The Dark Mark as Evidence

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 60526

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Jennie "jspotila" wrote:
> 
> Now that everyone knows about the Dark Mark being used as a magical
> tattoo on the Death Eaters, (after GoF) why can't the Ministry of 
> Magic check Sirius Black for the tattoo and clear him?  
(snip) 
> Interesting, although not unexpected, that Snape who also bears the
> mark never mentioned this to Dumbledore.  Or if he had, even more 
> curious that Dumbledore has not suggested examining Black in this 
> way.
> 

I think that the Dark Mark is invisible when the Dark Lord is 
disembodied, so Snape's mark didn't show from Halloween 1981 to at 
least PS/SS, and neither would Sirius's if he had one. I think there 
must be some way that the Death Eaters can make their Dark Marks 
invisible to outsiders, or else it would have been a good way to 
identify bad guys during the Bad Years.

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Izaskun Fridwulfa 
<rubeus_hagrid at w...> wrote:
> 
> Well, you have a point. Another thing that has been bothering me
> for quite a long time is that Sirius talked to Fudge while in 
> Azkaban. THat's when he got to see the picture of the Weasleys in 
> the paper and recognized Peter. My question is: If the Minister 
> talked to him, why didn't he try to explain the truth, or at least 
> ask him permision to talk to Dumbledore? This would have helped.
> And other thing that surprises me is that everyone thought Sirius
> was Voldemort's right hand, but he was simply sent to Azkaban, no
> trial, no chance to explain himself and what's more strange, no 
> interrogatory. Voldemort's right hand should know a great deal
> about the Death Eaters and V's plans, yet no one tried to get that 
> kind of information from him.
> Weird, isn't it??

That all suggests that Fudge and the Ministry insiders knew perfectly 
well that Sirius was framed so it would be a waste to interrogate 
him. Either that and they were all Death Eaters who believed Sirius 
was guilty and were afraid he'd reveal them.