Cold Beboots was cold

[beboots]

The final evening at Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton! It ended up being like -27C in the river valley... The poor draft horses had frost all over their coats, and were brought into the stables (switched out for tractors AKA "mechanical horses" ;) ) halfway through the evening. I took a shower right before I left for work, and I put my hair in braids while wet. So after I lit the bonfires, and I realized about an hour into my shift that my braids had frozen. SOLID. Like, icicle cores. D: 

CHECK IT OUT



PIPI LONGSTOCKING COSPLAYS = NOW RIDICULOUSLY EASY. 

And for comparison purposes, here is what it looks like defrosted. SO FLOPPY



Here is a shot of the glorious bonfire I made yesterday, to warm you up wherever you are. :)

Comments

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Undermining racism, one person at a time. :)

"Especially when it's A) a professor B) a Head of House inside his own domain (which is "the entirety of the dungeons," for him) and C) Snape. He was a triple agent while maintaining a full Potions curriculum and probably doing research on the side." Aww yeah. Also, making potions for Order members, I would imagine. Like Lupin, perhaps, at certain points. ;) SNAPE CAN HANDLE ALMOST ANYTHING.

"Snape might help him that one. Albus's ways are incomprehensible to anyone who isn't a dotty old Gryffindor, maybe, but the results are generally good." Trufax. It still takes Draco a while to digest all of these new concepts, of course. He still kicks himself for being slow off the mark in obliviating Snape, though, for a while... at least until he starts to see that it's nice to not be going at things alone anymore. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Awesome! Undermining racism, one person at a time. :)" Easiest way to do it, really. Doing it on a large scale usually gets some nasty feedback.

"Aww yeah. Also, making potions for Order members, I would imagine. Like Lupin, perhaps, at certain points. ;) SNAPE CAN HANDLE ALMOST ANYTHING." AND HE CAN HANDLE IT WITH STYLE. He can even handle partially-resurrected-Voldemort-that-dislikes-Snape. (Quirrelmort and Snape didn't get along, but that might be easily forgiven. Quirrel is an idiot, and of course Snape had plans in place. He was probably trying to get the philosopher's stone on Halloween to present to Voldie himself.)

"Trufax. It still takes Draco a while to digest all of these new concepts, of course. He still kicks himself for being slow off the mark in obliviating Snape, though, for a while... at least until he starts to see that it's nice to not be going at things alone anymore. ;)" Plus, he would have to have taken the step of obliviating Snape without being caught, being stopped, running into the best damn Occlumency shields in the world, getting caught in some backlash, or accidentally breaking something while Obliviating him. Hermione made it look like something you can manage after reading a couple articles in Book Seven and Movie Seven, but if you do it wrong, it can go very wrong, and if you make any dings in Snape's brain somebody is going to notice.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"He was probably trying to get the philosopher's stone on Halloween to present to Voldie himself." You mean this is what Draco thinks?

"Plus, he would have to have taken the step of obliviating Snape without being caught, being stopped, running into the best damn Occlumency shields in the world, getting caught in some backlash, or accidentally breaking something while Obliviating him." Oh, Draco wasn't thinking of CONSEQUENCES. It was just an instinctive "ACK ERASE ERASE ERASE I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW!!1!" move on his part. I'm sure that once he calms down and thinks things through, he'll be glad it turned out the way it did. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"You mean this is what Draco thinks?" Tom's very good at deluding himself when it concerns his own importance. He can probably come up with several explanations for Snape's behavior (or he knows that Snape would have kicked his ass in the wispy little spirit form), or Tom would have whipped the turban off and "Snape, my good man, go fetch the stone." It costs effort to manifest that way, but of course his best-est-est Death Eater would work it out.

"Oh, Draco wasn't thinking of CONSEQUENCES. It was just an instinctive "ACK ERASE ERASE ERASE I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW!!1!" move on his part. I'm sure that once he calms down and thinks things through, he'll be glad it turned out the way it did. ;) " Yes, he will, but that's why he needs Hermione. He's such a GRYFFINDOR sometimes with his leap-then-consider-on-the-way-down.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Tom would have whipped the turban off and "Snape, my good man, go fetch the stone." It costs effort to manifest that way, but of course his best-est-est Death Eater would work it out." D: I still have to wonder how much Snape knew about the extent of Quirrell's involvement with the Dark Lord. Probably not the two-faced thing, at least...

