An Exercise in Sugarcoating Voldys Blunderings

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 126988


John <someoneofsomeplace at y...> wrote:

<Snippity-doo-da>
> But no, the silly cad had to bugger around with "making an 
> example" of the boy, ranting exultantly at his followers and 
> generally carrying on like a good sort. Before he knew it, the 
> lad had wriggled his way out of it again.

<snippety-yay>
 
> What excuses can one cook up for Voldy now? Was he perhaps out 
> of touch after not having picked up a wand for 13 years? It 
> certainly seems so. Thus, why not kill Potter while he's un-armed 
> and defenceless? The kid's pretty special, obviously; so why 
> give him any sort of chance at all? 
> Some have said that he wanted to show the lads that there was 
> nothing particularly special about the boy, nothing there to 
> fear. 

Yes, but much more than that.  The whole thing was theater, pure 
and simple.  Voldy gets by on reputation as much as magic--look how
terrified people are to even say his name--he can't have it that
a child beat him, he can't let that stand.  Furthermore (reread his
speech in the graveyard) he can't let it be thought by his followers
that Albus Dumbledore has him scared, or can beat him.  So he sets
up a little play to edify his DEs.  First he will snatch Harry right 
out from under Dumbledore's nose, and then he will kill him, Harry, 
in a "fair" fight, demonstrating that, despite a little setback, 
he's going to win, and you can be on his side and rule the 
Wizarding World, or oppose him and die.

Sadly for Voldy, Harry missed his cue and blew his lines.  I wonder 
if the loss of confidence some of his Death Eaters must have felt 
from that will be important later?

Amiable Dorsai