Voldemort's Orders re Not taking Harry in HPB

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 186332

gelite67 wrote:
>
> Snape at the end of the HBP:
> 
> "Have you forgotten our orders?  Potter belongs to the Dark Lord -- we are to leave him.  Go!  Go!"  Amedican hardback edition at 603. 
> 
> I understand why Voldemort needed to be the person to kill Harry.
> 
> I also understand that, at that point, Voldemort didn't want to duel with Harry b/c he didn't yet understand why his wand didn't defeat Harry's in GOF.
> 
> What I don't understand is why Voldemort would have ordered the DE to  leave Harry.  Why not kidnap him when they had the chance and then keep him prisoner until Voldemort figured out what to do?
><snip>

> Again, I'm aware of Snape trying to protect Harry.  I just don't see why Voldemort wouldn't have ordered them to bring Harry to him alive, and I don't see how Snape could explain away the fact that they didn't.
>
Carol responds:

I think it's because the purpose of this particular mission was to kill Dumbledore (and punish the Malfoys in the process). Getting Dumbledore out of the way would (theoretically) give Voldemort much easier access to Harry (especially if Harry attended Hogwarts with the supposed DE Snape as headmaster). Voldemort also knew that the protection on the Dursleys' house would expire when Harry turned seventeen, at which time, it would (supposedly) be much easier to capture and kill Harry.

Snape, of course, wanted the Death Eaters off the Hogwarts grounds and  used whatever means he could to persuade or order them. Voldemort's wish to kill Harry himself fit his needs nicely. He also reminded them that the Aurors were coming. Even if Voldemort had wanted them to capture Harry on this mission, as he clearly didn't, there was no time for it.

So one thing at a time. Now was not the right time to torture or kidnap Harry and Snape could use that fact to his advantage without blowing his cover.

Carol, who thinks that Snape did exactly what Voldemort, Dumbledore, and (aside from killing DD) he himself wanted to do