"Yes, he will, but that's why he needs Hermione. He's such a GRYFFINDOR sometimes with his leap-then-consider-on-the-way-down." Of course, he is horrified by the comparison, but... ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"D: I still have to wonder how much Snape knew about the extent of Quirrell's involvement with the Dark Lord. Probably not the two-faced thing, at least..." Snape probably had Words with Albus about his hiring practices. Really, they're horrible. While Harry is at school and Dumbles is hiring: harboring Voldemort in the back of head that kills unicorns and tries to kill Harry, charlatan that nearly blanked Harry's memory, professor with an accidental attempt at killing Harry, man posing as other man with the fulfilled plan of handing Harry to Voldemort, woman that is just generally creepy as hell that manages to cause some permanent damage (and who later puts a dead man's eye on her door), and then Snape.

Of all of the DADA professors, Harry was in the LEAST danger from Snape. Lupin's was an accident, and I can't be too hard on him because I know that Lupin would never forgive himself for forgetting to take that potion, but Quirrel/Lockhart/Moody/Umbridge all set out to hurt Harry at some point with varying degrees of success.

" Of course, he is horrified by the comparison, but... ;) " So is Ron Weasley.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Snape probably had Words with Albus about his hiring practices. Really, they're horrible." Trufax. If they're not evil, annoying, and/or incompetent, they're WEREWOLVES. >:(

" Of course, he is horrified by the comparison, but... ;) " So is Ron Weasley." Oh man... Ron just cracks me up, though. I'm sure that Hermione will accuse him of anti-Slytherin prejudice and Ron can't even process the idea. Like "What- I don't even- DEATH EATERS". I'm sure that when he returns home for the summer, Gred and Forge will tease him about his new friend, to the horror of their parents. "HE'S NOT MY FRIEND HE JUST DOESN'T LEAVE US ALONE"

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"If they're not evil, annoying, and/or incompetent, they're WEREWOLVES. >:(" Werewolves that didn't do a thing against bullying, no less. (It's hard, there, because I sympathize with both of them. Lupin probably hadn't had friends since being bitten, and didn't think he'd find any again, and young!James and Sirius would have found ways to subtly use it against him when Remus was being a stick in the mud.)

"Oh man... Ron just cracks me up, though. I'm sure that Hermione will accuse him of anti-Slytherin prejudice and Ron can't even process the idea. Like "What- I don't even- DEATH EATERS". I'm sure that when he returns home for the summer, Gred and Forge will tease him about his new friend, to the horror of their parents. "HE'S NOT MY FRIEND HE JUST DOESN'T LEAVE US ALONE""

OMG YES! Malfoy is NOT his friend. He's a tetchy little albino midget (don't ask how Malfoy is somehow scrawnier/smaller than Harry) that started stalking Harry after somehow going and making friends with Hermione. (Wait. The muggleborn girl?) Yeah, and she keeps defending 'Draco' even when it was completely obvious that he's bad news, and then she let MALFOY go on with Potter when we were trying to stop Quirrel, and Malfoy knows a few weird dark arts spells, but Harry says they only used them to get away from Voldemort. (Cue the family cornering him for a full chronological story)

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Lupin probably hadn't had friends since being bitten, and didn't think he'd find any again, and young!James and Sirius would have found ways to subtly use it against him when Remus was being a stick in the mud." Yeah, I think he let a LOT of things slide when his friends did things he normally wouldn't agree with... http://fav.me/d10l1nl

"that started stalking Harry after somehow going and making friends with Hermione. (Wait. The muggleborn girl?) Yeah, and she keeps defending 'Draco' even when it was completely obvious that he's bad news, and then she let MALFOY go on with Potter when we were trying to stop Quirrel, and Malfoy knows a few weird dark arts spells, but Harry says they only used them to get away from Voldemort. (Cue the family cornering him for a full chronological story)" OMG YES those interjections would be HILARIOUS. And Arthur & Molly just have no idea what to make of it all, except to feel vaguely uneasy about the whole thing. ;) I wonder if I should have them meet Draco when the Grangers and he all go to Diagon Alley...

