Marked at 19 Was: Fear and Valour (Long)

[Mandy]

No: HPFGUIDX 105079

<snip> 
> Bart Jr was never marked!
> My supporting canon is that he was extremely young when he crucioed 
> the Longbottoms. Perhaps too young to have actually been into the 
DE 
> creed beyond his initiation. So young he may have been an outside 
> and silent inactive supporter of LV right up till he became 
> Vapomort. We know that Barty Jr crucioed the Longbottoms after 
> Godrics Hollow. So if the mark was to be placed on the DE by 
> Voldemort himself to seal the connection it could not have been 
done 
> if Barty Jr hadn't actually joined before Voldys failed AK on 
Harry. 
> Therefore, he may not be an actual Death Eater, and may not be 
> wearing the Dark Mark at all. Meaning if he was to will himself to 
> say Voldemort there is nothing magical to stop him. 


 
Mandy here:
I have to disagree about the age of 19 being too young to be a marked 
DE.  Hate groups especially target the young.  15, 16, 17 years of 
age is time of great disenfranchisement and disillusionment in young 
people.  Groups like the KKK and similar, Skinheads and such, go 
after recruiting teens because they are an easy target and easily 
seduced. These young kids, mostly boys, are looking for guidance and 
control (although they would never admit it) and these gangs and 
organized groups give them a sense of purpose and direction.  Schools 
are perfect recruiting grounds for these groups and Hogwarts would 
have been no exception.  Even with DD in control.  We know that the 
DA thrived under Umbridge's nose for a long time without he knowing 
it, and it shows how easily secret groups can take hold in inside an 
organization, even one as controlled as Hogwats was under Umbridge's 
rule.  

Voldemort would have been a fool not to extend his reach into 
Hogwarts through young Slytherin purebloods. These young teens are 
primed to fall into rank behind Voldemort as soon as they leave 
school at 18 years old.  I imagine most would be Marked as soon as 
they leave school and join the DE as adults, some perhaps even 
sooner.  Most of these young boys who are seduced by the rhetoric 
these hate groups put forth are beta males, and follow rather than 
lead but a few do emerge and leaders. These intelligent, violent 
youths are very charismatic and dangerous and are often used to 
recruit others. 

Lucius Malfoy is a perfect example.  I have always imagined that 
Lucius was wearing the Mark during his final years of school although 
he could have been an exception. But couple that with the idea that 
Malfoy was head boy at Hogwarts, (I'd be very disappointed if he 
wasn't) and his wealth and social status and I can guarantee he was 
instrumental in recruiting others in to Voldemorts fold. Those others 
being that gang of Slytherins mentioned by Sirius who all became DE.  
Including the only female DE we know about; Bellatrix Black and Snape 
who as a desperately lonely younger boy would have been easily 
seduced.  Although Malfoy would have left Hogwarts by the time Barty 
Crouch Jr was there, I'll bet there was another `recruiter' working 
hard to bring new young blood, pureblood, to Voldemort.  Perhaps it 
was Bellatrix, or even Snape who would only have been 2 or 3 years 
above Barty at Hogwarts.

We send 19 year old into war to die.  I don't think LV would be too 
choosy over the age of his DE, the younger the better imo.
 
Cheers Mandy.