The Cabinet Plan...again (was:Re: The UV (was ESE, DDM, OFH, or Grey?)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 162762

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > Right, so I'm focusing in on this one little nit, but it's a nit I
> > just can't help picking.  There is nothing in canon to suggest   
> > that Draco has been given a mission to get DE's into Hogwarts.    
> > In fact, canon is there to support that the Vanishing Cabinet    
> > scheme is thought up by Draco, on his own, as a means to         
> > accomplish his one and only task: killing Dumbledore.
> > <snip>

> >>Carol:
> Yes, I know. We disagree and will continue to disagree on this one
> point. All I meant to say was that Snape may know, and probably does
> know, that Voldemort has assigned Draco to kill Dumbledore.

Betsy Hp:
I agree.  Everything in Spinner's End points to Snape knowing exactly 
what Voldemort has asked of Draco.  And I suspect that Snape has the 
best guess in the room as to why Voldemort gave Draco his task.

> >>Carol:
> Whether LV has specifically identified the task as a suicide       
> mission to punish Lucius or not (I think not), snape agrees with   
> Narcissa that it might be one.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I agree with Snape that Draco's death is the main (and petty) goal 
behind Voldemort's assignment.

> >>Carol:
> If Snape did know about the Vanishing Cabinet, he probably
> would never have taken the Unbreakable Vow. He would simply have   
> found a way to thwart that plan.

Betsy Hp:
Huh.  So you think Snape took the UV in order to get details?  I'm 
not a big fan of this theory.  It makes Snape look several kinds of 
stupid, IMO. Narcissa was in a very sharing mood, and he's long had a 
good relationship with Draco; I'm not sure why he had to do this far 
too complicated move to snoop out the pesky details.

> >>Carol:
> And there would be no point in Bellatrix's teaching Draco          
> Occlumency if Draco weren't trying to hide the Vanishing Cabinet   
> plan from Snape, regardless of whether Voldemort knows about it or 
> not (and I think he does).

Betsy Hp:
Except for the main point of avoiding a Buffy-like moment where 
Dumbledore hears, "By this time tomorrow you'll be dead, old man! And 
I, Draco Malfoy, shall be Voldemort's right-hand-man!!! Mwahahahaha!" 
from the direction of the Slytherin table.

> >>Carol, hoping that you at least agree that Snape didn't know     
> about the Vanishing Cabinet when he took the UV

Betsy Hp:
Goodness, yes! <g>  I don't even think *Draco* had the Cabinet plan 
figured out when Snape took the UV.  Too early in the summer by far.

> >>phoenixgod:
> > If the cabinet was competely of Draco's own volition, I think that
> > makes Draco worse actually.
> > <snip>

> >>Magpie:
> Whether it makes Draco seem worse I think it's canon.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
As Magpie said, what is does or doesn't do for Draco's character, I'm 
solely arguing canon here.

> >>Phoenixgod:
> For me that takes a lot of the sting out of the poor, blackmailed   
> Draco that you believe in. If he were so bothered by his actions he 
> would be trying so darn hard. he'd just be going through the       
> motions instead.

Betsy Hp:
But since you brought it up...<g>  I tell you what, someone holds the 
life of my family in their grip?  I'd be doing a darn sight more than 
just going through the motions.  I'd skip work, sleep, food, let go 
of any childish rivalries and put all of my focus on getting the 
required deed done.  And if I felt that inspite of all that I might 
not be able to do it?  There'd be breakdowns. So I don't see anything 
wrong with Draco working hard on his plan.

What I see as hopeful about Draco's Cabinet plan is that it's still a 
step away from actual murder.  Draco isn't working on a perfect death 
trap, he's opening a door.  It's a door that shouldn't be opened but 
it's not a killing stroke either.

Betsy Hp