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I think he let a LOT of things slide when his friends did things he normally wouldn't agree with... http://fav.me/d10l1nl"

I think he wouldn't have been comfortable using "I'm a prefect" against them, ever. Later, it takes Sirius nearly murdering Snape by werewolf (I know Sirius thought that Snape would get scared and stop poking around, but honestly) for James to grow up and put an end to things. I've always pictured that as the first time that James sides with Remus instead of Sirius. Peter follows James, for once Remus won't forgive something because it's been a couple days and they're friends, and James has to grow up.

In my head-canon, that's why James grew up and Lily started taking notice. He ended up a better friend to Remus, but Sirius and Remus never quite recovered, or they would have figured out in three seconds that neither Remus nor Sirius will be doing any betraying thanks.

"OMG YES those interjections would be HILARIOUS. And Arthur & Molly just have no idea what to make of it all, except to feel vaguely uneasy about the whole thing. ;) I wonder if I should have them meet Draco when the Grangers and he all go to Diagon Alley..." Hermione might be sending letters to Harry and be a little hurt when Harry doesn't send anything back. I think Draco will be the imperious one asking if there aren't other ways for Muggles to communicate. If Hermione's the one on the phone (not Ron), then she can find out a lot more information. She's clever enough to pretend that she has a non-school reason for talking to Harry, and she can ask things in ways that let Harry respond without freaking out his aunt or uncle.

If the Weasleys can find his number, she can, and Draco might be stunned to see the listing in the phone book for the Dursleys. Muggles have Potter's summer address written down, when it took half of forever for Voldemort to figure it out? Crazy.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Hermione might be sending letters to Harry and be a little hurt when Harry doesn't send anything back. I think Draco will be the imperious one asking if there aren't other ways for Muggles to communicate. If Hermione's the one on the phone (not Ron), then she can find out a lot more information." At the very least she won't yell into the phone and act suspiciously freakish. ;) This is also the first time that Draco has seen a fellytone in action. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"At the very least she won't yell into the phone and act suspiciously freakish. ;) This is also the first time that Draco has seen a fellytone in action. ;) "

No wonder Hermione is rather dismissive of Floos as communication. She can stand up (or sit in a chair!) and talk to somebody just by dialing a number and something weird goes on with the wires. She very well knows to not yell, and I think she can bumble through not being suspicious. If they need a better story, Draco can snatch the phone and take over.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"If they need a better story, Draco can snatch the phone and take over." Although I'm sure that he would be quite hesitant in speaking, at first, though he's smart enough to copy what Hermione was doing. ;) But how much could Harry reveal over the phone? Perhaps just that he hadn't received her letters, thus prompting a discussion regarding who/what could possibly be able to intercept mail?

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"Although I'm sure that he would be quite hesitant in speaking, at first, though he's smart enough to copy what Hermione was doing. ;) But how much could Harry reveal over the phone? Perhaps just that he hadn't received her letters, thus prompting a discussion regarding who/what could possibly be able to intercept mail?"

Draco's canny enough to create a system on the spot. "Talk about the weather if you want to say yes, (other innocuous topic) for no." Something so that Harry can stand right in front of Vernon and not get in trouble. By that point, Hermione might have suspicions that Harry is in a bad, bad household, and Draco would understand "don't let the Muggles know you're magic, just in case."

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"Draco's canny enough to create a system on the spot. "Talk about the weather if you want to say yes, (other innocuous topic) for no." Something so that Harry can stand right in front of Vernon and not get in trouble." I like this system. :) Draco has experience in subterfuge. Of course, I'm pretty sure that Vernon will cut Harry off at the most inconvenient time possible because he's wracking up a huge phone bill. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I like this system. :) Draco has experience in subterfuge. Of course, I'm pretty sure that Vernon will cut Harry off at the most inconvenient time possible because he's wracking up a huge phone bill. ;)" Oh, he will, but then Draco might have heard enough that he's going to move in. Draco can probably find a way to access a few useful potions, glamours might not be that hard, and if things sound bad he and Hermione can find a way to get to Little Whinging.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I'm debating about that. It could be another point in Draco's favour in the eyes of Hermione and Harry, in rescuing him (particularly if he's being all but imprisoned and/or starved in his bedroom on Privet Drive)... but then Harry wouldn't have gotten a chance to meet the Weasley family.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I'm debating about that. It could be another point in Draco's favour in the eyes of Hermione and Harry, in rescuing him (particularly if he's being all but imprisoned and/or starved in his bedroom on Privet Drive)... but then Harry wouldn't have gotten a chance to meet the Weasley family."

