Death Eater Similarities

[Emma Moniz]

No: HPFGUIDX 21347

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Eric Oppen" <oppen at c...> wrote:
> (_Ku_ Klux Klan, not _Klu_ Klux Klan, BTW) 

Ergh...I noticed that after I sent.  Teaches me to type at odd hours 
of the morning.  *G*
 
> One thing that struck _me_ about the scene in the cemetery where 
Voldie reunites with his "faithful" Death Eaters is that he 
apparently has no problem calling them by name.  Why bother with 
those stupid robes if you're going to be using real names, out loud?  
I'm sure that Voldemort's easily smart enough to come up with code 
names, which would also make it a lot harder for a traitor to betray 
the whole lot of them in one fell swoop.  

Considering the power that the Death Eaters held, I don't think they 
are overly worried about traitors.  If you're going to take over the 
world, be proud about it, really.  I don't think they're out there to 
be a secret society, really.  I think they're there to launch their 
campaign of covert terror and open destruction.  Possibly, using 
their given names might be a sign of their faith in Voldemort's 
power.  A sign that they feel he is quite capable of rooting out 
traitors who could destory them.  Also, does Voldie really care if 
his Death Eaters die?  He apparently has some solid recruiting 
happening, of his reign of terror is any indication.  The US Army 
ought to take recruiting tips from him.  He never seems to be under 
quota.

> For that matter, how did they get into their robes so quickly?  I'm 
sure that it would be a _tad_ suspicious for (spoiler) who destroys 
dangerous beasties for the Ministry of Magic, if the cleaning staff 
found his Official Death Eater Robe(tm) in his closet at work one 
day.  Places like the Malfoys' manor probably have enough hiding 
places for tons of DE gear, but not everybody's got a manor to play 
with.

Couldn't they Transfigure their robes to make them appear to be 
something else?  Or, conversely, Transfigure their usual robes into 
the DE outfit?  That would be my first instinct.  

And I can see Lucius with his own room of DE equipment and such...the 
height of DE fashion, Lucius.

> And, one final thought---is it a requirement that DEs must be able 
to Apparate?  It would certainly come in very handy, but I don't 
think Wormtail could, otherwise he'd have done it when he set up 
Sirius Black.  Maybe this is a requirement only for the highest ranks 
of the organization---as I've said before, I do not think for a 
second that the people we saw in the graveyard are anything like the 
total number of DEs.  Voldemort would probably only summon the 
highest-ranking members to him at such an occasion.

I recall someone, I think Snape, claiming that when the Dark Mark on 
their arms burned, they had to Apparate immediately to Voldemort's 
side.  Apparation seems to be a bit of higher level magic that every 
witch and wizard learns.  If they can't master Apparition, how good 
would a DE be at the Unforgivable Curses and such?  I think Wormtail 
is a fluke, there because of what only he could give Voldemort.  And 
I'd wager he probably can Apparate.  Just not well.

~Emma