Death Eaters and the Dark Mark

[s_luhtanen at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 29304

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Cindy C." <cynthiaanncoe at h...> wrote:
> Catherine wrote:
> 
> <snip roll call of DEs> 
>
> I think there must be a lot more people in Azkaban than just the 

> 
> I always assumed the mark was "magical", not a garden-variety tatoo. 
 
> My theory about it is that the wizard with the dark mark has the 
> magical ability to keep it hidden, choosing to reveal it only when 
he 
> or she wishes to do so.  This makes some sense, as it is difficult 
to 
> believe Pettigrew is walking around with the dark mark visible on 
his 
> arm, yet none of his good friends notices this.  So when Snape 
> approaches Fudge to show him the dark mark, Snape would have 
> willingly allowed the dark mark to show even though he normally 
keeps 
> it secret.

I agree.
 
> Also, I think the dark mark was a big secret during Voldemort's 
first 
> reign.  Sirius didn't seem to know about the dark mark in GoF.  So 
> even if it were possible to do a "dark mark" check against anyone 
who 
> might be a DE, perhaps the MOM didn't have that information until 
> after Voldemort fell.

Right - they'd only have it trough a DE under Veritaserum - Snape may 
have told AD without it!
 
> On the other hand, Snape (and presumably Dumbledore) knew about the 
> dark mark, so one could assume they passed that information on to 
> MoM.  If Dumbledore knew, why is it that he didn't see fit to tell 
> Sirius this bit of information?

With the hatred between Sirius&Snape as it is??? Of course not!

One more point:
Neville is terrified by Snape who bears the mark.
Neville feared the fake Moody - another Death-eater.
Can't recall, but was he afraid of Quirrell, too?
He trusted Lupin - the only good DADA teacher they had.
Don't remember his reaction to Lockhart, either (wasn't death-eater, 
only a total incompetent)

Maybe Neville can sense a dark-mark even as a Magic Eye can see it?

Ron's rat never gave him greeps, but the rat-form doesn't have it.
Moody's Magic Eye can't see trough animagus - nor the Marauder Map.
Rita Skeeter was NOT on it as a beetle, right? The trio checked it 
AIR.

So um- Neville's fears tell us about possible death-eaters... Any 
comments?