Maybe you can shift Draco's rescue back? He might not so concerned after the first year. He doesn't know Harry that well, he's rather distracted with the crazy Muggles all over, and maybe Potter's guardians are hyper-protective.

In the summer after second year, Hermione really needs a project to keep her mind active, and regular letters/phone calls/something might help a little bit. He might call them after storming out of his house, or might ask the Knight Bus to take him to Hermione's address. That last bit has potential, really. It's not a gigantic change from the book, Harry and Draco still have time to be friends, and if some crazy black Grim-looking thing is stalking Harry, Draco has a good chance at shooing it off.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"might ask the Knight Bus to take him to Hermione's address. That last bit has potential, really. It's not a gigantic change from the book, Harry and Draco still have time to be friends, and if some crazy black Grim-looking thing is stalking Harry, Draco has a good chance at shooing it off." !!! Good point. :3 I like this idea. :) It would only come out after he joins the other two that Harry is a different kind of crazy/paranoid than Hermione or Draco. ;)

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"!!! Good point. :3 I like this idea. :) It would only come out after he joins the other two that Harry is a different kind of crazy/paranoid than Hermione or Draco. ;)" Oh dear, the three of them all do have completely different reasons to be paranoid. Hermione was possessed by Voldemort often enough that she can be a badass Order member later, and she also can knock Harry and Draco into calming down and thinking more rationally. (She's the queen of rational thinking in the original trio. Draco could use the reminders.) Harry was in a physically and verbally abusive household. "Nearly" hitting him with pans, not feeding him enough, inappropriate amounts of chores (especially when compared to Dudley), keeping him confined to a small area isolated from the rest of the family--abuse. The verbal part... well. The better question is when they AREN'T verbally abusing him.

Draco was a Death Eater, and he has the one-in-a-million chance to honestly not have that title anymore. Snape turned, but he still is going to have that Mark. Draco got away from the Mark and the link to Voldemort (He might start with Occlumency on Harry sooner than fifth year, just out of being paranoid and shocked that most people don't practice Occlumency-- his aunt taught him originally, I think. Bella's pretty good).

Ron's the most normal of the group, even if dealing with Gred and Forge is not the most supportive environment for being little.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

They'll all be able to work out their issues together! ;) Or make each other's issues worse: either/or. ;)

"Harry was in a physically and verbally abusive household. "Nearly" hitting him with pans, not feeding him enough, inappropriate amounts of chores (especially when compared to Dudley), keeping him confined to a small area isolated from the rest of the family--abuse. The verbal part... well. The better question is when they AREN'T verbally abusing him." Trufax. Harry needs some fattening up and real, honest, unconditional affection for HIM and not for what he did as a baby.

Oh, I've written it so far that Draco DOESN'T know occumency. He mostly just avoided Voldemort's gaze and/or was never told/knew anything important anyway. If he has no mental shields then there's no impediment to Snape and Dumbledore digging every last nugget of information out of him really quickly! Of course, we could have Snape or Dumbledore TEACHING Draco occlumency towards the end of second year (once they trust him not to be hiding stuff from them). Draco could then teach Harry with more luck than Snape did. ;)

Yeah, Ron would have been on the recieving end of a lot of "abuse" from his brothers, in particular, but there's a difference between being turned into a chicken and being laughed at as a part of a prank and having someone swing a frying pan at your head for not doing your chores just right.

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

It's a crapshoot, really, but any Trio+Draco events are going to be a little strange. I do think he would be able to help Hermione. No matter what he might still think about blood, he can't exactly blaming someone for getting coaxed over by somebody with Voldemort's force behind the personality.

"Trufax. Harry needs some fattening up and real, honest, unconditional affection for HIM and not for what he did as a baby." He does. He really, really does. I think having both the Grangers and the Weasleys deciding that he's a charming young man would definitely help. In the books, he didn't really get an adult until he was 15, which is almost too late for it to count (especially as he loses Sirius very quickly after that, and before that Sirius was on the run and only could talk once in a while).

