A Dark Glamour - Voldemort's Appeal

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 178940

> "They were a motely collection;
>  a mixture of the weak seeking protection, 
>  the ambitious seeking some shared glory, 
>  and the thuggish gravitating toward a leader... "
>   (from HBP, Ch 17)
> 
> Pick one of Dumbledore's categories (or your own theory) and 
> explain how that applies to Snape, Malfoy, or any other DE, and 
> therefore why they were attracted to Riddle/Voldemort? 

Mike:
OK, I'll start. ;)

This DE admired Tom Riddle for his intelligence and his ability. He 
had been one of the first to meet Tom, I'll call him DE1. Of Riddle 
he said that "he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has 
ever seen." (^1)

I suppose he was seeking some shared glory. It was noted by DE1,
"You cannot imagine how his ideas caught me,... inflamed me. Muggles 
forced into subserviance. We wizards triumphant.... the glorious ... 
leaders of the revolution." (^2) 

Unfortunately, for DE1, he was left behind like everyone else when 
Tom Riddle went out into the wide world. Later on, DE1 lamented, "He 
vanished, with his plans for seizing power, and his schemes for 
Muggle torture,... I had encouraged him and helped him." (^3)

In later years, DE1 was known to appraise the now Voldemort's powers. 
Though it was now known that LV had become VaporMort for 14 
years, "his brain and his magical powers remain intact." (^4) Which 
of course was proven to all the DEs in the graveyard.

Have you figured out who DE1 is?

Last clues: DE1 said, "Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater.... He 
is now no more a Death Eater than I am." (^5) But, Severus Snape was 
always a Death Eater because "you don't just hand in your resignation 
to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death." (^6) And we know 
that it was both for Snape.

OK, I cheated a little with the misleading and selective quotes. I 
admit, I just wanted to beat lizzyben to the punch! :D)

Mike

*****************
^1 CoS, pg 329, US Ed.
^2 DH, pg 716, US Ed.
^3 DH, pg 717, US Ed.
^4 HBP, pg 509, US Ed.
^5 GoF, pp 590-1, US Ed.
^6 OotP, pg 112, US Ed.