Cheating

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 146449

Jen:
> Voldemort's power is his ability to maneuver people into 
> situations where their hands are tied by their instincts for good 
> actions (or evil actions for a person like Pettigrew). Like in the 
> case of Draco, Voldemort wasn't expecting Draco could put up enough 
> of a fight for Dumbledore to actually have to kill him, but he was 
> manipulating Dumbledore into an impossible situation by using one 
of 
> his students inside Hogwarts. Like Ceridwen said, the long-term 
goal 
> was Dumbledore, a goal of Voldemort's probably dating back to the 
> time he first placed Snape at Hogwarts.

Ceridwen:
Voldemort's blind spot is that he assumes everyone else feels the 
same way he does.  He's afraid of death.  It doesn't matter to him 
that Dumbledore said there are worse things.  He would think that, 
deep down, when actually confronted with Death, Dumbledore would want 
to live.  This blind spot is why he doesn't trust his DEs - he 
wouldn't trust himself if the roles were reversed.  He uses his 
ability to manipulate people, to stave off a coup in the DE ranks, 
and to place people into untenable situations.

Other than his blind spot, though, he does know his enemies' 
weaknesses.  And Dumbledore's is his students.

Jen:
> Voldemort knows Dumbledore will act as 'fools who love act.' He 
> wouldn't ever harm Draco, and more than that, he wants Draco to 
make 
> the right choice. He can't have a heart-to-heart with Draco and put 
> him in danger. He doesn't want to kick him out of the school and 
> turn him completely to Voldemort's side . Dumbledore knows allowing 
> Draco to stay at Hogwarts is safeguarding him to a certain extent 
> and buys some time, although the down side is he might harm someone 
> else in the process. What's he to do?  That's the way Voldemort 
> operates, that's how he ties the hands of good people.

Ceridwen:
A case of Voldemort knowing his enemy.  Dumbledore's weakness is also 
his strength, his ability to act as 'fools who love act'.  Dumbledore 
trusts the good side of people and the higher human nature.  He was 
probably a fool not to be more hands-on with Tom Riddle among others, 
therefore in Voldemort's mind, he *always* acts the fool when he 
trusts.  And, it is a risk.  It didn't work with TR, and Draco did 
put others into danger during his attempts against DD's life.  
Knowing this sort of thing would go on had to be difficult for 
Dumbledore.  He was Voldemort's victim the entire year.
> 
> maria8162001:
> > If Draco fails, LV would have the reason to kill both Draco and 
> > Narcissa. But LV didn't count on Narcissa asking Snape's help.
> 
> Jen: You don't think? I thought that visual of the flames wrapping 
> around Snape's wrists was pretty much vintage Voldemort. I think 
> Voldemort was well aware of what Narcissa was up to and figured he 
> would kill two birds with one stone--Dumbledore, and Snape's 
> humanity, which he regained through Dumbledore's trust. "The Dark 
> Lord always knows!" said Bella in OOTP. I don't think Snape's 
superb 
> Occlumency was enough to completely fool the greatest Legilimens 
and 
> dark wizard of the century, even if LV didn't get the entire 
> picture. But Snape was useful to him, placed at Hogwarts, and he 
> used him for his own ends.

Ceridwen:
I completely and totally agree.  Again, Voldemort's manipulation 
coming into play, and his *trust* in his own distrust of his people.  
*Of course* Narcissa will run to Snape for help.  He's an old family 
friend, and he's on-site at Hogwarts where the mission is supposed to 
take place.  He's a more experienced DE, whether or not he slithers 
out of things.  And there is apparently enough of a friendship or 
obligation between Snape and the Malfoys, which Narcissa played on by 
mentioning his friendship with Lucius and Snape being Draco's 
favorite teacher.  With LV's distrust, he probably didn't buy Snape's 
story completely whether or not he could sense a problem through 
Legilimency.  And he does know human nature enough to know that a 
mother will more than likely go for help for her child.

And now, neither Snape nor Draco are useful.  LV might keep them 
around for window dressing, but they lost their usefulness the minute 
they had to leave Hogwarts.  IMO, if they go back to LV, they're 
treading on thin ice.

I like the phrase, "...and Snape's humanity, which he regained 
through Dumbledore's trust."  So very true!  Dumbledore's acting 
like 'fools who love act' restores the humanity that Voldemort strips 
from his followers.  Following LV makes one less than they could have 
been; following Dumbledore allows one to see potential.

Ceridwen.