The Dark Mark

[atelecky at mit.edu]

No: HPFGUIDX 5707

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Ken Waghorne" <waghorne at m...> 
wrote:
> Brandgwen G. wrote:
> 
> > Blaise wrote:
> > > Firstly, the Dark Mark is not always visible on the arms of the 
> > Death  Eaters.  It only appears when Voldemort is summoning them; 
at 
> > other  times it fades into invisibility.  
> > 
> > This is incorrect.  The Dark Mark did fade, while Voldemort was 
lying 
> > defeated.  However, as he regained strength, the Dark Mark
> > reappeared.  In fact, if what Snape says about it being a way for 
the 
> > Death Eaters to recognise each other, it mustn't fade.  I doubt 
the 
> > Death Eater can make it appear on demand - neither Snape nor
> > Karkaroff seem too pleased with having it.  
> 
> I don't know about that.  In one of the run-ins between Snape and 
> Fake Moody in GoF (maybe the one after Harry finally solved the 
> Egg), Moody somehow caused Snape's dark mark to burn since 
> Snape showed some pain and grabbed his own arm. I still don't 
> know whether this is something that the real Moody may have 
> learned as an Auror or that Barty Junior learned as a Death Eater. 
> I'm guessing this would have to be some Auror trick, since Snape 
> didn't seem at all surprised when "Moody" used it on him.   

I took Snape's clutching his arm when Moody spoke of "some marks that 
NEVER come out. . . " to be in response to the painful memory of its 
being there rather than to any sort of physical pain Moody might have 
inflicted on him by some magical means. I imagine that it has been a 
difficult fact for Snape to conceal, that he once was a Death Eater, 
and one that he would probably wish at all costs to avoid becoming 
publicly known. In Goblet of Fire we see how Fudge reacts to seeing 
the Dark Mark on Snape's arm, recoiling from him and entirely 
disregarding everything he says from the moment Snape rolls up his 
sleeve. While Dumbledore has found it within himself to forgive Snape 
and to trust him, since Dumbledore is very close to a saint, for 
almost any other witch or wizard it would be entirely unforgivable 
under any circumstances, that Snape was once a Death Eater. Snape 
could expect no less hatred and in fact much more, than Hagrid ever 
could for the fact that he is half giant, or Lupin for being a 
werewolf.