OK, I posted this idea in this thread, but it didn't really sit with the original idea. I didn't think it was anything special, but Amerision apparently did... so I thought I'd refine it and make it into a proper challenge/plot idea.

Basically, Dumbledore misinterpreted the prophecy.

...and he is the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord.

OK, now we get to play with the prophecy and make it do whatever we want... because we're evil.

1) Born to those who have thrice defied him - The word, 'him,' is basically all inclusive. Because the prophecy is up to interpretation, 'him' could refer to anybody from Salazar Slytherin to Merlin himself. Maybe Dumbledore was born to parents who defied the Slytherin line three times... This is up to you.

2) born as the seventh month dies - We do not know Dumbledore's exact birthdate... though we're pretty sure that it was sometime in 1844 because of a comment that JKR gave in an interview. This means that Dumbledore's birthday is now around the same time as Harry's, deal with it.

3) mark him as his equal - This should not be hard at all. How long has Dumbledore known Tom Riddle? He taught the boy Tranfiguration... he's been fighting him for years! At some point Tom Riddle marked Dumbledore as his equal, it's up to you to figure out how. As for Harry being marked, the reason that he didn't die is because it would have interfered with the completion of the prophecy. Both Dumbledore and Voldemort cannot coexist, and Harry is the only one who can kill either of them. The reason that this didn't matter before Harry was born is because the prophecy wasn't given yet.

4) but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not - This could be whatever you feel like making it. Personally, I thought of Harry as the 'Power.' In the books, Dumbledore has possession of Harry and Voldemort does not. If you feel like making it... love or some other crap, feel free to.

5) And either must die at the hand of the other - And this is the driving force behind the plot. Harry is the 'other' in the prophecy. He is the one who must decide which one to kill. Depending on what you make happen upon the completion of the prophecy, Harry could either condemn wizard-kind to an eternity of Voldemort or Dumbledore, or he could just kill the both of them. Personally, I like the first one because if gives the action more meaning.

There you have it... if somebody writes this then I would definitely read it just because it sounds pretty cool after thinking about it for a while.

 

You forgot the previous verse - "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..." So, "him" has to refer to the dark lord mentioned here.

The nature of the Prophecy is to refer to the future - otherwise it'd be known as history. So, seventh month has to happen AFTER the Prophecy was made, probably in the same year (1980).

You COULD strech it to point out on some other kid younger than Harry, or some Chinese boy across the planet (it seems Dumbledore checked only kids born in UK on that date), but not some historic figure like Dumbledore.

Again, the Prophecy refers to what WILL happen, not to past events (notice the "Dark lord WILL mark him..." part).

You could potentially find some other guy that Voldemort had marked in some way, but that's not very easy.

 

Feel free to shoot all the holes you want in to it, but I have to at leat try to defend it...

For your first argument, it would be possible for the Dark Lord to be a seperate entity all together, the idea of a Dark Lord. Voldemort is the current one, maybe Dumbledore's parents defied the figuredhead of the symbolic Dark Lord three times.

The second one, whatever, change dies to died and we're all happy, I doubt that many of the brainless masses would notice anyways.

Third, I forgot about the 'will' part, it still wouldn't be hard for Dumbledore to have been marked by Voldemort after the prophecy was given.

 

Go for it.

 

It would be interesting to see how the world changes from the misinterpretation. Where would you go with this though? I can see the start but not where it will lead.

 

Good plan. You should definately work on it or expand on it or something.

and, No offense meant here, but i really hate your avatar. Sorry, but it just freaks me out a bit, and not in a good way...