Draco's alleged dark mark

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 162526

MQ wrote:
> In HBP Ch. 24, we all know how badly Draco is injured.  We also know 
> that Snape (perhaps spying on Narcissa's behest) is there- like
magic- to heal him.  However, we also know that Draco gets taken to
the hospital wing to be further cared for by Madam Pomfrey (I take
this to be like post-op care... he's all sewn up, but it was still
trauma to his body and then there's the 'might scar' scenario).
> 
> If Draco has the dark mark on his left arm as Harry suspects...
> 
> would Madam Pomfrey not have seen it when ministering to his wounds?  
<snip>

Carol responds:
If you recall, snape went up to the hospital wing with Draco. He would
have told Madam Pomfrey what happened and requested the dittany, which
I assume is either eaten or drunk in a potion. He would have made it
clear tha he had already healed Draco's wounds and that there was no
need for further treatment, aside from perhaps bedrest. We've never
seen Madam Pomfrey examine anyone; she merely treats the affected limb
or whatever, usually with potions (made by Snape?). And when a patient
goes to bed, she hands him his pajamas and draws the curtains. When
Harry needed help getting into his, she allowed Ron to help him. So I
don't think that Madam Pomfrey would have seen his Dark Mark, and in
any case, Draco would have been as reluctant for her to see it as for
Madam Malkin to touch it (if it existed) and Snape would have known
that and taken precautions, not because he's ESE! (I think he's DDM!)
but because he's protecting Draco.

On another note, while we're talking about Snape and Draco, I doubt
that Snape knew about the attempted Crucio even if he took the few
minutes required to get to the hospital wing to interrogate him. Draco
isn't about to volunteer that information and is using his rudimentary
Occlumency against Snape, so it's unlikely that Snape would be
protecting Draco from expulsion or prosecution. Besides, the Crucio
wasn't completed, so I doubt that it registered with the MoM even if
it monitors Hogwarts, which is doubtful.

MQ:
> Or does Draco not have the mark yet?  I wonder if Voldemort's order 
> is like other magical orders of lore, and if Draco has not yet been 
> through the proper initiation to earn the Dark Mark. This is a big 
> bone of contention in my house at the moment.  
> 
> Please offer up your own theories. :)

Carol responds:

Good question. I would say yes, simply because we've received no
alternate explanation for Draco's actions with Borgin and Madam
Malfoy, as we usually get with red herrings. So I would tentatively
conclude that yes, he does have the Dark Mark and is under Voldemort's
command as of the end of HBP.

Carol, who thinks that Draco and Snape Apparated to Voldemort and
Snape protected him from a Crucio by explaining that Draco had indeed
fulfilled his mission by fixing the cabinet and letting in the DEs