Draco Is Definitely Evi

[fourfuries at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25161

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., katzefan at y... wrote:
> I certainly think Draco has the *potential* for evil - saw a news 
> photo a few days ago of a little boy, maybe 8 or 9, with his 
> parents at a neo-Nazi parade, and the kid had his arm out in the 
> Nazi salute. I wanted to strangle the parents, *not* the boy. I 
> doubt he really understands what that salute means (and has 
> meant in the past) to millions of people, but he's well on his
> way to becoming as foul as his parents. Likewise, Draco is 
> certainly starting down the right road with his racist views and 
his 
> (at present) love of power for its own sake. He could reform, but 
> I'm not sure what it would take to do it - I suspect nothing less 
> than the death of one of his parents at the hands of Voldemort or 
> one of his followers.


A re-read of the Polyjuice Potion chapter of CoS confirms that Draco 
is already about as evil as one can get and still be so young.  Upon 
news of the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, Malfoy tells Ron and 
Harry (disguised as Crabbe and Goyle) that his father told him about 
the Chamber legend, specifically, that a "mudblood had died the last 
time it [the chamber] was opened."  Draco's next words are as telling 
as any you'll hear.  He says, paraphrasing accurately, "I hope 
somebody dies this time.  I hope it's that Hermione Granger."  
Wishing someone dead, just for the sport of it, is about as evil as 
you can get. 

As for redemption, I agree with the posts of others that the death of 
his father might bring him around, but I disagree that his mother is 
any more of a positive force.  Just because she got Lucius to agree 
to Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang does not mean there is an ounce of 
good in her.  She may just prefer her "old school colors".  Evil 
lieutenants like Malfoy are known to give in to the demands of their 
social climbing missus'.

Finally, in response to a thread concerning Lucius turning on 
Voldemort and backstabbing him in an attempt to become THE Evil 
Overlord, caution is urged:
  1) Lucius is not stupid, and taking on the most powerful Dark 
Wizard ever without being one hundred percent sure of victory is 
stupid, so he would have to be presented a perfect opportunity, a la 
the doctor in the climactic scene of Hannibal ("just push him in, you 
can blame it on me");
  2)  Evil lieutenants rarely desire the notoriety nor the scrutiny 
that the spotlight at center stage brings, they actually often prefer 
working behind some mentally less well balanced person who will take 
all the responsibility (and, most likely, the fall);
  3) Evil lieutenants like to keep their options open; they know that 
most evil plans fail, and they want to leave room to "come back" to 
the good side, just as Malfoy did the first time.  Being number one 
precludes any comebacks and greatly reduces opportunities for mercy, 
forgiveness etc.

Lucius is neither more scary nor more dangerous than Voldemort.
He is simply less courageous, less overtly deadly, and in an odd way, 
less honorable.  Lucius would never have dueled fairly with Harry. In 
fact, his son Draco cheated in the Dueling Club match with Harry.  
Like father, like son.  

4FR (sceptical of the potential goodness of the Malfoys)