House Elves / Chapter 7 / Lucius, Lucius, Lucius

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 179158

> a_svirn wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/179057>:
> 
> << [Voldemort] was quite simply too dangerous to trifle with. >>

> Catlady:
> Lucius had an exaggerated sense of his invulnerability.

a_svirn:
Why? Once he ceded his own freedom to Voldemort he became extremely 
vulnerable. Couldn't help it. I don't see how he could expect it 
otherwise. 

a_svirn: 
> << More importantly, it was *Lucius's* job, not Voldemort's to weed
> out the undesirables. I don't see how Lucius could have been
> delusional enough to believe that Voldemort would do the dirty work
> for him, when it was exactly the other way round. >>
> 
> Catlady:
> I see the specific 'dirty work' that Voldemort would do for Lucius 
was
> to be the figurehead, the name and face of the coup/ conquest/
> revolution, and Lucius would be hidden/invisible in that context.
> Voldemort would terrify all and sundry; Lucius, in Voldemort's name,
> would recruit some people to be Death Eaters, and Lucius's recruits
> would recruit enough bruisers and spies to overthrow the opposed
> government and subdue the population. 

a_svirn:
And what would be the point of that? Revolutionary leaders aren't in 
the habit of stepping politely aside once they come to power and 
abdicate in favour of their minions. They are more likely to 
reshuffle those minions from time to time just in case they get 
ideas. You are painting Lucius as a clever puppet master, but canon 
does not support this view. Voldemort had never been anyone's puppet, 
and unless Lucius was labouring under some particularly weird 
delusions of grandeur he couldn't believe that Voldemort would do 
any "dirty work" for him by simple expedient of being his Master 
(with capital M) and holding the WW firmly under his (Voldemort's) 
control. 

> Catlady:
The Death Eaters would respect
> Lucius as a high-ranking Death Eater and the Ministry, until
> overthrown, would respect Lucius as a rich man who was not on
> Voldemort's side. 
> 
> I'm sure that Lucius expected that when Voldemort ruled the wizards,
> he would do and command what Lucius flattered and manipulating him
> into doing and commanding. 

a_svirn:
I'd agree with that if we didn't know a little more about the death 
eater's customs and every day practices. In order to become a death 
eater Lucius had to practically enslave himself to Voldemort. He 
could – with some effort – maintain the Lord of the Manor image for 
the Ministry's benefit, but certainly not before the death eaters. 
They were all expected to abase themselves to equal degree. He may 
have been put in charge of some missions (thus doing the dirty work 
for Voldemort), but he had no real power, because he relinquished 
*all* of it to Voldemort from the start.  


> Catlady:
> I'm sure Lucius expected that he would be able to build himself 
such a
> secure situation, right under Voldemort's nose, that at some point 
he
> could arrange for Voldemort to die or be eternally imprisoned in a
> lead bottle sealed with the sign of a seven pointed star and thrown
> into the sea. And, as Steve bboyminn wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/179107>: 
> << then later Lucius would take over and /claim/ a new age of
> enlightenment. Which translates into a whole new dictator, but the
> same old tyranny. >> 

a_svirn:
Well, I still don't see how he could have been so cheerfully 
optimistic. Besides, why take such a roundabout route to power? 
Surely it would be more fun and less risky if he (and other 
purebloods) overthrew the Ministry on their own? Without enslaving 
themselves to this half-blood self-proclaimed Lord? Considering that 
they were doing exactly that anyway? This way Lucius could have been 
the Lord and others would have to do *his* dirty work. Granted, there 
would still be Voldemort to deal with, but without powerful wizards 
to back him he would be less formidable. According to this scenario 
Lucius could afford to negotiate with Voldemort instead of grovelling 
at his feet. And he would be a player instead of a pawn.  


> a_svirn:
> << But he was ok with having an upstart half-blood as his Master? >>

> > Catlady:
> He was okay with calling that upstart half-blood 'Master' as long as
> that half-blood was the strong horse on which he was riding to
> victory. I'm sure he viewed it as play-acting.

a_svirn:
I am sure he didn't. Voldemort *was* his master. Actors can switch 
off their play acting mode. Death eaters couldn't. As Sirius very 
justly pointed out you can't tender your resignation to Voldemort.