The Snape-Malfoy connection

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 101350

I find it strange that Lucius Malfoy got off so easily after the 
first war, and with such an easy excuse either ("I was imperio'ed!" 
now gimme a brake. Why didn't all the other DEs use this excuse?). 
OK, so the man is rich and influential, and he gave a lot of gold to 
the Ministry, but I don't think this alone would have stopped the 
zealous Crouch Sr. (the man convicted his own son, after all). I also 
find it strange that in CoS, DD lets Lucius off so easily after it 
becomes clear Lucius was the one behind the diary plot. There wasn't 
evidence against him? So what? We all know how protective DD is about 
his students. Malfoy had also tried to remove DD from the headmaster 
position and almost succeeded. You'd think DD would have put some 
really nasty and untraceable jinx on him, just to teach him a good 
lesson, but as far as we know he didn't.

So, here is my idea (with apologies to all the members who brought it 
up before): Snape knew Malfoy was a real DE. He had the evidence and 
could have turned Malfoy in after the first war. Malfoy knew that. 
But DD told Snape to lie to the Ministry and testify that Malfoy was 
under the Imperio, so Malfoy would be cleared. This convinced Malfoy 
that Snape is on his side. DD did it as an investment for the future 
and a start for building the Snape-Malfoy connection. So after LV's 
resurrection, Malfoy comes to Voldy (after Voldy had cooled down a 
bit) and tells him: "I know what you think about Snape, but he's our 
guy. He covered for me although he didn't have to". Voldy can see in 
Lucius' mind that Lucius speaks the truth, so he says: "fine, bring 
him here and I'll give him a chance". It is still up to Snape to give 
Voldy a good story and convince him, but the investment in the Malfoy 
connection had already paid off, and will likely be beneficial in the 
future also.

If this is true, Lucius will soon "escape" from Azkaban or wherever 
he is held, so he can keep vouching for Snape and supply him with 
inside information. In fact, it will be probably Snape himself who 
will "rescue" Lucius from the aurors and let him out. It is just 
fitting that Lucius, who thinks he is smarter than everyone, will 
turn out to be the big dupe.

As I think of it, perhaps Snape also cleared other DEs after the 
first war, such as Goyle, Crabbe and Macnair. All the brainless 
thugs. I mean, don't you find it strange that Snape has been working 
for 15 years now in Hogwarts for DD, and yet no DE in Azkaban (as far 
as Sirius could tell us) ever blames Snape for turning him in? They 
all blame Karkaroff. How comes? Because all of the DEs who knew Snape 
walk free, and for a good reason. 

Neri