecy?

Comment author: Atelos 23 July 2013 03:38:53AM 2 points [-]

He got 1980ish!Snape's interpretation/thoughts, 1991!Snape presumably has new ones.

Comment author: fractalman 21 July 2013 08:53:35PM 0 points [-]

for those two different spell-elements cannot exist in the same voldemort...? O.o Those two different spell-elements cannot exist in the same fold?

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