Good news for Malfoy fans

[fpb]

I do not think that the following facts have been widely noticed. When Dumbledore and Harry are discussing Horcruxes, Dumbledore reveals that he knows for a fact that Lucius, believing the Boss dead, has given the Riddle diary to Ginny of his own initiative. "When Voldemort discovered that the diary had been mutilated and robbed of all its powers, I am told that his anger was terrible to behold."

First point: who told him? Snape, obviously - who else could have been present at one of Voldie's temper tantrums and been able to report it to Dumbledore? Ah, but in that case, why did Snape not mention what he certainly alredy knew about the cause of Voldemort's anger with Lucius and his family, when he was speaking with Narcissa? Narcissa was under the impression that the only reason for the Boss to be mad at her family was Lucius' failure in the Ministry, but in fact the position is hugely more serious. More evidence that Snape was playing a very devious game with Narcissa and even Bellatrix. Incidentally, has anyone noticed the outright lie that he told when claiming that Dumbledore was "shaken" by his duel with Voldemort, when the only thing that actually shook him was Voldie's ultimately failed attempt to possess Harry?

Lucius, on the other hand, knows all this, and he must be aware that if he ever gets out of Azkaban while the Boss is still at large, he will wish that he had stayed inside. He may not be aware, however, that the Boss is targeting his only son and heir. When these things all come together, the Malfoys would have to be stupider than they are not to conclude that the only safe side is the one where Voldemort is not. And given that there still seems to be some sort of feeling between Narcissa and her sister, they will try to capture, disable or even convince Bellatrix to change sides. I wonder how it will end.

Comments

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

I suppose that Narcissa knows why Voldie is not so happy with her husband. I'm not sure Lucius is aware what his son is up to, I guess that depends whether or not he can get visitors in Azkaban. I agree that Snape is not exactly truthful with Narcissa and Bellatrix, though. His whole attitude in Chapter 2 reeks of a holier-than-thou feeling that just fails to convince me.
I'm not sure the Order would be sympathetic, should the Malfoys come to seek refuge with them. Dumbledore would have helped them, but I can't see anyone else being that noble. I doubt that the Malfoys would be able to take Bellatrix with them. She seems too besotted with Voldie (aka too happy to have an opportunity to torture and kill as she likes).

[fpb.livejournal.com]

If Narcissa was acting before Snape, pretending not to know about the diary, the act was world-class. And why should she lie to him on the matter, when the reality would be so much more dangerous for Draco and therefore would lend so much more force to her peroration? No, I think that both Narcissa and (in her own strange way) Bellatrix were sincere. And I think that Bellatrix still has a link with Narcissa that is just about the only thing that can, if not overrule, at least oppose the Dark Lord in her mind. If she were completely sold on Voldemort to the exclusion of all family feeling, she would simply have sold out Narcissa (and Draco) the moment she started to suspect backsliding; instead, she follows her and tries to argue her out of what she regards as her folly. Can we imagine her behaving that way to any Death Eather except her sister? I agree that her being redeemed is an impossibility - there are the Longbottoms and Sirius to be paid for, for one thing - but what I am saying is that Narcissa would try, and that Bellatrix might give her a longer listen - though not a favourable one - than she would to anyone else.

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

I think that Lucius Malfoy is far stupider than he thinks himself to be, so of course he's unaware. Narcissa, as a Black, is undoubtedly going to be far more cunning and intuitive and would therefore probably know anyway, as far as I imagine.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's a matter of being stupid or intelligent. I think that Lucius must have been present when Voldemort went mad about the diary being destroyed; he was the only person who would know what it was about, and the one to whom Voldie would naturally ask, "Well, Malfoy, about that old diary of mine..." On the other hand, Narcissa shows no knowledge of the fact at all; if she did, she would not only know that there is no chance of changing the Dark Lord's mind (given that Lucius' tactical command of the Ministry expedition was already in the nature of a don't-fail-me-this-time second chance), but that even to show any nervousness about Draco's mission would be catastrophic.

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

Unless Snape had told V-Lo about the diary's destruction before Lucius Malfoy gets a chance to confess. In which case many lols ensued and there was laughter all round.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

V-Lo? Look, old Tom Riddle is a mass murderer, a tyrant, a monster, and spectacularly ugly. But what's he ever done to you, that you should compare him to Jennifer Lopez?

On a serious note, yes, I hadn't thought about Snape telling Voldemort before Lucius had a chance. And it would be truly diabolical if it turned out that it had been Dumbledore (who had known what the diary was since before Voldie's rebirth, whereas Lucius knew nothing) had been the one who originally told Snape: "tell Voldie that the diary is destroyed, then stand back very quickly".

