What the heck was Justin *UP* to??!?

[Mira]

Lea and Mab certainly were interested in Molly, but it’s Molly who initiated the forbidden  mind magic, which was immediately picked up by the Gatekeeper who we subsequently learn is actually an ally of Mab’s. The Gatekeeper informed Mab before Harry that she had the potential to be a back-up Winter Lady Candidate if she fell directly in Harry’s orbit, and Mab engineered much of the rest. In parallel to this was the attack on Arctis Tor which seems to have been undertaken to take advantage of the maneuvering between Mab and Titania to bring Molly to Arctis Tor, Mab needed plausible deniability so she and the majority of her forces were committed elsewhere so the Phobophages could go “on a frolic of their own”. Nameless and his allies are suspected of the attack, whether a secondary purpose was to try and flush him to try and rescue Lea/Nemesis is a point of debate. Mab needed plausible deniability because Molly was a potential wizard and therefore within the provenance of the White Council. Mab without this plausible deniability may have been in breach of her own accords. This is reasoning Nameless would understand and seek to exploit, and Mab would know this bait would work.

One problem with this theory, while it sounds good, Denarians were part of the attack on Arctus Tor.
Mab told Harry in the chapel in Small favor that she now knew who attacked Arctus Tor and that she and Uriel had a common enemy, i.e. the Denarians. 

[vincentric]

I have one other theory:  I think that Molly was set up by Mab & Lea.

Michael -- as wielder of Amoracchius -- was very much "on their radar."  Doubly-so as a close friend & ally of Dresden.

That puts Molly on their radar, too.  And when she started showing talent, I think they moved in and began working on her.

Herewith, my WAG (in the form of questions) -- what if Lea began interacting with proto-wizard Molly, struggling-to-learn Molly, wanting-power (for all the "right" reasons, but...) Molly?  What if Lea directed Molly away from the safer and more-benign channels?  What if Lea set mind-magic and other Lawbreaking in Molly's path -- intentionally?

What if Molly turning to Black Magic was largely the work of the Leanansidhe???

Murderously-angry Harry, much?

Molly was definitely on Mab's radar. Mab says as much at the end of CD but hints that her purpose originally wasn't to be a Fae queen but something else. (My personal WAG was a bride for a Dragon, next up Hope/Maggie Jr) But she was also Mab's backup for Sarissa once that became forced.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I doubt that nameless was a twinkle in Butcher's eye when PG was written. I don't think he was in the same universe even. I might buy stock in this if somebody can give a reason why Madrigal was there.

The timing is close but Lea is pretty much on ice when Molly comes into her magic. Certainly she's nemfected. So cooperation with Mab would seem to be a non starter.

Cowl however had been around since the start of the series which technically wasn’t in the same universe as Harry’s decision in Grave Peril led to the creation of a new universe.

There were already at this point divisions within the White Court,  Madrigal hunting on Lara’s territory was a by product of this. Cowl was definitely shown to be behind the Discord (almost as if he were a Demi-god of it) in White Night. Darby Crane was an ideal GoH for Splattercon, but normally he wouldn’t have accepted the invitation, his attendance is a by product of another Cowl scheme to turn the White Court against the White Council.

My theory has Nameless as the inside man tipping his allies including a rogue Denarian that Arctis Tor is seriously undermanned as part of a plan by Mab to plausibly deny the abduction of a mortal wizard, the plan actually mostly to flush out her enemies inside and outside Winter. If this is indeed the Black Council/The Circle then she and Uriel definitely share an enemy, and were working together on the Arctis Tor ploy using Molly and Lea as bait, without eithers consent.

[Mira]

Molly was definitely on Mab's radar. Mab says as much at the end of CD but hints that her purpose originally wasn't to be a Fae queen but something else. (My personal WAG was a bride for a Dragon, next up Hope/Maggie Jr) But she was also Mab's backup for Sarissa once that became forced.

What Mab said was she felt that Molly was more suited for Summer Lady, but it didn't work out that way.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Mab wanted her own daughter as Winter Lady, but it worked out better, the Winter Knight killed Titania’s daughter, Mab’s daughter replaced her. This and both being annoyed at Harry led to something of a rapprochement.

As the Good People shows Molly isn’t Mab’s idea of a Winter Lady, but Molly is Molly’s idea of one, and the Mantle and the Redcap agree with Molly.

[morriswalters]

However Butcher retcons it, there is what he wrote.  Somebody dropped a dime on Molly that put her in the juvenile justice system. She was manipulated into performing Black Magic. That does not appear to have been Mab.

The other purpose Mab had in mind for Molly is up for grabs, she isn't explicit. But if you posited that she intended to use Molly like Justin used Elaine, to control Harry, I suspect a bookie would not bet against it. You may know a smarter bookie.

[vincentric]

What Mab said was she felt that Molly was more suited for Summer Lady, but it didn't work out that way.

She said that Molly was groomed for another Purpose and considered her a better candidate for Summer. It depends on where you place the emphasis on how you interpret it though. To me this other purpose was paramount and backup Fae Queen was an emergency option but I can see both views being valid.

[g33k]

...  Somebody dropped a dime on Molly that put her in the juvenile justice system ...

Honestly, that could have been just "random" bad luck.  Not *everything* has to be part of the Grand Conspiracy.  Given how prevalent marijuana is in high-school, the odds that somebody is carrying -- in a car-full of teens -- is awfully high.

But that provided an opportunity, I think, that was ruthlessly exploited... or, as you suggest, it could also have had a little nudging from the Spooky Side.

... She was manipulated into performing Black Magic. That does not appear to have been Mab...

