Triune of Evil, part II

I have spent quite a while today trying to gather 'evidence' that Sev might have used a time-turner to "put a stopper in death" when Dumbledore had burned his hand with the Ring Horcrux. Time is a large theme, and Hermione jumps to the conclusion that all time-turners are destroyed because the Daily Prophet (yeah right) said all the Ministry time-turners were destroyed. Dumbledore said that it was Snape's timely action that saved him.

However, while pouring through the text, a few other things came to my eye. Remember, that I have recently decided that Flitwick must be part of the Unholy Trio here. He was at the Three Broomsticks with Fudge and Rosmerta, in PoA, along with Rubeus and Minnie McG. But we see in Bk 7, a perhaps more sinister, and potentially revealing clue:
page 615:

"Harry, what happened? According to Hagrid you were with Professor Dumbledore when he --when it happened. He says Professor Snape was involved in some --" (McG)

"Snape killed Dumbledore," said Harry.

She stared at him for a moment, then swayed alarmingly; Madam Pomfrey, who seemed to have pulled herself together, ran forward, conjuring a chair from thin air, which she pushed under McGonagall.

"Snape," repeated McGonagall faintly, falling into the chair. "We all wondered... but he trusted... always... Snape... I can't believe it..."

Now, this is my speculation on that. McG does not say who all wondered.. the "we" could just as easily indicate DE, as it could teachers, or family, or Ministry. And just who did this trusting? We are led to believe she is talking about Dumbledore, but if 'we' is DE, then 'he' could just as easily be Voldy, and McG, like Bella, didn't trust Snape, and is shocked to discover that LV seems to have been right all along.

"He always hinted that he had an irondclad reason for trusting Snape," muttered Professor McGonagall, now dabbing at the corners of her leaking eyes with a tartan-edged handkerchief. "I mean... with Snape's history... of course people were bound to wonder... but Dumbledore told me explicitly that Snape's repentence was absolutely genuine.... Wouldn't hear a word against him!"
***omitted text***
"This is all my fault," said McGonagall, suddenly. She looked disoriented, twisting her wet handkerchief in her hands. "My fault. I sent Filius to fetch Snape tonight, I actually sent of him to come and help us! If I hadn't alerted Snape to what was going on, he might never have joined forces with the Death Eaters. I don't think he knew they were there before Filius told him. I don't think he knew they were coming."

OK... So here sits McG, manipulating the crowd. Perhaps, like Bella, she didn't trust Snape... and perhaps my first conclusion is wrong. Perhaps McG, knew Snape was on DD's side, and is now seeing the advantage of having the world at large after him. But at the same time, she exonerates him. "I don't think he knew they were coming." She admits that he didn't know until FF told him... on HER orders. I don't know if she wanted Snape to help the DE, or if she was going to use the opportunity to see what side he would fight with.

"So when he arrived at the fight, he joined in on the Death Eater's side?" asked Harry.
***omitted words***
"I don't know exactly how it happened," said Professor McGonagall distractedly. "It's all so confusing... Dumbledore had told us that he would be leaving the school for a few hours and that we were to patrol the corridors just in case... *Remus, Bill and Nymphadora were to join us... and so we patrolled. All seemed quiet. Every secret passageway out of the school was covered. We knew nobody could fly in. There were powerful enchantments on every entrance into the castle. I still don't know how the Death Eaters can possibly have entered...."

*not Snape? Why didn't DD have Sev helping patrol? Did he even let Sev know he was leaving? Would Severus have tried to stop him (think Pomfrey with a patient) or maybe have tried to go along? DD tells Harry to wake him up. Obviously, DD kept him in the dark about this mission.. not even including him with patrolling. At the same time, it further exonerates Sev, because DD helped provide him with an alibi. If Sev had been patrolling, everyone would have said he let the DE into the castle. Now, there isn't that option. Even Harry will have to admit that Draco didn't tell Snape what his plan was.

"Outside Snape's office, yes," whispered Hermione, her eyes sparkling with tears, " with Luna. We hung around for ages outside it and nothing happened...* We didn't know what was going on upstairs, Ron had taken the map....It was nearly midnight when Professor Flitwick came sprinting* down into the dungeons. He was shouting about Death Eaters in the castle*, office and we heardI don't think he really registered that Luna and I were there at all, he just burst his way into Snape's him saying that Snape had to go back with him and help* and then we heard a thump and Snape came hurtling out of his room and he saw us and -- and --"

"What?" Harry urged her.

"I was so stupid, Harry!" said Hermione in a high-pitched whisper. "He said Professor Flitwick had collapsed and that we should go and take care of him while he -- while he went to help fight the Death Eaters --" She covered her face in shame and continued to talk into her fingers, so that her voice was muffled*. "We went into his office to see if we could help Professor Flitwick and found him unconscious on the floor... and oh, is so obvious* now, Snape must have Stupified Flitwick, but we didn't realize, Harry, we didn't realize, we just let Snape go!"

*First, this further exonerates Severus. The two girls were outside his office for a long time, and he was inside. Unless there is another way out (floo?) he didn't go anywhere.

*Flitwick sprinting? Have you ever seen "Little People, Big World", on The Learning Channel? It would be quite a feat for a 'little person' to literally sprint all that way. Why wouldn't Flitwick have used some sort of charm for communication? (not part of the Order?)

*about Death Eaters in the castle. He could have as easily been excited and happy about this, as terrified. It doesn't say that he said they were attacking, or invading.. merely that they had arrived.

