ACID POPS and Teenager Draco

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 157674

---  "snow15145" <kking0731 at ...> wrote:
> 
> Snow:
> 
> ... and better than that is Draco's statement to his 
> mates on the train when he tells them: HBP pg. 152
> 
> "I've just said, haven't I? Maybe he doesn't care if 
> I'm qualified. Maybe the job he wants me to do isn't 
> something that you need to be qualified for," said 
> Malfoy quietly.
> 
> At this point Malfoy is under the impression that he 
> need not be qualified for what he is being asked to do. 
> Now does this sound like someone being ordered to kill 
> the most powerful wizard of all time himself? 
> 

bboyminn:

Just one comment on a very small point. When Draco says he 
doesn't need qualifications, I don't think he is saying he
doesn't need skill in order to kill Dumbledore. I think he
is saying he doesn't need a high school dipoloma to be a
Death Eater. 

In a sense, he is taking the same attitude as Fred and 
George, that formal education is not for them. Draco is 
saying that if Hogwarts closes, or if he leaves school 
to be a DE, or leaves for whatever reason it is not that 
big a deal because Voldemort is not incline to check 
people's high school records when he recruits them.

So, in short, I don't think 'qualifications' is referring
to skill, it is referring to a certificate of education.

> 
> Steve:
> 
> Some see Draco out of character in this book, but Draco 
> is also out of his characteristic situation. ...
> 
> ... Naturally with a completely secret way into the 
> castle, the Dark Lord would want to use it. The School 
> and Dumbledore are prime strategic targets for Voldemort; 
> he  simply couldn't pass it up.
> 
> Snow:
> 
> I agree with the majority of your scenario until the end 
> where we must part company because as I stated above 
> Snape was Voldemort's bigger target and Snape knew it! 
> Dumbledore was quite aware of it also. 
> 


bboyminn:

Actually, I don't disagree with you. But this is a 
conversation about Draco and his role, a conversation 
that has already gotten complicated enough, so I saw 
no reason to bring Snape into it. But without a doubt, 
the Dark Lord is playing a game with Snape here too.

Why did he keep Snape out of the plan, especially the 
Cabinet Plan? It seems that Snape knew in the beginning 
(Spinners End) that Voldemort meant him to complete the 
task in the end. That implies that Snape knew something, 
but that his information was thin and very selective.

Why would Voldemort very selectively fill Snape in? Why 
would he let him know that there was a plan, but 
intentionally not give Snape crucial details of the 
overal plan?

Partly, I think that's the way Voldemort works. Each 
person no matter how valuable or close to Voldemort is 
only given information on the aspects of the plan they 
are involved them. But I also agree that Voldemort is 
playing Snape. He trust him enough to accept the 
information he receives from him, but I think he is aware 
that this information is precisely the information that 
Dumbledore wants him to have. I'm sure Voldie is very 
pleased that Snape killed Dumbledore, but at the same 
time, I don't think he fully trusts him. Can you ever 
really trust a spy?

So, I agree there is a lot to explore in the 
Voldemort/Snape dynamic in this story, and that will 
certainly carry over into the next book.

> Steve:
> 
> I think he kept Snape out of it because he didn't want 
> to compromise Snape's spy status. ...
> 
> Snow:
> 
> This is exactly why I think this part of the scenario 
> is a bust; If Dumbledore is killed by entering Hogwarts 
> through the passage Draco provides, then why would Snape 
> be necessary to stay on
to spy on who?  
> 
> Just a couple more thoughts
> 
> Snow
>

bboyminn:

You misunderstood slightly. Since Snape is completely out
of it. If Draco's plan had succeeded perfectly, there would
be nothing to implicate Snape. But, even without Dumbledore, 
Snape is still in the Order, and would still be able to 
gather information and influence decisions. If Draco has 
simply failed to kill fix the cabinet and kill Dumbledore, 
it's not a big deal because, Draco, Snape, and the Cabinet 
will be at school the next school year and they can keep 
working on it.

So, there is a strategic advantage to keeping Snape completely 
out of the plan. Regardless of perfect success or an aborted 
mission, Snape is still in a valuable position. As it is, Snape 
is not all that valuable to Voldemort except as one of his
hired thugs. Before Snape could move freely through the world
and gather information. Now he is an outlaw on the run. 

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn