I’d think she was magically capable of protecting herself, back then during the war. If she took such a step as torturing an enemy-affiliated civilian to death, I doubt Dumbledore would lie and say he did it merely to give her political protection in a very improbable future where Voldemort was defeated but Lucius Malfoy retained great political power.
I liked the theory proposed here a long time ago: Bones went to Malfoy Manor to destroy Tom Riddle’s diary-horcrux, which we know from canon was kept there then, it required Fiendfyre to destroy a Horcrux, Narcissa happened to show up, Bones accidentally burned her as well (Fiendfyre is known to be difficult to control). Dumbledore had given her the mission and accepted responsibility for the outcome.
Only problem is that we know Voldemort, if he were as intelligent as Quirrelmort, would not have hidden his Horcrux there...
Not only did Quirrelmort hint at much less obvious hiding places for his horcruxes, I highly doubt that Rational!Riddle, who was already writing the Evil Overlord List at that age, would have kept a diary.
In canon, the diary was a trap: it was blank, but if you wrote in it, it would write back. Invest enough of yourself in it, and Voldemort could use it to steal your body. Also, it gave Arthur Weasley his best line in all seven books:
Haven’t I told you kids before? Never trust something that can think if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.
...which is relevant enough to MoR’s themes that I’ve been waiting for a subversion to turn up, but no joy so far.
If she took such a step as torturing an enemy-affiliated civilian to death, I doubt Dumbledore would lie and say he did it merely to give her political protection in a very improbable future where Voldemort was defeated but Lucius Malfoy retained great political power.
He’s giving her political protection because he needed her during the war, and needs her now. He doesn’t want to weaken his army. Now, the same applies, with the incentive to cover his complicity.
As for what Dumbledore said, he said it to Malfoy, who was not going to be believed by others. Even if it wasn’t true, it served his war aims to have Malfoy believe he was ruthless enough to do it.
I’d think she was magically capable of protecting herself, back then during the war. If she took such a step as torturing an enemy-affiliated civilian to death, I doubt Dumbledore would lie and say he did it merely to give her political protection in a very improbable future where Voldemort was defeated but Lucius Malfoy retained great political power.
I liked the theory proposed here a long time ago: Bones went to Malfoy Manor to destroy Tom Riddle’s diary-horcrux, which we know from canon was kept there then, it required Fiendfyre to destroy a Horcrux, Narcissa happened to show up, Bones accidentally burned her as well (Fiendfyre is known to be difficult to control). Dumbledore had given her the mission and accepted responsibility for the outcome.
Only problem is that we know Voldemort, if he were as intelligent as Quirrelmort, would not have hidden his Horcrux there...
Not only did Quirrelmort hint at much less obvious hiding places for his horcruxes, I highly doubt that Rational!Riddle, who was already writing the Evil Overlord List at that age, would have kept a diary.
In canon, the diary was a trap: it was blank, but if you wrote in it, it would write back. Invest enough of yourself in it, and Voldemort could use it to steal your body. Also, it gave Arthur Weasley his best line in all seven books:
...which is relevant enough to MoR’s themes that I’ve been waiting for a subversion to turn up, but no joy so far.
As Voldemorte’s horcrux it did that, but I was under the impression that it was originally an actual diary that Riddle wrote in.
He’s giving her political protection because he needed her during the war, and needs her now. He doesn’t want to weaken his army. Now, the same applies, with the incentive to cover his complicity.
As for what Dumbledore said, he said it to Malfoy, who was not going to be believed by others. Even if it wasn’t true, it served his war aims to have Malfoy believe he was ruthless enough to do it.