They didn't turn on him ever, that I know of, though it might have been the smart thing to do at times.
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But IMO they can’t be trusted not to
I don't see the basis other than Voldemort's accusations. If they HAD turned against Voldemort (as many did) you might have a point. It's almost like you think Snape was more loyal to Voldemort than these two. But I do understand and accept that it is IYO. I'm not insisting you change.
Lucius couldn’t even be trusted to keep the diary safe. He stuck it in a first years cauldron, where anything could have happened to it, to further his own ends.
I simply don't see it. It might have been a blunder, given Voldemort's spirit still survived. But with the assumption Voldemort was gone forever, I don't see the problem. Lucius was just striking a blow for the evil which Voldemort had stood for.
They didn’t stay to help Voldemort they were looking for their son. They weren’t even trying to kill any of the defenders.
Voldemort didn't want them to kill the defenders. He made it clear he thought the death of any magic person was a tragic waste (which may have been a lie, of course). Voldemort made it clear he just wanted Harry Potter dead and he insisted it had to be him who did it.
If you want to argue that Narcissa was disloyal to Voldemort in the end, there is no argument, whatsoever. She was. But with Lucius, I don't see it.
But that’s the issue, his most loyal did not presume him dead.
I don't know where you got this. I think they all thought he was (permanently) dead, like everyone else. All except Wormtail, Dumbledore (and probably Snape).
The only "truth" is the area each Voldemort follower happens to feel insecure about.
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If it were not true that Bellatrix had a niece married to Lupin it would be absurd for Voldemort to say she does.
You are missing my point. I think the "truth" is that Bellatix was ashamed of her family and so Voldemort used it against her. The "truth" is that Voldmort personaly doesn't care a whit about Bellatrix's family. He cares about humble, shamed, subservient followers and keeping them that way.
Yes, and Voldemort’s most loyal follow is not likely to feel insecure about their own loyalty, a truly brave follower is not likely to feel insecure about their own cowardess.
I disagree. We are not dealing with the real world here. We are dealing with fictional characters.
Fictional, unequivocal villains (and Voldemort and his followers are surely that) cannot, by definition, really be "loyal" or "brave". Because loyalty and bravery are virtues, and cartoonish fictional villains like these cannot have ANY real virtues lest they be seen as less villainous.
So, when I say Wormtail was brave or that Lucius was loyal I mean that within the constraints of their basic villainous identity. As I see it, they were as brave and as loyal as their fictional villainous status would allow. Other villainous characters in Harry Potter were less loyal and less brave than these two.
Hopefully this clears up some misunderstanding.
But what could or could not have been done isn't the point.
I disagree. If you are berating someone for not doing the impossible then you aren't sincerely berating them. You just want them to feel bad.
Plus Quirll was able to serve him without making him a new body so if other followers had returned to him sooner they could have done the same.
Returned to him WHERE? Are you saying the means by which Quirrell acquired the spirit of Voldemort was common knowledge, available to everyone? I don't think that is the case.
If Wormtail had been following Voldemort's orders by staying in hiding until the right time it would be a different thing but that's not what happens.
I think it might be what happens. To receive orders from Voldemort after his death, you would have to know he was alive, at least in spirit, and be able to communicate with that spirit. Quirrell, of course does this. But I don't think Malfoy or other Death Eaters had the knowledge to do it.
I think perhaps (and I do mean maybe) Wormtail also was in communication with this spirit. I think it likely that Scabbers had a tendency to disappear for long periods of time from the Weasley home, off in Romania or wherever.
It is conjecture, based purely on the fact that Wormtail and only Wormtail seemed to have access to the fetal version of Voldemort. Somehow he (and only he) was able to infuse Voldemort's spirit into the fetal form. I don't see how all that could happen unless Wormtail was in communication with that spirit all along.
The idea that Wormtail deliberately ignored Voldemort for 14 years then suddenly showed up makes no sense to me. Why would he expect respect and praise and protection from a guy he had willfully ignored for that long?
Again, it is conjecture, but for me the only thing that makes sense is that Wormtail constructed the fetal thing himself (probably using Voldemort's spirit instructions) and it took 14 years to "ripen" or whatever before it was ready for Harry's blood and Wormtail's hand, etc.
Hopefully I don't have to explain why, in this scenario, Voldemort didn't gush over Wormtail and say, "Oh thank you, thank you ratboy, for your 14 years of dedicated service to my resurrection! Thank you for cutting off your hand. I appreciate it SO very much!".
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