"Oh, I've written it so far that Draco DOESN'T know occumency. He mostly just avoided Voldemort's gaze and/or was never told/knew anything important anyway. If he has no mental shields then there's no impediment to Snape and Dumbledore digging every last nugget of information out of him really quickly! Of course, we could have Snape or Dumbledore TEACHING Draco occlumency towards the end of second year (once they trust him not to be hiding stuff from them). Draco could then teach Harry with more luck than Snape did. ;)" Oh, very good! He might have not wanted any kind of lessons that involved darling Aunt Bellatrix in his head, no matter what hypothetical benefit he could get. I think Snape could teach Draco rather easily, if Dumbledore doesn't (the reason for not teaching Harry was to avoid a possession attempt, I think).

"Yeah, Ron would have been on the recieving end of a lot of "abuse" from his brothers, in particular, but there's a difference between being turned into a chicken and being laughed at as a part of a prank and having someone swing a frying pan at your head for not doing your chores just right." Definitely. I do think he was the middle-child syndrome, though. Bill and Charlie and Percy all had different areas to be the best in, the twins always had each other for attention, and Ginny was The Girl as well as The Baby of the family. Ron's the poor schmuck that doesn't have much of a chance to do or get anything new.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"No matter what he might still think about blood, he can't exactly blaming someone for getting coaxed over by somebody with Voldemort's force behind the personality." I agree. He has the world experience, maturity level, and personal experience with the dark lord that means that he can really understand and sympathize with her about this whole thing. If Ron, especially, knew much about the details I think he'd still be hung up on the idea of "Holy crap you LET the Dark Lord POSSESS YOU??"

"He does. He really, really does. I think having both the Grangers and the Weasleys deciding that he's a charming young man would definitely help." Definitely. :) I also wonder if Draco could play an adult role, later... or at least speak with Snape and Dumbledore about his suspicions regarding Harry's home life. Also, Sirius gets out a year early, and so that means more time with Harry?

"Oh, very good! He might have not wanted any kind of lessons that involved darling Aunt Bellatrix in his head, no matter what hypothetical benefit he could get." That's if he was offered the chance in the first place. I'm not sure that Voldemort would have wanted his Death Eaters to have the ability to hide things from him... Although, granted, it also meant that if captured his men would not give up everything the first time Dumbledore looked at them with a twinkle in his eye... But on the other hand, it's probably just easier to just not tell everyone the full story, let nobody know who everyone else involved is, etc.

"I think Snape could teach Draco rather easily, if Dumbledore doesn't (the reason for not teaching Harry was to avoid a possession attempt, I think)." Oh, that would be interesting! Especially if Draco is learning from Dumbledore... and Harry later has a few abortive attempts at learning from Snape before switching to Draco. Harry could ask the question - why couldn't Dumbledore teach HIM, too? - and get the honest reply.

"Ron's the poor schmuck that doesn't have much of a chance to do or get anything new." Sadly, true. :(

Okay, so I'm mostly finished this series of scenes, but I'm stuck on ONE LINE. This is the sequence that goes "Hermione is annoying Draco (he doesn't want to be seen with her in public, and he's had a series of nightmares all week and isn't on the top of his game); then Draco accidentally insults her ("Well, you probably don't know because you're a mudblood" or something similar), then she slaps him and runs off (later, crying in the girl's bathroom), then the Hallowe'en feast & troll happens; Draco finds out the next morning and visits her in the hospital wing to apologize and explain.

However, I'm still stuck on just what Hermione would have said to illicit such a reaction out of Draco. :P Any ideas?

[feral-shrew.livejournal.com]

"I agree. He has the world experience, maturity level, and personal experience with the dark lord that means that he can really understand and sympathize with her about this whole thing. If Ron, especially, knew much about the details I think he'd still be hung up on the idea of "Holy crap you LET the Dark Lord POSSESS YOU??"" I think Draco might take over that aspect. If the weasel must know... Draco can very diplomatically phrase it so that Ron gets the distinct idea that Voldemort intentionally possessed Hermione by force, not that everybody in the school leaving her to do her own thing left her talking to the only person that seemed to care. Draco was excited to be on adult terms with people, finally, and Hermione would not have made herself popular in Gryffindor by standing up for Draco. (Especially if a couple other Gryffindors are Petrified and she's left alone. Obviously she's in league with them-- it might be enough that Gryffindors start using slurs against her)

"Definitely. :) I also wonder if Draco could play an adult role, later... or at least speak with Snape and Dumbledore about his suspicions regarding Harry's home life. Also, Sirius gets out a year early, and so that means more time with Harry?" Snape should be interesting. Dumbledore can say "greater good" all he likes, but I /dare/ him to say that to Snape's face. Potter's living in an environment where he is hated and probably abused, and WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LEFT HIM WITH LILY'S SISTER. (In my private head-canon where I make myself feel better, Snape and Lily were reconciling before she died, and the last letter mentioned that she had to go into hiding. She doesn't want it to be too much of a surprise, but she's pregnant.) Snape might have thought Potter was with grandparents or something.

