Dumbledore's Guilt Over the Burden on Harry

PAGES: 840-841

Dumbledore admits that he should have told Harry the truth about the prophecy sooner but delayed it out of guilt for the burdens Harry had already carried. He explains that Lord Voldemort only heard part of the prophecy and didn't realize that by marking Harry, he had given him the power to defeat him. The full prophecy made Lord Voldemort Harry's lifelong enemy.