*Flitwick wanted Sev to come with him and help. Again, it doesn't say.. "come help me repel the invaders".. nor does it say.. "come with me and help defeat the Order." But most importantly, it does not say. The gang have been very wrong more than once about the people they suspected and trusted. This has all the ear-marks of that same trend.

*Her voice was muffled. Her face was covered. There is something to this... What was she trying to hide? I am not saying Hermione is evil.. but I AM saying there must be a reason she is hiding her face, besides being upset. Her voice was muffled. Sort of like how Slughorn's memory? Was someone in the room trying to legilimize her? Or in some way control what she said? Too much? Was McG trying to block her from incriminating Flitwick?

*Here is a conclusion that is jumped to. It is pure speculation on Hermione's part that Severus cast any spell at all on Filius. In fact, we later see that Filius had a bruise on his forehead from his encounter here. Look at it this way: Filius is a master dueler (or at least a champion). Sev knows this, and even though Flitwick had just sprinted there, Sev would know that any curse or hex thrown at Flitwick would have repercussions. I think Sev probably just hit him and knocked him down.

So that is all I have to say about Flitwick for right now. I do have a couple more tidbits to guess about Minnie McG though. I also found more about Hagrid, from this book, but that will be later. On page 235:

"--Professor, can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?"

"The Headmaster is away* until Monday, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, looking surprised.

"Away?" Harry repeated angrily.

"Yes, Potter, away!" said Professor McGonagall tartly. "But anything you have to say about this horrible business can be said to me*, I'm sure!"

For a split second, Harry hesitated. Professor McGonagall did not invite confidences;* Dumbledore though in many ways more intimidating, still seemed less likely to scorn a theory, however wild. This was a life-and-death matter though, and no moment to to worry about being laughed at.

"I think Draco Malfoy gave Katie that necklace, Professor."
****omitted text****
"That is a very serious accusation, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, after a shocked pause. "Do you have any proof*?"
***Harry tells her about Borgin and Burkes***
When he had finished speaking, Professor McGonagall looked slightly confused.

"Malfoy took something to Borgin and Burkes for repair?"

"No, Professor, he just wanted Borgin to tell him how to mend something, he didn't have it with him. But that's not the point*, the thing is that he bought something at the same time, and I think it was that necklace --"

"You saw Malfoy leaving the shop with a similar package?"*

"No, Professor, he told Borgin to keep it in the shop for him--"
***argument ensues with Hermione and Ron and him***
"That's enough!" said Professor McGonagall, as Hermione opened her mouth to retort, looking furious. "Potter, I appreciate you telling me this, but we cannot point the finger of blame at Mr. Malfoy purely because he visited the shop where this necklace might have been purchased. The same is probably true of hundreds of people--"

"--that's what I said--", muttered Ron.

"--and in any case, we have put stingent security measures in place this year. I do not believe that necklace can possibly have entered this school without our knowledge* --"

"But--"

"--and what is more," said Professor McGonagall, with an air of awful finality, "Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today."

Harry gaped at her, deflating.

"How do you know, Professor?"

"Because he was doing detention with me. He has now failed to complete his Transfiguration homework twice* in a row. So, thank you for telling me your suspicions, Potter," she said as she marched past them, "But I need to go up to the hospital wing now to check on Katie Bell. Good day to you all."

She held open her office door. They had no choice but to file past her without another word.

*Again?? Page 267, bk1: "We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Harry swallowed -- now what?

"It's sort of a secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Minstry of Magic, and flew off for London at once."
**Harry gets flustered, and tells her that Snape is going to steal the stone... she tells them to go outside and 'play nice' so-to-speak**

*page 626, bk6:
After glancing once at this portrait, Professor McGonagall made an odd movement as though steeling herself, then rounded the desk to look at Harry, her face taut and lined.

"Harry," she said, "I would like to know what you and Professor Dumbledore were doing this evening when you left the school."

"I can't tell you that, Professor," said Harry. He had expected the question, and had his answer ready. It had been here, in this very room that Dumbledore had told him that he was to confide the contents of their lessons to nobody but Ron and Hermione.

"Harry, it might be important," said Professor McGonagall.

"It is," said Harry, very, but he didn't want me to tell anyone."

Professor McGonagall glared at him. "Potter" -- Harry registered the renewed use of his surname-- "in the light of Professor Dumbledore's death, I think you must see that the stuation has changed somewhat-"

"I don't think so," said Harry, shrugging. "Professor Dumbledore never told me to stop following his orders if he died."

"But--"
**Here Harry goes on to tell her Rosmerta was under the Imperius... to which McG was incredulous**

*She blew off the gang before when they had tales to tell, so why should they trust her now?

*Here she seems to want to know what exactly Harry 'has' on Malfoy.

*She notices the bigger thing that Malfoy is up to, and leads off that way, to see what Harry knows about the repair work. Harry thinks she is going off topic...

*Again, McG questions Harry closely, to see what, if any evidence he has to tie Malfoy to that necklace... she goes after him like Perry Mason!!

*Not that the necklace DID enter the school... it hadn't yet, because Borgin sent it to Rosmerta... but that's not to say that it couldn't have or wouldn't have... WITH someone's knowledge....

*It isn't any of their business why Draco had detention.. so why give them an excuse? If it were a legitimate reason, I don't think she'd have given it.

These are just some of the reasons I have for distrusting Minnie McG, and Filius. I have a few quotes to put in about Hagrid.. but I want to combine them with things I have said before... about Hagrid in Bk1. That'll be a topic for another day... and I'll probably even get it posted before Bk7.... so I can see if these theories actually hold any water!! LOL