LV: Where'd He Go and How did Frank Know "Something"

[Talisman]

No: HPFGUIDX 150934

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "rebecca" <dontask2much at ...> 
wrote:

>Would not talk about "what"? How would Frank know anything about 
>where LV went? Couple this with JKR's statement that the LeStranges 
>weren't in on the secret of the prophecy - and according to 
>herself, Bella et all were sent directly to the Longbottoms only a 
>few weeks after LV's disappearance but not to kill Neville. They 
>specifically were the ones the DE's wanted. (Another question: who 
>the hell *sent them* if LV was MIA? Don't blame me for asking, 
>blame Rowling for her site's answer to the question of the 
>choice.)   >Snip<  rebecca, who thinks this is reaching but can't 
>account for another reason why the Longbottoms would be singled out 

Talisman, takes a break from dusting for prints on the tower wall:

The Sting Theory is a rather old and a theory to which I have always 
adhered.  Indeed, it has only been validated by succeeding 
revelations.  

But, I don't agree that it was set up by any unknown spy, and  I 
certainly don't agree that Lucius was too young to manage it at ~26-
27 years of age.

Nope.  It's all slippery Lucius.

Like many DEs, Malfoy was not thrilled with life as one of 
Voldemort's minions.  Psychopaths can be so tiresome.  

There was a lot of hem-kissing involved in DL maintenance, not to 
mention prostrations and walking around on your knees.  

You never knew when he might ask you to, say, chop off your right 
hand, for him.   Any little screw ups and the best you could hope 
for was a Cruciatus session.  Even sucking unicorn blood whist 
giving him a ride in your head wouldnft insure that he wouldn't 
leave you to die, without  so much as a backward glance.

(Yes, I know, we saw all these behaviors after GH, but they *are* 
indicative of life under the DL, no?) 

The DE retirement program was strictly feet first, and it was an 
unfortunate occupation for wizards with personal ambitions.  Start 
looking too interested in your own advancement, and you were likely 
to get the Usurper Special.  Unfortunate indeed, because where 
ambitions were concerned, Lucius Malfoy was Slyth all the way.

So for Messer. Malfoy, Halloween 1980 turned out to be Christmas.  
Break out the elf-made wine, Narcissa.  Whoo-hooo.

Our Lu had already managed a level of respect within the ranks, and 
with the DL out of the picture, he could use established DE 
networks, and his considerable wealth, to make sure the WW was run, 
more every day, the Malfoy way.

Might even be able to groom a puppet for MoM.  (Lucius himself had 
no personal interest in a job filled with the daily tedium of 
administrative affairs, but how pleasant it would be to have a 
Minister who understood just who was *really* the boss.) Yes, the 
future was looking bright.  

Sure, there were rumors that the Dark Lord was still out there.  
Some sort of putrid mist in Albania. But he seemed incapable of so 
much as summoning anyone to his aid--and, oddly enough--no one was 
in the mood to go looking.

No one but Malfoy's whack-o sister-in-law and her cadre of maniacs, 
that is. 

Oh, yes, she'd been around to the manor regularly, exhorting Lucius 
to do his bit to find her beloved Master.  It was mighty 
inconvenient to have her suggesting there was more to be done.  
Better to cultivate an alibi of resignation to You-Know-Who's 
demise, just in case he ever *did* manage a return.  

Worse yet, that band of die-hards might actually succeed in bringing 
him back.

Nope.  Something must be done--and in true Malfoy style.  Nothing 
obvious.  Nothing that would point back to Malfoy himself.  A nice 
little sting. 

Easy enough to feed Bella & Co. a nonsensical story about how this 
Longbottom Auror knows what happened to the Dark Lord.  Get her all 
pumped up on Glory and Restoration.  Then, when the date's fixed, 
have a little talk with a certain ambitious Junior Minister in the 
Department of Magical Catastrophes.

Explain how you'd like to keep a low profile, ratting out your 
sister-in-law and all.  And by the way, Cornelius, it's a shame but 
I think Crouch's son will be with them, too. Tsk, tsk. Imagine what 
this could do to old Barty's career, and him a shoe-in to be 
Minister, and all.

But you, my dear Fudge, will certainly deserve a promotion for 
capturing this last vicious gang of  DEs.  Yes, I think your star is 
about to rise; we should chat more about this...perhaps over dinner?

Maybe Lucius's tip was off by a few hours, accidentally on purpose.  
Nothing like getting a few vicarious torture jollies.  Maybe Fudge 
agreed that everyone's hands should be nice a dirty before the 
bust.  Maybe a little of both. 

Too bad for the Longbottoms, but they really weren't important, 
anyway.  Just the bait.

The spring snaps and Bella, Barty Jr--and the Dark Lordfs remaining 
would-be rescuers--are safely neutralized (it is supposed)  for 
life.  

I don't think Lucius worried about being named in a prosecutor's 
deal, at all.  For one thing, Bella's crowd was too fanatical to cut 
deals--but better yet--Fudge would vouch for him as the informant.  
Plenty of insurance.

As icing on the cake, some Muggle-Loving Dark Wizard hunters have 
been Crucio-ed to a fate worse than death, that bastard Crouch Sr.--
who authorized Ak-ing DEs--will never be Minister of Magic, and an 
upwardly mobile little politico is eating out of your hand.

Not bad for a day's work.

Why the Longbottoms specifically? Sure, they were hated Aurors; they 
were popular (the outrage factor was helpful); everyone had let 
their guard down, so they were easy prey; and who knows, maybe 
Lucius had some more personal score to settle with them, from the 
not-so-old days.

But I agree with Pippin this far: it had nothing to do with what the 
Longbottoms really knew. 

As houyhnhnm points out, Lucius may have accompanied Voldemort to 
GH, and may have known that the Longbottom's were next.  Lucius does 
seem to know something about the Potter's deaths when he sneers, in 
CoS, about Harry meeting the same *sticky end.*

For whatever reason--and Bella wouldn't have needed much of one--if 
Lucius merely suggested Frank had information, he would not have had 
to *order* her to go anywhere.  Just pointing the finger--
embellished by assurances that she might get information useful to 
bringing the DL back--would have been more than enough to *send her* 
after anyone.

Talisman saying, 
It fits like a glove, as long as *you* don't fall for Lucius's 
story.  ; )