I think you're over-simplifying Voldemort. Voldemort is supposed to be smart, very smart. Even taking into account that splitting his soul into so many pieces and then spending 13 or so years as a specter might have taken a toll on his sanity, I seriously doubt Harry, no matter how smart, could kill him easily.

Luck would be certainly a factor. Although, I agree a smarter Harry might be able to make a plan to ambush Voldemort with a couple other skilled wizards focussed solely on killing the dark lord, while others would keep the Death Eaters occupied. Still, no matter how good a plan, without luck, Potter would, in 8 out of 10 chances, be screwed.

 

According to who? Tom Riddle was allegedly a genius. Judging by the way he acts, Voldemort is borderline retarded. There are plenty of times when Voldemort came after Harry (typically to pontificate at him before Harry escapes) that could have easily been set as traps.

 

Yes that was how Rowling portrayed Voldemort, but seriously, Riddle could manipulate people like no one's business. And Voldemort did manage to gather a following and establish himself as someone to be feared. I doubt he would be able to do that if he was at all stupid.
As for his apparent stupidity and obsession with Potter? I already mentioned that splitting his soul and spending 13 years as a specter can't have been good for his mental health. That and his immense belief in the prophecy, coupled with his desire to prove that he was the greatest wizard of all time, which coincidentally he couldn't as long as Potter was alive, might be counted as factors for his apparent idiocy.

 

I agree. #1 flaw of villains - ego and overconfidence. How about this as an end to Voldemort?
Voldemort was plotting in his secret lair (a.k.a Malfoy Manor) when an owl flew in, and dropped a letter, before fleeing. Curious, Voldemort opened it, fully expecting it to be the surrender of his nemesis. Sure enough, it read -
From: Harry Potter.
Gleefully, Voldemort tore open the letter, and it read:
Dear Voldemort,
I grow tired of our meaningless war.
That is why I coated this letter in anthrax.
If you live, be sure to let me know, so I can again fit you into my scedule, for I expect it to be filled with multiple women in the near future.
Condolences, Harry Potter

 

Perhaps the whole point with canon is that it is Dumbledore who is calling the shots even from "beyond the veil" and not Harry. No where does Harry make a conscious (edit: and informed) decision that has a major bearing on the expected end (Voldemort's defeat).

To make a powerful Harry, maybe the author should simply have him calling the shots, not exactly beating Riddle in a duel but out-maneuvering him very much like AD does in canon through Harry. That requires a smart Harry and power is not as much of a criterion as it would need to be in a defeat-Riddle-in-a-duel story.

@ styxsailor: I don't know what to say to your post.

 

Agreed. But really a proper Voldemort, and I don't mean the semi-retard people often make him to be but the smart and charismatic version that attracted such a following and struck terror in the Wizarding world for 11 years, wouldn't be easily out-maneuvered easily even if Potter was as smart as we'd like to think and was calling the shots.
So I still say he'd need a fair bit of help and a good dose of luck on his side.

 

lol @ anthrax letter. Amusing idea, but considering this is Voldemort here, he probably checks his food (if he even eats) and any letters he receives for curses/poisons/etc.

Still, it might make for an amusing short one shot.

 

heh...kind of makes you wish to post a fake last chapter on your fic when after all the planning, training, fighting and whatever else you can think about, voldemort just AK harry and wins.

 

@NightSpy: Well, the authors might enjoy that small joke, but the readers most certainly won't. Believe me, this is experience speaking.

Secondly, I'm not saying that your hero should rely only on luck. I'm just saying that without that luck, it's just not realistic for the hero to win. Especially when the difference is as big as between Potter and Voldemort. Or even between Dumbledore and Voldemort, in which case, they're pretty much equal and unless one of them fucks up, they could go at it for a long, long time.


EDIT: I'm a first year now? When do I get sorted? []