Malfoy Sr's Intent with TMR's Diary (CoS)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 114351

Siriusly Snapey Susan wrote:
> I'm afraid you're misunderstanding my point entirely, Carol.  I do 
> NOT believe that Lucius had any opportunity to tell Voldy about the 
> diary plot at ANY point before the graveyard scene.  It is precisely 
> that fact which, to me, makes it extremely significant that he does 
> not use that first moment of opportunity in the graveyard to protest 
> about what he's done!  
> 
> *IF* he had really set up the diary plot as a means of helping Voldy 
> return, then **at this first opportunity** [read:  graveyard] to 
> brag about how hard he worked, about the risk he took, about how 
> close he came to success, then why NOT do it?  I'm simply taking 
> Lucius' reticence at that moment as evidence that he DIDN'T set up 
> the diary plan as a means of bringing Voldy back at all, but rather 
> set it up to advance his own position in the WW.


Carol responds:
Gotcha. (SSS breathes a sigh of relief.) But we don't know what he
told LV *after* the graveyard scene. He really had no opportunity to
say so *during* it. First it was Voldemort's monologue about his
return (which it would be most unwise for Malfoy to interrupt), then
it was the DEs welcoming Voldemort back and accepting their punishment
for disloyalty (and again saying as little as they could get away with
if they had any sense--Lucius came off pretty well and wisely left
well enough alone), then it was the confrontation with Harry which was
supposed to end in triumph for LV but instead ended in humiliation and
chaos--most definitely a time to remain silent and try to obey the
frantic order to "Stupefy him!" At that time our witness, Harry,
returned to Hogwarts, and we have no idea of what followed his
departure. It's possible that Malfoy, who clearly was on good terms
with Voldemort throughout OoP, remaining his righthand man despite
LV's awareness of his "slippery" nature, found the time to tell
him--in secret, away from anyone else--about the diary incident (*if*
he knew that Tom Riddle was Voldemort and that the diary could have
restored Tom to life). But why would he? The plot failed. You don't
brag about an attempt that didn't work.

I'm not saying that Malfoy *was* trying to bring Voldemort back. I'm
as confused as anyone else regarding his motives and how he came by
the diary in the first place. I'm just saying that slippery Lucius
knows when to keep his mouth shut, and this strikes me as just such a
time. I don't consider his silence (if he *was* silent after the
graveyard scene) as evidence of his intent one way or the other.

Carol, who hopes she's playing on the right court this time