Did Lucius really give Ginny the diary?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 87758

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Derek Hiemforth <derek at r...> 
wrote:
> 
> Is it possible that *Lockhart* had the diary and gave it to Harry 
in
> the pile with Lockhart's books, and that the diary ended up with 
Ginny
> only by accident?  Diary!Riddle was thrilled to eventually wind up 
with
> Harry... what if that was the original plan?

Jen: Very compelling thought! I've wondered about Lockhart, how he 
fits in now that he's reappeared; I'm not convinced of his 'memory 
problems'--he's definitely capable of fooling people as we've seen. 
And Lucius! There's another guy who's not as he seems. He is 
definitely in cahoots with someone besides LV, and Lockhart is as 
good a guess as any (besides Fudge--why not all three in cahoots 
together, come to think of it?!).

Derek:
True, Dobby does later indicate that the diary was Malfoy's. 
However...

1. Just 'cause Dobby says it's so doesn't mean it really is. Dobby
might be *assuming* it came from Malfoy.
2. Malfoy and Lockhart could have been in cahoots. Perhaps the
"important business" Malfoy mentions to Borgin is giving the diary to
Lockhart to plant on Harry... not Malfoy himself slipping it to 
Ginny.
3. We see later that Malfoy gives generously to St. Mungo's. Perhaps
he wants to ensure that Lockhart doesn't recover enough of his memory
to implicate Malfoy further.

Jen: And Dobby does tell Harry in the beginning of COS that *Harry* 
is in danger, not Mudbloods. So whatever plot Dobby overheard, and 
he did seem to know Riddle was involved, he thinks or has been led 
to believe it involves Harry.