This would explain mistakes particular to being nice, like fortifying Hermione’s body first, but it does not explain more general errors like letting Harry keep his wand and pouch.
it does not explain more general errors like letting Harry keep his wand and pouch.
“Hey, long term ally! I’m going to make your friend immortal because I’m a guy that’s profitable to work with! But first strip naked and give me your wand.”
In an alternate universe that no longer exists. (That is, Ch. 109 is different now.) I do agree that a retcon is involved makes that less probable.
But in the intervening minutes I’ve thought of a better explanation: Voldemort is thinking about a new and difficult subject, and that’s consuming enough of his attention that he is making general errors.
Overall, the plausibility relative to the alternate theories—that Voldemort is pretending to lose—is indeed low. But given the fearsomeness of an intelligent Dark Lord, basically the only hope that Harry has is somehow surprising Voldemort, and this surprise seems more plausible than a partial transfiguration surprise.
This would explain mistakes particular to being nice, like fortifying Hermione’s body first, but it does not explain more general errors like letting Harry keep his wand and pouch.
“Hey, long term ally! I’m going to make your friend immortal because I’m a guy that’s profitable to work with! But first strip naked and give me your wand.”
He already did that. After he absorbed the lesson about being nice. So I still don’t see how being nice explains away these errors.
In an alternate universe that no longer exists. (That is, Ch. 109 is different now.) I do agree that a retcon is involved makes that less probable.
But in the intervening minutes I’ve thought of a better explanation: Voldemort is thinking about a new and difficult subject, and that’s consuming enough of his attention that he is making general errors.
Overall, the plausibility relative to the alternate theories—that Voldemort is pretending to lose—is indeed low. But given the fearsomeness of an intelligent Dark Lord, basically the only hope that Harry has is somehow surprising Voldemort, and this surprise seems more plausible than a partial transfiguration surprise.