What's he up to?

[a_reader2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 94838

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Barry Arrowsmith 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:

>> Well, there are two possible scenarios that could explain Dobby's 
> actions. The  first, one that I put forward last year, is that 
Harry  *is* a member of the family that  Dobby serves. Just as 
Kreacher escapes  to Bella by  deliberately(?) misconstruing an 
instruction from Sirius, so Dobby does the same; seeking out another 
family member who holds views sympathetic to his own and giving them 
the low-down on what those  horrible people back at the ranch are up 
to.
> 

Carolyn:
The theory that Dobby was the former Potter house-elf could also 
explain his actions. He could have been given to the Malfoys by the 
Office of House-Elf Relocation after the death of the Potters, 
against his will perhaps, but he had no choice. This surely means 
that the Malfoys have other house-elves..Dobby wouldn't have been 
their first. Maybe some unpleasant relative of Kreacher's lurks at 
the mansion, and there is rivalry/suspicion between him/her and 
Dobby, leading to Dobby's actions.

There is also the peculiarity of the picture Dobby painted for Harry 
at Xmas in OOP. I've posted before now that this is very odd thing 
for a house-elf to have done. We have no other example of a non-human 
creating a work of art that I can think of. My theory was that the 
painting is some kind of message to Harry that will play later, or 
alternatively that it was a Potter family painting which Dobby passed 
on to Harry out of sentiment. 


> (lots of intermittent snipping of usual interesting theorising):
> But suppose, just suppose, that Lucius *sent*  Dobby with strict 
> instructions to  stop Harry from attending Hogwarts that year ..

Well, Harry  is supposed to be Voldy's nemesis. A fairly risk-free 
option would be to make sure Harry survives to adulthood and the long 
anticipated showdown and meanwhile Malfoy quietly builds a power 
base - Fudge, the Ministry, the right people in charge of 
Hogwarts.  Malfoy for Minister. Sneaky. Could even work.
> 
> All  this assumes that Malfoy is a thoroughly bad lot and totally 
> committed to the Dark side. Is he?  

Not many posters have had a close look at Malfoy recently, he seems  
to slip under the radar. Too slippery by half - I think he bears 
watching.
> 
> Kneasy

Carolyn:

(sniff)well, I had a pop at him quite recently in:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/94419

I think people are being massively mis-lead by all this 
mudblood/pureblood stuff. My theory is that the pureblood muggles and 
the pureblood wizards are in a conspiracy together to remain on top 
in both worlds. Democratic principles are a threat to both. When Tom 
Riddle was a teenager, the British social structure that had grown up 
over centuries was beginning to crumble, and although we have only 
JUST ejected our hereditary peers from the House of Lords, in 
practice, WW2 was the beginning of the end for the landed gentry. 

The WW has less truck with democracy, and lots of muggles might think 
that a Very Good Thing. Tom Riddle originally looked like a useful 
weapon to a number of interested parties, but they have all mistaken 
the degree to which they can control him.

I think Lucius is part of a family that has played a key role in this 
conspiracy over the decades, and I agree that his relations with 
Voldie are extremely ambiguous as a result. Certainly the diary plot 
back-fired from his point of view, but I don't think the MoM fight 
will be fatal to him. I agree with Mandy in:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/94826

who wrote that:
'The evidence against Lucius Malfoy is circumstantial and witnessed by
people in chaos. An effective Lawyer could not only get Lucius off,
but also make him look like a hero. Now wouldn't that be fun?'

More problematic might be the demise of Fudge. We have heard from the 
recent chat that he is now toast. If Malfoy can play his cards right 
and remain influential at the ministry, there are many possibilities. 
The Ministry for Magical Games & Sport seems a haven for sleaze for 
instance.

In my recent RadioTBAY interview with Kirley McCormack, I suggested 
that there might be international Quidditch-related gambling 
corruption that could be used to entrap more than a few ministry 
officials as part of this conspiracy.

I also highlighted the fact that we still don't know who the muggle-
studies teacher is (I suggested it could be Professor Mordicus Egg), 
and that Dumbledore has always shown a marked interest in what 
happens in the muggle world. IMO, he knows a lot about Tom Riddle's 
muggle ancestory, as well as the Salazar inheritance, and is 
calculating accordingly.

Finally, ages ago, I posted that I thought that it would be Percy who 
uncovered evidence of the conspiracy whilst diligently preparing some 
documents for Fudge. Quite what Percy would do with this information 
is quite fascinating to consider.

Carolyn