The Death Eaters Are Off Their Game?

[jakedjensen]

No: HPFGUIDX 71800

Nice thread.

***SPOILER***
While I liked the battle in the MoM, I can see where some people find 
it hard to believe.  However, here a couple of things to consider.

First, DEs are arrogant.  Malfoy and company probably felt a handful 
of fifth/fourth year Hogwarts students would be very little trouble.  
Arrogance, afterall, is Voldemort's great flaw.  Only fitting that 
DEs are a little too arrogant for their own good (heck, even reformed 
DEs...Snape....seem a little too arrogant for their own good). 

Second, we know the DE have captured fully grown members of the OotP 
in the past and tortured them for information (E.G., Neville's 
parents).  Possibly they had decided beforehand to get the orb and 
capture as many of the kids as possible.  For bargaining chips, 
possible info about OotP, etc.

Third, in addition to being arrogant, the DE probably didn't realize 
how preppared Harry and company were for a fight.  They might have 
heard (via Draco) about the DA, but, once again, their arrogance 
would have most likely caused them to dismiss it as child's play.  As 
we saw from the first meeting of the DA, most Hogwarts students (even 
the ever wiley Fred and George) struggled to do a basic disarm spell.

Fourth, the DE did not want to draw attention to themselves yet.  
Voldemort had been laying low.  The public did not believe he was 
back.  So they may have wanted to avoid killing any kids (if poss) to 
avoid the publicity.  If they could get the prophecy (then flee), 
Harry and company's story would have been unlikely to convince the 
community at large.

Finally, Harry and company did not do very well against the DE.  Sure 
they got a couple of surprise attacks and managed to elude the DEs 
for awhile.  But in the end, Harry and an injured Neville find 
themselves surrounded by DEs.  If the OotP had not arrived, the DEs 
battle plan would have worked out all right.  And they didn't know 
Snape had contacted the OotP and told them about the situation, so 
what was the big hurry? 

Jake