Snape and the Malfoys (was Re: Harry's Putative Death)

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 42020

Marina wrote about the Snape-surprised-at-Lucius-theory:
> 
> The problem with this theory for me is that it pretty much blows the
> Competent!Snape theory out of the water, and I'm pretty fond of
> Competent!Snape.  I mean, how useless is Snape going to be as a spy,
> if after all this time he still hasn't figured out that Lucius is 
bad
> news?  A semi-intelligent block of wood ought to be able to figure 
out
> that Lucius is bad news, especially after he planted the diary on
> Ginny in CoS.  And Snape isn't exactly the trusting,
> think-the-best-of-everyone type, is he?
> 


I agree it means Snape showed some poor judgement, but I think you're 
underestimating Lucius' charm and ability to convince. Arthur Weasley 
and Harry are predisposed to hate him anyway, because Lucius goes out 
of his way to needle Arthur and Harry is rivals with Draco.

But, when you're talking about neutrals or people who were once his 
friends -- or people who he has donated money to -- I bet Lucius can 
lay it on with a trowel. 

If Snape really turned against the Death Eaters, it means he turned 
against people he was friends with at school. That's a tough thing to 
do, and he might have willingly believed Lucius in exchange for that 
camraderie.

And I'm not convinced Dumbledore told Snape about the diary. 
Dumbledore definitely operates on a need-to-know basis and if he had 
ideas of Snape someday being a plant in V-Mort's camp again, he'd 
want him as protected as possible from information that could betray 
him.

For that matter, don't only D-Dore, Harry, Dobby and Lucius know for 
sure about how Ginny got that diary?

Darrin
-- Considers himself competent, but has been fooled by people many 
times.