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

[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.