Will the DEs die if Voldy does?

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 139263

SSSusan wrote: 
>> Are you thinking that Voldy has set up this death connection... 
but that the DEs aren't aware of it?<<

KJ wrote:

> When Voldemort became Vapormort, the Mark faded. To me this 
> suggests that the Mark is directly tied to Voldemort's health 
> and/or magical status. In the pensieve scene in GoF, Bellatrix 
> said that Voldemort would rise again and that they would be 
> rewarded for trying to find him.

KathyK:

The Dark Mark fading could certainly be tied to LV's health or 
magical status.  But that doesn't mean the Death Eaters who wear the 
Mark are then tied to LV's life or death status.  If the Mark was a 
reflection of LV's existence, and the DE's were tied to it in such 
an intricate manner, would they not then have been weakened, also, 
while LV was in his Vapor state?  *That* they surely would have 
noticed, no?

Bellatrix has given herself the role of Voldemort's most faithful 
servant.  To me, she believes in her Dark Lord, all the way.  Since 
LV has pointed out several times in the presence of his followers 
that he has taken measures over the years to ensure his immortality, 
it stands to reason Bellatrix would have been well aware of this.  
As she appears to be rather manic in her devotion to LV, I do not 
doubt she believes he cannot have died at Godric's Hollow.  The Dark 
Lord has guarded against it.  If he says he cannot die, he has not 
died, although he has disappeared.  Thus she continues searching for 
Voldemort and knows she will be rewarded for remaining faithful.  

KJ wrote:

> In the Flesh, Blood, and Bone chapter, Voldemort accuses them of 
> believing that he is "broken" and "gone" but dead is not 
> mentioned. He obviously believes that all of them would have known 
> that he was not dead. Lucius actually said that he had been 
> waiting for word, or any sign of his whereabouts. Basically his 
> excuse was that he didn't know where to look. 

KathyK:

I agree with you Voldemort does not believe his DE's would 
consider(or, at least he implies they better not have considered) 
that he had died.  Which is why he never says 'dead' in reference to 
himself.  Of course he would expect his supposedly loyal followers 
would believe he had indeed safeguarded against death.  

However, just because *he* thinks the Death Eaters knew he was alive 
in some form, doesn't mean they actually did.  They may have, they 
may not have.  It doesn't really matter, because none of them is 
stupid enough to *say,* "Yeah, I didn't come looking for you because 
I thought baby Harry put you in your grave.  I didn't believe for 
one second you'd actually succeeded in your mad quest for 
immortality.  My bad."  No, they're taking their cues from LV.  He 
says he's taken steps to prevent his own death. There he stands, 
clearly alive.  He uses words like "gone."  Of course they're not 
going to utter the word "dead" in reference to him.  That might be a 
little suicidal.  Might get a little more than a few seconds of 
Cruciatus that Avery got.  

KJ wrote:

> I don't think that the DEs are told that if V. dies, they do as 
> well, although it would certainly encourage them to look after him 
> with considerably more devotion if they did know.

> It would allow JKR to tie up a lot of loose ends in a hurry.

KathyK:

I agree with you and SSSusan that this Dark Mark Mass Murder would 
be something LV might consider, but I think Kemper is right:  

"For Voldy to place some Voldy-destroyed Destruct button on the Dark
Mark, would mean that Voldy admits, even to himself, the possibility 
that he will/can fail."  ---Kemper, Message 139241

There's no way Voldemort is admitting to himself the idea he might 
die.  His entire life is built around eluding his end.

But that being said, I wonder how easily this sort of thing would 
work into the story, were it true.  I suppose it could help to tie 
up any loose ends, but I wonder how many of us would be scratching 
our heads in the wake of such a thing, wondering why JKR just 
suddenly dropped that bomb on us after six books? 

I don't think the Death Eaters would have willingly signed up for a 
Dark Mark of their very own if it meant their continued life would 
depend on LV living.  Some may have (the Lestranges, for example) 
but I do not think all would have such absolute faith in Voldemort.  
So I will now leave aside the "Death Eaters knew all along they were 
toast if LV died" scenario and go with this being Voldemort's dirty 
little secret.

How would she reveal this secret to us?  Would LV tell Harry in
his great Tell All scene before he's finished?  A nice little subplot
Harry & Co stumble over in their Horcrux search, leading to
them warning the DE's and trying to find a way to stop it?  Would we
not find out until after LV's defeated and they start finding DE
bodies everywhere, and it will suddenly dawn on them what
happened?  I don't know how she would work that into the plot in
any convincing way.  

I'm pretty much hoping not all the bad guys are killed or have 
changes of heart.  Don't get me wrong, I want Harry to save the day, 
but I think it's too easy an ending to simply off all the Death 
Eaters in one fell swoop.

And as someone who is quite Siriusly Snapey <g> mentioned to me off-
list, what of our Marked Man, Severus Snape, should his life depend 
upon LV staying alive?   

KathyK, just saying hello to everybody