Moody's death (was: Dumbledore's authority WAS: Re: Fees for Harry)

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 179494

a_svirn wrote:
> Considering that the Fake Potters episode didn't even rate mentioning 
> during the chat at King's Cross, I'd say that from canon's 
> perspective it was OK for Dumbledore to decide who is worth 
> preserving (Harry and Snape up to a certain point) and who isn't 
> (everyone else). He didn't ask Harry's forgiveness for treating his 
> nearest and dearest as chess pieces or for raising him like "a pig 
> for slaughter", he only carved his pardon for not trusting him 
> enough. And Harry accepts this philosophy. At least, I don't exactly 
> remember him challenging it. I wonder though would the others agree 
> to it as easily? Would Arthur and Molly agree that it was OK for 
> Dumbledore to serve their children (not to mention themselves) on a 
> silver platter to Voldemort, so that Snape's position as Voldemort's 
> favourite wouldn't be threatened?
>
Carol responds:

First, everyone except Mundungus (who is *not* the person who dies) is
participating in the Seven Potters mission voluntarily. And, of
course, they're putting Harry's life above their own--again,
*choosing* to do so--because they know he's the only one who can
defeat Voldemort. The Chose One, the one LV has been trying to murder
since he was a baby.

Second, it isn't merely a matter of Snape's sitting at Voldemort's
right hand. Dumbledore wants Snape as headmaster of Hogwarts to
protect the students from the Carrows (DH Am. ed. 688). While Snape
can't completely protect the students from the Carrows without giving
away his loyalties (and being murdered as a tratior), no one dies
while he's there, the teachers other than the Carrows retain their
positions, and Snape as much as invites the D.A. to reform by
reposting one of Umbridg'es old decrees. Imagine how different it
would be if the Carrows actually ran the school rather than having to
answer to Snape. They'd bring in DEs to (ostensibly) teach every
subject. Under Snape, the students are safe when they're in their
dormitories (the Carrows can't get into the Ravenclaw common room
without Flitwick's help--why he let Alecto in I have no idea) and
they're taught all but two of their classes by competent teachers who
have the students' safety in mind and will do everything in their
power to thwart the Carrows as they thwarted Umbridge in OoP. He also
closes off the secret passageways, which serves the dual purpose of
keeping students from sneaking into Hogsmeade, where the DEs are
staked out, and of keeping DEs out of Hogwarts.

*That's* the primary reason why Snape must maintain his credibility.
But Portrait!DD also needs him alive and at Hogwarts so he can deliver
the sword to Harry at the crucial moment and, ultimately, deliver the
message that will ensure Harry's willing self-sacrifice (which DD,
both in HBP and as a portrait in DH, knows will probably not result in
his death, though Snape can't know that or the message will not serve
its purpose).

Snape performs a role, actually, several roles, that only he can fill.
 He cannot be replaced by any old Order member. The mission to destroy
Voldemort depends on him almost as much as it depends on Harry.

So, yes, it's crucial for Snape to maintain his credibility, both to
protect the students in general (only those who earn detention are
Crucio'd; they're not torturing and killing each other in the
hallways) and to aid Harry in destroying Voldemort.

But Snape really tells LV only two crucial bits of information, the
time and date of the planned escape. And, as Pippin points out, LV
would have had DEs on the watch, perhaps on call nearby. And they can
Apparate instantly to that spot. You say that LV can't appear
instantly, but I believe that you're mistaken. He normally flies
without a broom when he needs to go a long distance, but I would be
very surprised if he can's Apparate like any other of-age wizard if
the need arises. If Fenrir Greyback can do it. Voldemort can. And in
this instance, he would know why he was being summoned and would want
to be there instantly.

IOW, important as the information Snape gave LV on DD's orders sounds,
it didn't make much difference in the end except to maintain his
standing with Voldemort, which was crucial. No one else could do
Snape's very important job. What did matter was the information that
Snape withheld, the seven Potter decoys. And if LV questioned him, he
could use Legilimency to prove that Mundungus hadn't given him that
information. (*He'd* given it to Mundungus, possibly on a different
occasion).

As for Moody's death, Mundungus caused that by Disapparating instead
of fighting back. It wasn't inevitable that he would be killed, or
that LV himself would take part in the chase. And it would have
happened whether Snape revealed the date and time or not because the
watching DEs would have summoned LV, who in turn would have summoned
the DEs, at least some of whom would have been standing by, brooms at
hand, waiting to be summoned, and the rest of whom could have arrived
in short order.

Carol, who agrees that the Seven Potters plan isn't perfect, but
disagrees that it was a suicide mission doomed to failure and that
nothing would have been different (except Moody's death) if Snape had
not revealed it under DD's orders