"That's if he was offered the chance in the first place. I'm not sure that Voldemort would have wanted his Death Eaters to have the ability to hide things from him... Although, granted, it also meant that if captured his men would not give up everything the first time Dumbledore looked at them with a twinkle in his eye... But on the other hand, it's probably just easier to just not tell everyone the full story, let nobody know who everyone else involved is, etc." Right. There are a trusted few that get to do the cool things, and Draco probably ended up as one of them.

"Oh, that would be interesting! Especially if Draco is learning from Dumbledore... and Harry later has a few abortive attempts at learning from Snape before switching to Draco. Harry could ask the question - why couldn't Dumbledore teach HIM, too? - and get the honest reply." Draco has a much better memory of being a teenager. Kids do NOT do "it's for your own good"/"better stay ignorant." I think Draco would be horrified if he worked out the final desired outcome. Albus wants Harry to sacrifice himself because he can't figure out any other way to take out Voldemort? Okay, maybe they should come up with a Plan B before presenting that bit to Harry.

"However, I'm still stuck on just what Hermione would have said to illicit such a reaction out of Draco. :P Any ideas?" Maybe an insightful question about Voldemort's Death Eaters? Something that hits too close to home. "I can't think that so many wizards and witches would actually want to... well, waste their time, I suppose. If they think Muggles are so inferior and beneath their notice, why would they do all of these things?" (points at history book) She could probably relate it to the Manson case or something similar, with the extremely charismatic leader coaxing people into doing things that would normally be completely past them.

[beboots.livejournal.com]

It's a Slytherin specialty, phrasing things in such a way as to manipulate the meaning to the most advantageous effect for them. ;)

"Especially if a couple other Gryffindors are Petrified and she's left alone. Obviously she's in league with them-- it might be enough that Gryffindors start using slurs against her." Oh damn, that's so true, I hadn't thought of that... Clearly she's a sympathizer/spy/traitor in their midst. Gryffindors act from their gut instincts, not the intellectual ones that say "wait, if the Heir of Slytherin hates muggleborns, why is he working through one now?" Of course, it makes it worse that Draco isn't really around for Hermione to confide in about the verbal abuse she's been experiencing. Shunned from all sides. ;_; I'm not sure how to portray this... I guess there will be hints of it that Draco sees - sitting alone at the Gryffindor table at meals, not speaking with him very often (to his relief) - and the pieces all get put together later?

"Snape should be interesting. Dumbledore can say "greater good" all he likes, but I /dare/ him to say that to Snape's face. Potter's living in an environment where he is hated and probably abused, and WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LEFT HIM WITH LILY'S SISTER." Yeah, as Snape has actually MET Petunia, Snape just must not have realized who Harry was actually staying with. ;)

" Draco has a much better memory of being a teenager. Kids do NOT do "it's for your own good"/"better stay ignorant." I think Draco would be horrified if he worked out the final desired outcome. Albus wants Harry to sacrifice himself because he can't figure out any other way to take out Voldemort?" I'm sure that Draco would be especially so because he worked out for himself that his mission to kill Dumbledore in sixth year was REALLY supposed to be some sort of suicide mission which he against all odds actually succeeded in doing and surviving. He was really just supposed to let all the Death Eaters into the castle and let them finish the job when he inevitably failed to kill the headmaster.

"Maybe an insightful question about Voldemort's Death Eaters? Something that hits too close to home." Hmm... that may work. Perhaps she's been doing some reading and is like "Hey, Draco, you're from a magical family, can you explain the motivations of Death Eaters to me? Because it makes like absolutely no sense." And Draco's like "-bwuh? What? I, er," TIRED CAN'T PROCESS THIS SHIT "IT'S OBVIOUS ISN'T IT" or something?