What Came First: Task or Cabinet?(was Re: ACID POPS and Teenager Draco...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 157601

> >>bboyminn: 
> > While I am not discrediting all the things that have 
> > been said so far, but let us not forget that Draco 
> > went to Voldemort with the Vanishing Cabinet Plan. 

> >>Magpie:
> > No, he DID NOT.  I'm sorry to be so vehement but I 
> > can't stand having this presented as canon.
> > <snip>

> >>bboyminn:
> > Sorry but your wrong, or at least as wrong as I am. What 
> > is the very first thing that occurs chronologically in 
> > the book? Not the first thing the books reveals to us, 
> > but  the first thing that occurs chronologically. Anwer: 
> > Draco figures out that there are two connected Vanishing 
> > Cabinets; one inside Hogwarts, one outside. ...

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > I think your time-line is wrong, Steve.  Draco tells 
> > Dumbledore that he got the idea about the cabinet after 
> > hearing Montague's story. That can't have occured at the 
> > end of the school year because Montague was too sick ....  
> > So the visit must have occured over the summer.

> >>bboyminn:
> Sorry, not so, Montegue returns to the school around Easter, 
> and is at the school for a minimum of two full month 
> recoverings.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Montague returns just before Easter, yes.  But his recovery is 
seriously slow.  On a Tuesday morning, after Easter break (classes 
are going on), he's described as "confused and disorientated" and 
his parents come to visit. [OotP scholastic hardback ed. p.678]  
Which we know is a pretty bad sign based on other times parents get 
called in (near death experiences, etc.).

At the time of Harry's vision of Sirius in jeopardy Montague is 
being spoon fed by Madam Pomfrey (probably a potion, but still, 
spoon fed?). [ibid p.730]

And Montague is either taken home early or he's so out of it he 
doesn't even garner comment when everyone's visiting Ron and 
Hermione in the hospital wing. [ibid pp.846-850]  Which again, 
suggests that his recovery is moving pretty slowly.

So no, it doesn't seem like Montague is up for a lot of visitors 
during the few months left of the school year.  He certainly doesn't 
seem alert and involved enough to spin a story that greatly 
entertains his listeners.

You also have to sell the idea that Draco, member of the IS, 
enjoying Dumbledore being kicked out of Hogwarts, is for some reason 
thinking about ways for Voldemort to come into Hogwarts.  Why on 
earth would Draco be thinking about such things?  Sure, Montague is 
in the hospital from Easter onwards, but Draco is sitting fairly 
pretty up until the battle in the DoM.  Which takes place at the 
very end of the school year.

I just don't see the time for groups of people to visit Montague 
during the OotP school year, nor do I see the motivation for Draco 
to think about bringing Death Eaters into Hogwarts until *after* 
he's been given the task of killing Dumbledore.  I think you're 
expecting too much in too short a time period.

> >>bboymin:
> I don't deny Voldemort's anger with Lucius, but it wasn't 
> about the diary, it was about the muck-up at the Ministry.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Why do you think that?  Where's the canon?

> >>bboymin:
> Even early in the summer, Draco is already working on the 
> Cabinet (Draco's Detour).
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Ooh, no that isn't true at all.  "Draco's Detour" takes place at the 
very *end* of the summer (several days after Harry's birthday). [HBP 
scholastic hardback pp.106-107]  Which, frankly, is the biggest hole 
in your "First came the Cabinet" theory.  If that were the case 
Draco (and Voldemort for that matter) would have ensured that (a)
Borgin didn't sell the cabinet, and (b) the cabinet was even fixable 
(something Borgin *wasn't* sure of, by the way).

I agree with Magpie, there's nothing in canon to suggest that the 
Cabinet came first, and certainly not enough to present that idea 
*as* canon.  Honestly, I think we got the run down of Draco's 
adventures during HBP on the Tower.  I don't think there's another 
mystery yet to be solved.  The only thing we (the readers) are 
waiting for is to see how Draco will behave in book 7.

Betsy Hp