Slughorn -- DE or not? (was Re: When will the ministry start kicking butt and taking names?)

[exodusts]

No: HPFGUIDX 147045

Susanbones2003 wrote:
> 
> Hi there again,
> I just wanted to make my point with book in hand. Regarding the 
fake 
> attack on Slughorn's house:
> 
> "My dear Horace," said Dumbledore, looking amused, "if the Death 
> Eaters had really come to call, the Dark Mark would have been set 
> over the house."
>   The wizard clapped a pudgy hand to his vast forehead. 
>   " The Dark Mark," he muttered. "Knew thre was something ...ah 
> well. Wouldn't have had time anyway. I'd only just put the 
finishing 
> touches to my upholstery when you entered the room."
> p. 64, Scholastic Books ed. 
> 
> Now that's not as good as casting the mark but it is sufficiently 
> ambiguous to make me question his loyalties. 


I do not think there is anything in canon that categorically states 
that only Death Eaters know, or can cast, the Dark Mark spell. Re-
reading the chapter entitled "The Dark Mark" in GoF suggests 
that "precious few wizards" know it, but that is all. Slughorn knew 
about Horcruxes, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is a Death 
Eater either. It might just mean he is a shady character, who knows a 
bit about the Dark Arts. His drunken remorse in HBP, inspired by 
Harry's eyes resembling Lily's, seems sincere. It might also explain 
this quote from J.K. in 1999:

"Yes. I've even drawn a picture of how they look. Harry has his 
father and mother's good looks. But he has his mother's eyes and 
that's very important in a future book."

exodusts.