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IF I recall correctly, it is rainy, but no mention is made of leafless trees.
There is no mention of anything other than it was on a 'cold wet night' which could really cover many months from late summer to early winter and from late winter to late spring. We have mentions of rain even on September 1st (in GOF). I don't think I can be bothered to check all mentions of weather in canon and compare with the Lexicon's daily calendars for all 7 books. I agree Trelawney was hired while the academic year '79-'80 was in progress but we do not know why there was an opening, how long the position was open or anything like that. But when Harry sees the prophecy record (in June 1996) he sees a date about 16 years earlier, based on which the Lexicon people decided the prophecy was most likely made in spring. But with Rowling's record I am willing to accept a broader range of dates, I don't think it matters one way or the other.
As for how would Voldy know WHO was expecting. ... She will probably be showing by then. If not, she would probably at least have already been seen by a healer (or mid-wife?)
But at the time Severus heard the prophecy he had no idea. Neither he nor the DEs that were talking to him had seen her in months and the sneaking into St Mungo's to look at records (if there ever was any of that) hadn't happened yet. At the time Severus brought the prophecy to Voldemort he could have had no idea Lily was expecting even if her pregnancy was rather advanced. So for a change I believe Dumbledore when he says Severus had no idea whom he was placing in danger by reporting the prophecy regardless of when it happened. He probably reported the prophecy that very night before any other DE had the chance to report that he was seen anywhere near Dumbledore and hadn't done anything useful about the situation.
Therefore, with the right person sneaking into her files (at St. Mungo's or wherever) it is not difficult to find out when she is due. As to why he might mention it to Snape - Once Voldy has decided on the Potters it is a good test of Snape's commitment. He OUGHT to be aware of just how much Snape hated James, but he is also quite possibly aware that Snape never really got over Lily.
While he could have sent someone to do so I doubt he'd trust anyone, I doubt he would have chosen his target before the actual births even if he knew who was expecting.
He IS after all, still waiting for Snape to get a job at Hogwarts, where he will be awfully close to Albus. It wouldn't hurt to have someone's safety (Lily's) to hold over Snape's head.
Actually I don't think he was. I don't think Voldemort was ready to send an agent to Hogwarts yet. Though in 1980 there was enough pressure to bring about the appointment of a new Minister and a DMLE head who introduced tougher policies, so I'm thinking if it hadn't been for the prophecy Severus might have been applying for the DADA job as early as for the '80-'81 year (ie a year before he eventually did in canon). All depends on how confident he would have felt. As for holding Lily's safety over Severus' head - either he got over her - so she can't be held over his head, or he hadn't, and he can't be trusted around Dumbledore.
I must admit that now we see how manipulating Albus can be, I'm not even sure the prophecy didn't happen pre-conception (by a few weeks). I wouldn't put it past him to play up the wonders of love and suggest the joys of children to the 2 couples he had in the Order for whom the other criteria might match.
Or perhaps expressed anxiety over the fact that fewer couples were having children that year? After all in Severus' year over 100 students took DADA OWLs but Harry's year has only 40 students. And Harry was among the youngest in his year, so the trend would have been apparent to Dumbledore for some months. I don't put it past him.
I place the hilltop meeting around December 1980 because this allows Moody's hunt for Igor Karkaroff to have been the result of a tip-off by Severus.
I don't think Severus thought anything about how Voldemort might interpret the prophecy nor did he think it was necessarily about someone who was not yet born at the time it was made until Voldemort told him.
There is no mention of anything other than it was on a 'cold wet night' which could really cover many months from late summer to early winter and from late winter to late spring. We have mentions of rain even on September 1st (in GOF). I don't think I can be bothered to check all mentions of weather in canon and compare with the Lexicon's daily calendars for all 7 books. I agree Trelawney was hired while the academic year '79-'80 was in progress but we do not know why there was an opening, how long the position was open or anything like that. But when Harry sees the prophecy record (in June 1996) he sees a date about 16 years earlier, based on which the Lexicon people decided the prophecy was most likely made in spring. But with Rowling's record I am willing to accept a broader range of dates, I don't think it matters one way or the other.
As for how would Voldy know WHO was expecting. ... She will probably be showing by then. If not, she would probably at least have already been seen by a healer (or mid-wife?)
But at the time Severus heard the prophecy he had no idea. Neither he nor the DEs that were talking to him had seen her in months and the sneaking into St Mungo's to look at records (if there ever was any of that) hadn't happened yet. At the time Severus brought the prophecy to Voldemort he could have had no idea Lily was expecting even if her pregnancy was rather advanced. So for a change I believe Dumbledore when he says Severus had no idea whom he was placing in danger by reporting the prophecy regardless of when it happened. He probably reported the prophecy that very night before any other DE had the chance to report that he was seen anywhere near Dumbledore and hadn't done anything useful about the situation.
Therefore, with the right person sneaking into her files (at St. Mungo's or wherever) it is not difficult to find out when she is due. As to why he might mention it to Snape - Once Voldy has decided on the Potters it is a good test of Snape's commitment. He OUGHT to be aware of just how much Snape hated James, but he is also quite possibly aware that Snape never really got over Lily.
While he could have sent someone to do so I doubt he'd trust anyone, I doubt he would have chosen his target before the actual births even if he knew who was expecting.
He IS after all, still waiting for Snape to get a job at Hogwarts, where he will be awfully close to Albus. It wouldn't hurt to have someone's safety (Lily's) to hold over Snape's head.
Actually I don't think he was. I don't think Voldemort was ready to send an agent to Hogwarts yet. Though in 1980 there was enough pressure to bring about the appointment of a new Minister and a DMLE head who introduced tougher policies, so I'm thinking if it hadn't been for the prophecy Severus might have been applying for the DADA job as early as for the '80-'81 year (ie a year before he eventually did in canon). All depends on how confident he would have felt. As for holding Lily's safety over Severus' head - either he got over her - so she can't be held over his head, or he hadn't, and he can't be trusted around Dumbledore.
I must admit that now we see how manipulating Albus can be, I'm not even sure the prophecy didn't happen pre-conception (by a few weeks). I wouldn't put it past him to play up the wonders of love and suggest the joys of children to the 2 couples he had in the Order for whom the other criteria might match.
Or perhaps expressed anxiety over the fact that fewer couples were having children that year? After all in Severus' year over 100 students took DADA OWLs but Harry's year has only 40 students. And Harry was among the youngest in his year, so the trend would have been apparent to Dumbledore for some months. I don't put it past him.
I place the hilltop meeting around December 1980 because this allows Moody's hunt for Igor Karkaroff to have been the result of a tip-off by Severus.
I don't think Severus thought anything about how Voldemort might interpret the prophecy nor did he think it was necessarily about someone who was not yet born at the time it was made until Voldemort told him.