I don't think we have *nearly* enough info on Molly's magical training/education before Proven Guilty.  There's nothing to indicate that anyone in particular was (or was not) involved.  Mab could have been... Titania could have been... Ancient Mai could have been...  <shrugs>  Or it could have been 100% mortal stuff by low-level practitioners and wannabe's and untalented booksellers &c, without any push from any of the Supernatural side of things.

My bet is on Mab (possibly via one or more proxies).  I think she was "nudged" toward mind-magic (and fear) specifically to get "on the same wavelength" with the phobophages, Mab's personal cadre of Fetches.

Too many elements "came together" in PG for me to think Mab wasn't manipulating Molly from long-before the beginning of that volume.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Molly has an aptitude for mind magic, and she sought to “help” her friends, so it was inevitable, no nudge required.

However, why didn’t she seek Harry out immediately? Harry at this point was still in Charity’s bad books, making Harry an obvious choice, so I think it was more likely someone sought to make her avoid Harry, to alienate her from him and her family so that she would do something questionable with her burgeoning power.

[Mira]

Molly has an aptitude for mind magic, and she sought to “help” her friends, so it was inevitable, no nudge required.

Actually Molly isn't unusual, she discovered her talent, she hid it from everyone, including her wizard friend.  Charity kept her talent quiet and out of fear and ignorance felt that if she kept it to herself it would never become an issue.  So Molly was out there on her own, and while yeah, she did seek to help her friends, she found herself on the slippery slope towards warlockhood and losing her head.  That is why mind magic is such a taboo in the first place, there is too much temptation connected with it, it is what cost the Koren Kid his head.

Now Mab may have admired that Molly was willing to use this magic, actually I think she did. Let's say it got her attention, however I don't think she did anything till Harry took himself out of the picture for a whole year when he was mostly dead.  Then not willing to let an opportunity go to waste, Mab sent Auntie Lea to step in to teach and prep,just in case.  If Maeve hadn't been infested with Nemesis and had to be killed, and if Maeve hadn't killed Lilly before she herself was killed, Molly might still be Harry's apprentice or a full wizard in her own right now, but not a member of the Winter Court.

[morriswalters]

Honestly, that could have been just "random" bad luck.  Not *everything* has to be part of the Grand Conspiracy.  Given how prevalent marijuana is in high-school, the odds that somebody is carrying -- in a car-full of teens -- is awfully high.

But that provided an opportunity, I think, that was ruthlessly exploited... or, as you suggest, it could also have had a little nudging from the Spooky Side.

I don't think we have *nearly* enough info on Molly's magical training/education before Proven Guilty.  There's nothing to indicate that anyone in particular was (or was not) involved.  Mab could have been... Titania could have been... Ancient Mai could have been...  <shrugs>  Or it could have been 100% mortal stuff by low-level practitioners and wannabe's and untalented booksellers &c, without any push from any of the Supernatural side of things.

My bet is on Mab (possibly via one or more proxies).  I think she was "nudged" toward mind-magic (and fear) specifically to get "on the same wavelength" with the phobophages, Mab's personal cadre of Fetches.

Too many elements "came together" in PG for me to think Mab wasn't manipulating Molly from long-before the beginning of that volume.

The events in the book were set up about the time that Cowl was getting his puppy ass kicked in Dead Beat. Madrigal was invited a year in advance. Molly was popped at about the same time.  This is also the point when Lea is imprisoned. Molly only commits Black Magic two weeks before  after being prompted by Sandra Marling to use fear. Mab could have done it. All that requires if for Butcher to want it to be that way. But if it was Mab manipulating Molly why go through the other events?

[g33k]

... Molly only commits Black Magic two weeks before  after being prompted by Sandra Marling to use fear ...

We don't know how long Molly has been flirting around the edges of mind-magic; I suspect the spells she cast on her friends weren't the very-first, though.  All we know is when the Gatekeeper first notified Harry; for all we know, Rashid may have been carefully monitoring things for a year or more.  Hell, as a relatively-close ally of Mab's, he may even have been party to subtly guiding Molly that way...

[morriswalters]

Dresden,

In the past ten days there have been repeated acts of black magic in Chicago. As the senior Warden in the region, it falls to you to investigate and find those responsible. In my opinion, it is vital that you do so immediately. To my knowledge, no one else is aware of the situation.

Rashid

So at least from the standpoint of what was done to her friends we know exactly when and the source of the Black Magic. You might fairly ask why not tell Harry it was Molly? Your guess would be good as mine. It certainly isn't because of a paradox.  When the book opens everything that Molly could do is done. If they are avoiding a paradox it has nothing to do with Molly.

Nobody ever questions why Uriel was involved.  Or why Lash appears just before Harry wrecks. Or why Butcher chose to tell us that LC was broken.

[Mira]

So at least from the standpoint of what was done to her friends we know exactly when and the source of the Black Magic. You might fairly ask why not tell Harry it was Molly? Your guess would be good as mine. It certainly isn't because of a paradox.  When the book opens everything that Molly could do is done. If they are avoiding a paradox it has nothing to do with Molly.

  Except with in that time frame, it wasn't just limited to Molly, the Korean Kid had to have been active around that time.  At his execution the Merlin explains the zero tolerance the Council has for would be warlocks. Why? Not just because of the risks of trying to reform a kid once he starts down that road, but because they can't cover every kid of talent who starts down the wrong road. Also Rashid never specifies if it was a major application or a minor one.  What is odd though, is as a Warden, Harry should have sensed it too.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

You are presuming that Rashid sensed Molly, so therefore so should have Harry.

Uriel (an intellectus) would have known and passed it on secure in the knowledge Michael would come riding to her rescue.

Alternatively Rashid’s extremely well developed Foresight would have told him and he sat on the information until the relevant time. To appear mysterious and powerful.

Neither would have been apparent to the senses of a Wizard Harry’s age.