The Lestrange's/Crouch Trial

[Julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 90109

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lizvega2" <lizvega2 at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> (Also, in GOF-Death Eaters chapter- LV looks at a place 'large 
> enough for two people to stand- and says the Lestranges should 
stand 
> there- but they are in Azkaban- those are the only two in Azkaban? 

Not necessarily.  I always took Voldemort's trip around the circle as 
a calculated device to make a point to the surviving Death Eaters. LV 
is regathering the Death Eaters at the cemetery--both announcing his 
return and chiding them for their abandonment.  "I see you all, whole 
and healthy, with your powers intact....why did this band of wizards 
never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal 
loyalty." 

He is making a point about loyalty (and revealing that he knows what 
they've all been up to in his absence)  He rewards-- if you can call 
it that-- Wormtail, tortures Avery (who basically askes for it), 
needles Lucius (does he need Lucius' money, social prestige, and 
influence too much to outright torment like Avery?) 
for "disappointing" him.  Next to Lucius stands the space for the 
Lestranges who were faithful, who continued on after 
his  'destruction' trying to find Voldemort--that's why they tortured 
the Longbottoms.  LV is very clear here.  The Lestranges are the only 
ones who sought him in his 'exile' and now are the only ones with an 
excuse for missing the meeting (OK the two who are dead also have an 
excuse).  I don't think that this excludes there being other Death 
Eaters in Azkaban, but perhaps none of the Lestranges calibre and 
loyalty.

> Sirius refers to (In GOF- Padfoot returns)the Lestrange/Crouch 
> trial, and the defendants as people who "talked their way out of 
> Azkaban the first time." If the Lestranges had talked their way out 
> of Azkaban the first time, why would they go to the trouble of 
> trying to find LV, and get caught? Is this just a comment made by 
> someone (Sirius) who doesn't really know what they're talking about?

 The Lestranges went to the trouble because they were fanatical 
believers.  I believe that Sirius meant that some Death Eaters --
especially the Lestranges and the other man young Barty was caught 
with--had come under suspicion before but there hadn't been proof to 
convict them.  We've got two seperate things here.  What Harry sees 
in the Pensive is not the trial but the sentencing.  Sirius is 
recalling the climate of terror.  The difficulty in telling who 
worked for Voldemort and who didn't.  He is alluding to the 
frustration of being unable to prove guilt in court, hence some 
DEs "talked" their way free and NEVER WENT TO AZKABAN when they 
should have.  If the Lestranges had been sent to prison when they 
were first suspected, the Longbottoms would not have been attacked.   
The continuing secret identity of the 
DEs, and their violence caused the Ministry and Aurors to became 
increasingly violent and ruthless in return.  The public clammored 
for revenge and punishment, not for judicuous consideration of 
evidence and protection of plaintiffs' rights by law.   A very scary 
situation.  I wonder how many wrongly convicted witches/wizards were 
sent to Azkaban.  Sirius surely wasn't the only one.

As for the blank stare, I took it for a numbness, so to speak, shock 
or disbelief that in just a moment he'll hear his sentence.  He has 
retreated into himself. While one man looked around frantically ---
cornered animal type behavior-- and Belletrix was angry and self-
righteous, his blank stare was a different type of response to being 
convicted. The dementors were surrounding them.  The choice is 
Azkaban or the Kiss. Perhaps the blank man had only now realized the 
reality of what that meant?

Julie
who really enjoys your posts, lizvega2!