I’ll start by a new feature to this column that I secretly started last week, namely a small “Literary analysis and argumentation 101” interactive course. Last week, I presented you with the following theory (thanks, Jeanine):

“Don’t forget that if a person picks up a prophecy that is not about him or her, he or she will go crazy. Harry picked up that prophecy and did not go crazy. Therefore, the prophecy is about him, not Neville.” (A)

A prophecy, according to Longman’s dictionary is “a statement that something will happen in the future, especially one made by someone with religious or magical powers.” This definition goes well with the HP books as well as general mythology. What’s important here is to first make a distinction between a prophecy and general indications (GIs) of the future.