Snape and Lucius: stupid, afraid or both? Was: Snape thought Lucius was

[Mandy]

No: HPFGUIDX 101802

> Pippin wrote:
> You're overlooking something. Voldemort thinks that the 
> prophecy contains information on how to destroy him. He daren't 
> go after it himself,  but he can't send anyone but his most trusted 
> lieutenants to bring it to him.
> 
> I agree that if Snape knows Malfoy was a DE but thought he was 
> under Imperius, then Malfoy probably knows that Snape was a 
> DE too. But in that case maybe he thinks they have a 
> deal--Snape will keep Malfoy supplied with scuttlebut about 
> Hogwarts (as a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, 
> Malfoy would find that useful) and Malfoy won't mention to anyone 
> that Snape was a DE. That would fit with the lapdog comment, 
> wouldn't it? Of course once Malfoy got kicked off the Board, he 
wouldn't need Snape anymore, except that he's Draco's Head of House. 
Which would give Snape a good reason to suck up to Draco all the 
> time.


Mandy Here:
I don't think Snape believes Malfoy was under the Imperious anymore 
than anyone else does.  With the exception of Fudge. 

I don't think Lucius can blackmail Snape. As Lucius and Snape both 
know they were each DE, and both, one way or another, got off scott 
free after the first war.   I don't think Lucius would have to keep 
Snape quiet, any more than Snape has to keep Lucius quiet. They are 
in a sense black mailing each other, if that is possible.  They have 
a stalemate situation, where both are greasing each other's palms to 
keep each other happy. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into a 
relationship that doesn't actually exist? ;-)  

I just think there is something to that Lapdog comment, and having 
Snape working LV through Malfoy, connects the three characters 
together nicely and gives Snape an interesting obstacle to overcome 
in book 6 with Lucius in Azkaban.  It begs the question; will DD need 
to get Malfoy out of prison to enable his solider to maintain his 
dangerous but essential link to information about LV? 

And while I do see your point about Voldemort needing his most 
trusted servants to go after the prophecy, I still think it was a 
really big mistake to put all his most trusted in the same place at 
the same time.  Still I suppose Voldemort has to make the same 
mistake all evil overlords make and that is to continue to believe 
they are invincible even in the face of complete failure.  You've go 
to give him credit for trying I suppose.

Cheers Mandy