Cabinet FIRST! One last time.

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 157763

I'm not even sure why I am back in this discussion again
since I think it has taken a irrational turn. As much as
it pains me to say this, and as much as it may appear to
be a personal attack, I must say that when Betsy and 
Magpie are arguing the /merits/ of their /interpretation/ 
of canon, they are spot on, but when they are agruing the
/demerits/ of my /interpretation/ of canon, they are lost
in impossible flights of fancy. 

They are assigning characteristics and making assumption 
about the 'cabinet first' interpretation that are 
unfounded and even directly contradict what I said. When 
I  say 'contradict', I don't mean they are making the 
counter agrument. I mean that are assigning characteristics 
that are the exact opposite of what I said. And please 
don't ask me for quotes, just go back and read what you 
said about my theory and 70% or more of it is bunk. 

Let's touch on a few examples. 

The idea that Draco went to Voldemort. Maybe...maybe not. 
I believe when I spoke of that I used terms like 'through 
a set of circumstances'. My post were already quite long, 
so I didn't see the need to bore anyone with minute 
details.

In the /reality/ of the theory, Draco simply makes it known 
through a set of inconsequential circumstances (condensed
version) that he knows a secret way into Hogwarts. Once 
that information reachs Voldemort, by whatever means, he 
calls Draco to a confab. In that conference, Voldemort 
makes his assignments. 

So, Draco didn't necessarily go running to Voldemort, and 
as Magpie and Betsy suggest (I think, hard to tell), 
Voldemort called for Draco. But he had a reason to call 
for him. That sets the Cabinet Plot into motion, and 
Voldemort compounds the situation by tacking on vengefull 
tasks that Draco hadn't counted on. 

This is the point where my theory and Mapgie's 
interpretation merge. From this point on, the story plays
out the same either way. Despite what Betsy and Magpie
/claim/, the story plays the same.

The idea that by talking with Voldemort, Draco has 
irrevocably chosen the path of /pure irredeemable evil/. 
Not so, in his limited schoolboy view, Draco does what Draco 
always does; he causes trouble. Draco always has been a 
nasty piece of work, he's alway been a Death Eater's son, 
a Voldemort supporter, and he has always been against Harry 
and Dumbledore. Draco goes into that conference with 
schoolboy motives, but he comes out of it shouldering an 
impossible burden even for a man. It's no wonder he has 
forgetten all about Harry. He's fighting for his life.

So, Draco has not chosen an irredeemable path of Evil that
totally alters the plotline and the story as suggested, he 
has had the irredeemable path of Evil thrust upon him. He
has had a very rude awakening. No wonder he's stressed out.

No one takes on an assignment for Voldemort, whether large 
or small, without putting his own life at risk. Voldemort 
does not forgive easily. The smallest screw up will get you 
tortured; a slightly larger screw up might just get you dead. 
I see no problem with Draco having lost interest in Harry
under those circumstances, and don't see Draco having passed
information to Voldemort as having chosen an irredeemable
plot-altering path of evil, again, under those circumstances.

I've said before, that my theory does not alter the plot in
any way. Though it has been further suggested that my theory
will substantially alter the plot of the next book. That for
some reason the next book will 'come to a screeching halt 
while Draco explains himself'. 

At the end of the book(HBP), Draco is thrust into the 
forefront of the story. There is no way for the next book 
not to deal with Draco. Theories abound; Draco's will come 
over to the good side, Draco is dead, Draco will fully join 
the Dark Side. Regardless of which one you buy, at some 
point in the next book, the book IS going to come to a 
screeching halt while Draco's subplot is resolved. It is 
one of the major hanging story threads.

Draco's bravado on the train. You do know what 'bravado' 
means don't you? It means "A pretense of courage; a false 
show of bravery. A disposition toward showy defiance or 
false expressions of courage." 

Draco is stuck; he's been given an assignment. A do or 
die assignment. His wish has come true; he has become a 
Death Eaters, except that now he finds out it's not as 
romantic or a 'clean' as he imagined it was. So, what can 
he do; lay down and die, or make the best of it. Regardless 
of his choice he is not going to let his friends 'see him 
sweat'. Besides, in his warped little Draco mind, he 
imagines he might actually be able to pull it off.

Why Draco? Why not someone else? Well, secrecy for one.
Also, who better than Draco to fix the cabinet. He's aleady
at Hogwarts. As is seen from people's reactions, no one 
would expect Draco to be personally working with Voldemort.
Draco is smart, he's a good student, and has a reasonable
knowledge of magic, and can generally be trusted. And, of
course, the juicy /revenge/ aspect. If not Draco, then, 
realistically, who?

Why not Snape? Because, Snape still has spy potential, 
regardless of the outcome of the plan. There is also
the popular theory, that this is also a test for Snape.
A chance for Snape to prove with absolute certainty
that he is not in 'Dumbledore's Pocket'. Snape does seem
to know something, but I don't think he is privy to any
details or the schedule. Snape was to know /something/
was going on, but wasn't suppose to interfere unless 
things went hopelessly astray, as they certainly did. 

Finally, you keep asking for canon, but before I give it
let me point out that Spinner's End does not confirm Betsy's
or Magpie's view. I think their interpretation is the way
that JKR wanted us to interpret the books while the story
was playing out. But Spinner's End only expresses Narcissa's
views, it doesn't confirm them. 

One could say that Harry flat our says with absolute 
certainty that Draco has the Dark Mark. Also, hints are
dropped that this might be true. Despite Harry's certainty
and the authoral intent to make us think it is true, it is
never confirmed in the books. 

Neither is Spinner's End confirmed. We are made to think 
Narcissa is expressing Voldemort's motivation. But she is 
an extremely distraught mother worried about her husband's 
screw up and her son involvement way over his head. She has 
ever reason to worry, but we have no proof that her version 
is the correct version. 

Now I will say that it probably is the correct version, but 
that is my interpretation of those event. Just as I believe 
Harry's right about Draco having the Dark Mark is true. But 
both those interpretation are just that /interpretations/. 
The books don't confirm either one. 

Betsy and Magpie's absolute certainty about Spinner's End 
is their interpretation of canon. Because the story is in 
a sense a mystery, and some things can't be known with 
absolute certainty. Besides, I've never doubted the events
in Spinner's End. Those event are part of what confirms in 
my mind, my interpretation of how Draco got involved in all 
this.

So, my canon is -

-The Montague and cabinet subplot in OotP.
-Draco confrontation with and anger at Harry at the end of 
OotP.
-Spinner's End
-Draco's Detour
-The entire 'what's Draco doing' subplot and associated 
accessories in HBP.
-Draco's conversation with Dumbledore at the top of the 
tower.
-Six years of knowing Draco's personality as documented 
in six books. 

Admittedly, I am filling in a little of the off-page back-
story, but that back story fits my interpretation of the 
book to a tee. 

Finally, I may have spoken harshly to Magpie and Betsy. But
I DID say, when they are arguing their postion, they are 
spot on in their arguments. But when they are trying to tell
me what my theory does and doesn't mean, or does and doesn't
say, they are lost in unsubstantiated flights of fancy. 

Still, it has been a hell of a fun discussion and a very 
nice break from Horcruxes and Snape.


Just passing it along.

Steve/bboyminn