[bufo-viridis.livejournal.com]

V-Lo? Look, old Tom Riddle is a mass murderer, a tyrant, a monster, and spectacularly ugly. But what's he ever done to you, that you should compare him to Jennifer Lopez?
This reminds me a quote by somebody: I don't know why people keep referring to <> as science-fiction. Flying several hundreds milions miles just to kill Tom Cruise doesn;t sound too unreasonable for me".

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

And that is why that's the best quote ever.

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

I think that Narcissa was desperate, and trying everything to make sure Draco is safe. But I think she must have known about the diary, because even Draco knows about it in CoS. Couldn't it be that Voldemort has already punished Lucius for the diary (not to mention the fact that it looks highly suspicious if he shows he cares too much about it: the Death Eaters don't know it was a Horcrux), and that giving Draco the task of killing Dumbledore is just for the Ministry fiasco?

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, we'll see.

[lyssiae.livejournal.com]

I SO NEED TO GET THE BOOK. DAMMNIT.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

If you are still without, let me have your address (my e-mail is fabiopaolo_barbieri@yahoo.it) and I will send you one.

[rfachir.livejournal.com]

We're supposed to think Voldemort doesn't know when a Horcrux is destroyed and the bit of soul is released, so why is he checking up on the diary? He's not supposed to have checked up on the others, or he'd know they were not safe (or at least not hidden well enough). Seriously, if Dumbledore puts the Stone in Gringotts, why didn't Voldemort didn't stick at least one there (in a pile of fake ones)? I just don't follow - does he know they're threatened or not? Can he tell if they're destroyed or not? Can he live just as well with one (or none) intact as with 7? Too many questions about the magic. I may have to write the Slughorn Serial to sort it out after all *ducks*

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore said two things: that he thought that Voldemort was not able to perceive when a Horcrux was destroyed, since he was already so remote from the sound parts of his soul; and that he wanted the diary used as a weapon. It is exactly for this reason that Lucius had incurred his displeasure: he had done it at the wrong time. I think that Snape was present as Voldemort exploded and reported it all to Dumbledore, from which Dumbledore deduced that Voldemort could not feel when a Horcrux was destroyed.

[rfachir.livejournal.com]

Voldemort was already incorporeal when the diary was destroyed, so that might have had an effect on his perception, too. But I would have thought he'd be especially sensitive to the loss in that state? Still too many questions for me.

[anna-kat.livejournal.com]

I hope it's okay for me to come over (via avus)

Suppose it was Wormtail who told Voldemort about the diary? Wormtail was there all the time.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

That would not alter the importance of the fact that Snape knew of Voldemort's rage and told Narcissa nothing. Only Snape can have told Dumbledore, unless we find out in the future that Wormtail is also one of AD's spies; but there is nothing to suggest that at present.

[anna-kat.livejournal.com]

True. It must have been Snape.

I am not sure, though, how significant it is that Snape didn't mention the diary. He was in full self-aggrandizing mode when he told Bellatrix and Narcissa all about himself as Voldemort's most trusted adviser. Mentioning the diary wouldn't have been about himself, but about Harry Potter's successful destruction of something precious to Voldemort.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Except that the game he was playing indubitably involved belittling Bellatrix and making Narcissa dependent on himself. And to let her know that the Dark Lord was mad at Lucius for losing his chance with the diary would have reinforced his position. She would have been in a still weaker and more desperate position, and he might have slipped a suggestion that he had already once stood between Lucius and the Dark Lord's wrath...

I am not sure where my own argument is leading, except that Snape was certainly playing both sisters like an experienced fisherman plays salmon. What his goal was I have no idea, but I guess we will all find out in a couple of years. (Do we have to wait that long? Double argh.)

[anna-kat.livejournal.com]

except that Snape was certainly playing both sisters like an experienced fisherman plays salmon.

The scene began with Snape manipulating the two women. But it ended with him being maneuvered into a corner. Unless you suggest that he wanted to make an unbreakable vow to kill Dumbledore, which is not how I read the situation. After the vow Snape had no way out. None. That doesn't look like an accomplished manipulator. To me, he looks like someone who got caught up in his own scheme.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Fair enough, but we do not know what lay behind that. Remember the row with Dumbledore witnessed by Hagrid, in which Snape seemed unwilling to see something through to the end.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

By the way, this LJ is open to all comers, including people who hate me. I only insist on no pointless insults. And at any rate, anyone who comes from avus is likely to be a lovely person.