[HPforGrownups] Ferret scene

[John Walton]

No: HPFGUIDX 34152

Amy Z wrote:

> I've never been able to laugh at the scene ("squealing in pain," etc.
> <shudder>) , even though it does not incline me to believe anything nice
> about Malfoy, such as that he missed Harry on purpose.  I can feel sorry for
> him without thinking any better of him.

I have to say that I feel *no* sympathy for Draco here. Mind you, I feel no
sympathy for Draco in canon at all. He is, as we've said before, a bigoted
little racist with deeply-flawed morals. The *only* redeeming feature is
that he's young and can thus possibly be changed -- though he's been at
Hogwarts for four years now, and there's no sign of his evil abating.

Essentially, I look at this scene as an instance of major karma coming back
to bite Draco. Then again, I tend to believe that teenagers should be held
completely accountable for their actions. Draco, formerly the powerful (just
look at the symbolism of Crabbe and Goyle as strongmen) becomes powerless
because Mad-Eye Moody is a stronger wizard -- much in the way that the
12-year-olds who were at the top of the "food chain" in primary school turn
into the 13-year-olds at the bottom of the food chain in secondary school

This could be an important message for the series -- magic as an empowering
tool, turning the Weak into the Strong.

You are the Strongest Wiz. Goodbye.

--John

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Ai! Lantar i Mindonu ilcalar, || Alas! The gleaming Twin Towers are falling,
     Helwa Menello, uryala || Out of the pale blue sky, blazing
     Mir mallennar analye. || Into the richest streets
  --from Quenya poem, Minquëa Yavannië, "September Eleventh", by Kai MacTane

John Walton -- john at walton.vu
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