Draco the Death Eaters and Voldemort (was: Re: Draco's culpability...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 139807

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > <snip> 
> > This is two chances for JKR to make absolutely clear that Draco 
> > bares the Dark Mark: he sets off the Mark in the sky; he makes   
> > it past the barrier, either going up or coming down.  But JKR   
> > chooses to give Draco a pass both times.  I'm becoming more and 
> > more confident that Draco is not a Death Eater at the conclusion 
> > of HBP.

> >>Jen: 
> JKR is sneaky that way and personally these omissions are very 
> persuasive. But what about Draco's left arm? Why was he favoring   
> it and showing it to Borgin? When Harry notices these things about 
> Draco he's not thinking Draco is in cahoots with Voldemort & the 
> DE's, so can't be POV.

Betsy Hp:
Harry just supposes that Draco shows Borgin his arm.  He doesn't 
actually *see* Draco do it.  However, I agree that Draco is 
exhibiting suspicious behavior, in both cases, that cannot be 
explained away by POV.

> >>Jen:
> Of the two theories so far, a dark mark and a werewolf bite, the  
> dark mark seems most likely. So what's behind door #3? The only   
> thing I can think of is Draco somehow tried to make his own dark  
> mark on his arm to 'persuade' Borgin, but it wasn't actually a    
> link to LV like the DE's have. But that may be cheesy <g>.

Betsy Hp:
I totally discount the werewolf bite, myself.  And since I'm 
starting to really doubt that Draco does have a Dark Mark, I'll have 
to go with door #3.

There's two possibilities, I think.  One is the "Draco faked the 
Mark" thing.  (I read a theory that he used one of the twins' edible 
Dark Marks.) Or, it's a total red herring.  Maybe he really *was* 
poked by a pin.  Though it does leave unanswered what he used to 
scare Borgin with.

JKR is definitely leaving the question up in the air though.  And 
since Draco *not* being marked would surprise Harry more, I tend to 
lean in that direction.

> >>Jen:
> "Draco's Detour" to me means just that, a slide into Voldemort's 
> camp for a time and then a slide back out. That's simplified for 
> sure, but sometimes JKR's simplest clues have the most meaning.

Betsy Hp:
I agree that JKR could well have meant her chapter title.  And Draco 
certainly began HBP firmly in Voldemort's camp. But it's easier for 
Draco to slide back out of Voldemort's camp if he's not branded.  
That way he's only detoured, not horribly lost. <g>  

> >>Jen:
> Not that I think Draco will live, mind you. Hate to say it but I'm 
> not certain even Snape can save him and in fact, could see the     
> possiblity of Snape being ordered to kill Draco for his failure of 
> will. Whew! How's that for adding fuel to the already smoking     
> Snape fire?

Betsy Hp:
I feel like Draco's chances of survival have gone up, myself.  But 
I'd been worried that Draco would end up dying in order to see the 
error of his ways.  Fortunately, JKR was merciful, and it looks like 
Draco saw the light without having to die for it.  His life is in 
Snape's hands now, but since I think Snape is ESG, I trust Snape 
with the burden.  *Snape's* life expectency however.... *sigh*  I'm 
worried.

> >>Betsy Hp:
> Working Vanishing Cabinets *kill* people? You'll have to explain
> this to me. I do realize it's the first domino leading to the
> events on the Tower, but it's not, in and of itself, a lethal
> activity. Like say, constructing a bomb or a deadly poison would  
> be.

> >>a_svirn:
> Yeah, there is nothing lethal in carving a big wooden horse, too. 
> On the contrary it bespeaks of an artistic disposition and        
> courteous manners. Just ask the Trojans.

Betsy Hp:
I absolutely agree that Draco's actions in fixing the Vanishing 
Cabinet led to the death of Dumbledore and Bill's injuries.  I'm not 
trying to let him off the hook on that.

What was interesting to me, though, was that Draco chose to throw 
himself into such a non-martial exercise.  It backs up, IMO, 
Dumbledore's assertion that Draco is not a killer.  Tom Riddle, for 
example, would probably have worked on a lethal potion or magical 
bomb and a delivery method.  When Draco *does* attempt to "deal 
death" as it were, his methods are *so* unsophisticated (especially 
compared to the Cabinet plan) as to suggest his heart really isn't 
in it.

Betsy Hp