Death Eaters

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 120334


> Kneasy:
> If there's that much backstory then I'd bet the name does tie in 
> somehow - initiation rites maybe? Linked to the Dark Mark?
> Let's face it, we're guessing.

Neri:
I recently did a quick research on death eating and (possibly) related
subjects in the potterverse. No conclusions, but plenty of intriguing
canon. First, how do you eat Death? Here is a canon example:

*****************************
OotP, Ch. 36:
But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore
from Voldemort's wand and the snake struck — 
Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and
swallowed the jet of green light whole: he burst into flame and fell
to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless.
*****************************

Interesting, isn't it? Did the DEs fill the same function for Voldy?
Was he protected from death in VW1 because they ate his death (but
without the option of rising from the ashes, of course)? And if so,
who ate the GH death? In GoF there are three DEs missing from the
circle in the graveyard because they are dead. We know who were two of
them: Rosier and Wilkes, who were killed by aurors. Who was the third
and how did he die?

Now, what is the connection between death eating and the Dark Mark?
The Dark Mark portrays a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.
And of course, we also have:

*****************************
CoS, Ch. 17:
Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Harry saw
his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.
And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was
slithering up from its depths

<snip>
Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it
shudder — he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost
see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth.
*****************************
 
Scratching you head already? It gets more complicated. There seems to
be a connection between Death Eaters, the Dark Mark and fear. Here is
what Arthur had to say about this:

*****************************
GoF, Ch. 9:
"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air
whenever they killed," said Mr. Weasley. "The terror it inspired
you
have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home and finding
the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about
to find inside.
" Mr. Weasley winced. "Everyone's worst fear
the very
worst
"
*****************************

Everyone's worst fear, a boggart maybe? Someone had this theory here
recently. I couldn't find anything about boggarts and eating, but
generally dark creatures in the potterverse like to eat, and not only
Death. Here is what Lupin says about dementors:

*****************************
PoA, Ch. 10:
If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to
something like itself — soul-less and evil. You'll be left with
nothing but the worst experiences of your life.
*****************************

And two or three paragraphs later:

*****************************
PoA, Ch. 10:
 "They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase
with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their
supply of human prey has dried up
 I don't think they could resist the
large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement
 emotions
running high
 it was their idea of a feast."
*****************************

Dementors not only like to eat human emotions and souls, they also
have a connection with fear. Usually they are thought to deprive one
of happiness, but here is another note of Lupin about them:

*****************************
PoA, Ch 8:
"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I — I remembered
those dementors."
"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well
 I'm impressed." He
smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That
suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry."
*****************************

Why are dementors the embodiment of Fear? Why is it wise of Harry to
be afraid of fear more than he is afraid of Voldemort? BTW, this
passage comes immediately after we find that Lupin himself is not
afraid of saying Voldemort's name.

It is not only dementors who like to eat human emotions and fears.
Here is what Diary!Riddle has to add in this issue:

****************************
CoS, Ch. 17:
"So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be
exactly what I wanted
 I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her
deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful
than little Miss Weasley."
****************************

And now to something really wild. Has anybody noticed what Snape does
with his hands while teaching Occlumency?

****************************
OotP, Ch. 24:
"Well then, why do I have to learn Occlumency?"
Snape eyed Harry, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he
did so.
"The usual rules do not seem to apply with you, Potter. The curse that
failed to kill you seems to have forged some kind of connection
between you and the Dark Lord."
****************************

Tracing his mouth? Hmm. Could be just a coincidence, of course. But a
paragraph later, here it is again:

****************************
OotP, Ch. 24:
Snape stared at Harry for a few moments, still tracing his mouth with
his finger. When he spoke again, it was slowly and deliberately, as
though he weighed every word.
"It appears that the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection
between you and himself until very recently..."
****************************

Again tracing his mouth. Is it only a coincidence that he mentions the
connection with "the Dark Lord" in both these paragraphs, while
"weighting every word"? Of course, I wouldn't have noticed Snape's
hands if it wasn't for this interesting passage, just two paragraphs
later:

****************************
 OotP, Ch. 24: 
"Do not say the Dark Lord's name!" spat Snape.
 There was a nasty silence. They glared at each other across the Pensieve.
"Professor Dumbledore says his name." said Harry quietly.
"Dumbledore is an extremely powerful wizard," Snape muttered. "While
he may feel secure enough to use the name . . . the rest of us . . ."
He rubbed his left forearm, apparently unconsciously, on the spot
where Harry knew the Dark Mark was burned into his skin.
****************************

So: the Dark Mark, eating Death, eating emotions, saying or not saying
Voldemort's name, and fear. How exactly are all these connected?

Neri