Does anyone out there have a good explanation for how prophecies get recorded, stored, and/or studied at the Ministry?

If a prophecy sphere gets created every time someone utters a prophecy, does that mean there is some device or spell that somehow scans all of Britain for 'prophetic magic?' How else would one get recorded, unless the hearer was obligated to report it?

Also, if the only people who could access Harry's prophecy were Harry and LV, how did the proper label get applied in the first place? Wouldn't an unspeakable had to have heard it, even studied it?

If anybody understands how the whole process is supposed to work, I'd be grateful to hear your insights.

 

I would go with the ever popular "It's MAGIC!" theory.

 

... and the cunning bastard changes the last bit so that Voldemort would believe he will die unless he does something good for the society... of course "Tommy boy" comes to the conclusion that exterminating the muggles is for "the greater good" but unfortunately the prophet fucks up his end of the story and paints him as a Dark Lord O_0
... so after all Voldemort is simply another "good Samaritan" but unfortunately for him quite misunderstood...

Now, who's up to do the one-shot?! : )

 

The problem with prophecies is that they're extremely lazy storytelling. I literally gagged when JKR revealed it.

It's impossible to find any real logic that would make the DoM situation work, so I wouldn't bother trying.

 

1. There are prophecies made every day and there are just no witnesses to record them, so they go lost and the only ones in the Ministry are those with witnesses.

2. Fate, divinity, whatever, intervenes with humanity and is smart enough to place the "prophecy" when there is someone trustworthy listening.

I don't believe the ministry has the power to find and record all prophecies uttered.... it just seems ridiculous when you look at all the other shit that they can't do.

It may just be lazy storytelling, but I would rather try to fill in the gaps with something close to logic.

 

It is the Department of MYSTERIES. We don't find out how half that shit works.

 

The answer is "Just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show,.. er, book, I should really just relax.'"

 

Yeah, that's it. There is no reason to think about it. The ministry certainly isn't able to record who made a prophecy in front of whom.

I second Psihary's idea that Dumbledore might have handed in an altered version of the prophecy.

The problems with touching it could be explained that there are a few selected unspeakables who label and store the spheres (perhaps one or two). Voldemort wasn't able to control them and had to look for other ways to get it.

 

Maybe it's like... an automated service or something. If you hear a prophecy you can floo call it in and it gets automatically stored without anyone else having to hear it. It makes about as much sense as anything else I guess.

Plus, wouldn't be awesome if 99% of the prophecies in the Department of Mysteries were just spam?

 

Hmm... spam prophecies. I like that idea. I think it would make a funny one shot. I rather like psihary's idea of prophecy's as well. It would be hilarious if that actually was what happened and Voldemort got to be the Dark Lord because Dumbledore told Voldemort to be a good Samaritan.