Lucuis hadn't thought if it on those terms. He could see the Dark Lord using them as an example to control Draco. And as a result hurt himself and Narcissa more. "It is quiet possible. They've been trying to get him to participate more and it took my abscence for him to be persuaded to join. Only, I feel he realized too late that he couldn't change his mind once he joined. Especially when faced with people he knew."

The Dark Lord was very crafty in his means of controlling people. With Draco faltering, he would stop at nothing to use the boy till he wasn't needed.