Lucius fears Voldemort Was: Are Malfoy and Fudge the real masterminds?

[ghinghapuss]

No: HPFGUIDX 86925

Diana wrote:
<snip> I've posted before my observations that Voldemort seems to 
make some big blunders and I've speculated that Voldemort's many 
spells that
transformed him and made him immortal (before Ak'ing baby Harry)
must have dulled his intelligence somewhat, judging by some of his
bone-headed actions. 

Mandy here:
Yes Voldemort's weaknesses are very frustrating.  It makes Voldemort 
very two-dimensional and a weak villain only serves to weaken the 
hero.  It is the reason I often, perhaps wrongly, look to other 
seemingly stronger characters to be the real mastermind.  


Diana wrote:
But, even if this were the case, Voldemort is
still a very scary guy to everyone in the WW. Dumbledore isn't
scared of Voldemort for his own sake, but he is frightened for
Harry's safety <snip>

Mandy here:
But you are right.  The WW is terrified of Voldemort, but he has yet 
to prove his full power to us this second time around.  Of course in 
the minds of the general population of the WW he doesn't have to 
prove anything, just the memory is enough to scare them.  Dumbledore 
had better get Harry out there quick though before Voldemort gets 
back to his full pre-AK strength.


Diana wrote:
Lucius, OTOH, backed down against Dobby for goodness sake, so I
honestly can't see Lucius trying to double-cross the most powerful
wizard in the last 100 years. <snip>

Mandy here:
Yes, why is that?  We know that Elves are supposed to be very 
magically powerful and perhaps the sheer shock of his servant 
standing up to him was enough to make Lucius back down.  I don't 
perceive Lucius as a weak wizard but that could be part of his 
strength as a politician, he is able to cover up any lack of magical 
strength by his silver tongue and deep pockets. I wonder if there is 
any canon to support the idea that Lucius is a magically strong 
wizard or not?


Diana wrote:
At some point in the next two books, Lucius may well express some
regret at joining up with Voldemort either because of something
Voldemort does (killing or torturing Draco/Narcissa or even Lucius
himself) or because he has a change of heart (yeah, right), but
Lucius is not stupid. He knows that serving the Dark Lord is a life-
long commitment.


Mandy here:
I think he already is already expressing regret and he is actively 
looking for ways out.  As I said in my last post Lucius has learned 
that he doesn't need the Dark Lord to achieve his goals anymore but 
he is stuck with him. When you sign a deal with the devil


 and As 
you and Sirius said serving the Dark Lord is a lifetime commitment 
but I believe Lucius is arrogant enough to think he is above that 
law, and that it only applies to those lesser than him. The theory 
I'm playing with up the thread that Lucius masterminded the raid to 
get rid of Voldemort, would only have been a success if Voldemort was 
captured or killed (again). Which raises questions about what Lucius 
knows about the prophecy and Harry, if he believes Dumbledore is 
capably of killing Voldemort alone, can Voldemort be held in 
Azkaban.  Etc. Etc. I still have a lot of thinking to do on this one 
obviously ;-)   
 

Diana wrote:
<snip> Lucius has very good reasons to fear Voldemort and never
betray him - his wife and child.

Mandy here;
Yes but that could also be an incentive for Lucius to work toward 
getting away from Voldemort too, before LV can get his hand on Draco 
and make him a DE.  



But in conclusion I'm thinking the key is, for Lucius is that 
Voldemort got away, and Lucius didn't. So Lucius is up S**t's Creek 
however we look at it.  Lucius failed.  Either in his plan to corner 
Voldemort (which I need to work on for a bit longer) or if he still a 
loyal DE he failed to get the orb and was arrested.  So I think it is 
the end of the road for Lucius Malfoy.  I don't see him surviving 
past book 6. 

Besides Draco has to be the sleeping dragon of the Hogwarts' motto 
(as nothing is coincidence in HP land, right?) and the death of his 
father wouldn't just be a tickle it would be a great big mallet to 
the head.

Mandy.