Why did Snape take the UV? / Role of the Malfoys

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 157353


> Neri:
> But Draco apparently trusts Auntie Bella to teach him Occlumency. 
Why 
> her and not Snape? Granted, Bella is a relative, but she also 
kills 
> relatives and proud of it. 

Magpie:
I think he trusts both of them to the extent that they are "his 
side."  They already know things that he's hiding from others.  I 
think if Snape had offered to teach him Occlumency he would have 
jumped at that chance too--especially since this teaching would have 
happened before things started to go downhill.

I would also not be surprised if Bellatrix didn't encourage him to 
start mistrusting Snape, who is far more of a natural figure for 
Draco to challenge than Bellatrix as a stand-in father figure.  If I 
was trying to think of a reason for Bellatrix to be his main point 
of communication about the plan rather than Snape, that's what would 
come to my mind. (Though of course I don't know how much Bellatrix 
knew either.  She might not have known exactly how Draco was 
planning to get the DEs in or even that this was his plan.  We just 
don't know.)

Neri:
> And when Draco finally manages to fix the vanishing cabinet, whom 
> does he call? Blondie, Brutal Face, Gibbon, Alecto and Amycus. 
Does 
> he even know these uncouth fellows? Wouldn't *they* stab him in 
the 
> back for glory? 

Magpie:
I don't know that Draco called this group specifically or just sent 
out word to whoever he was communicating with that back-up could 
come into the school.  We know at least one of them was a surprise, 
and Draco's line about not knowing Fenrir "was coming" indicates to 
me he wasn't in charge of that.  What he's keeping from Snape during 
the year is something different, imo.  Snape is at Hogwarts.  The 
other DEs are less of a threat just by being on the outside.  Plus 
I'd guess Snape and Draco's previously close relationship makes 
Snape more of a threat.  

Neri:
> Yes, Draco is suddenly resentful towards Mom in HBP, but why is 
that? 
> Just growing up and wanting independence? When Dad is in jail and 
the 
> whole family is in mortal peril? Is there a reason why Draco has 
> suddenly lost his trust in anyone close to him?

Magpie:
He isn't suddenly resentful towards Narcissa that I remember, but 
even besides his growing up and wanting independence he's got lots 
of reasons to suddenly lose trust in authority figures close to him 
that don't immediately make me think of his worrying that Snape's 
got a thing for his mother. Now that Draco's been taken out of his 
comfortable childish fantasies of what life under LV is like I'd 
imagine he's beginning to question and mistrust every thing.
What exactly is Draco showing fear of regarding Snape and Narcissa?  
That she's she's cheating on his father?  That Snape never really 
liked him and only wanted to get to Narcissa?  We get very few 
glimpses into this sort of thing with Draco, but I can't think of 
any thing in Draco's scenes that hints at any anxiety about Snape 
and his mother, and I think JKR would have put that in.  When it 
comes to Draco's mindset about independence the line that stood out 
to me was where Snape said he knew Lucius' imprisonment had upset 
him and Draco stormed out (this after he's been challenging Snape 
throughout the conversation).  That made me think he had a lot of 
feelings about Lucius.  We know he's rebelling, and the story 
mentions a lot of things going on in his life that would connect to 
it, but I don't see where worries about Snape/Narcissa ring true in 
any of his scenes.  

-m