Redeemable Draco and the death of a character

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 41461

Val wrote:
> 
> I still have hope for Draco. 
> The way Draco talks and behaves, it's clear he upholds the ideals 
of 
> his father, with respect to pure-bloods, social strata and all the 
> possible divisions that have been discussed. He also seems quite 
fond 
> of quoting his father. It's as though his father is being 
channelled 
> though him - it's all his father's thoughts and ideas. The question 
> remains whether Draco really shares these beliefs, or is merely 
using 
> his father to protect himself.


Draco has a lot to make up for if he is going to be redeemed. I think 
the ending of GoF lets us all know how the main characters feel about 
him. After his behavior, I hope the little bastard ends up like Mr. 
and Mrs. Longbottom, but hey, JKR could pull it out.

Draco has to make a choice. Right now, you could argue that he 
parrots his father because he doesn't know any better (the protection 
thing is a little too strategic; most 14-year-olds don't move human 
chess pieces around like that.) But soon, he will go through the same 
thing Harry went through -- no longer "Lucius, Jr." in terms of 
thoughts and ideas and his own man. That's when he makes the choice.

Right now, he's a loathsome little being who is consumed with the 
hate he learned at his father's knee. The DE philsophy is pure 
racism -- and its rituals are similar to those of the KKK -- and like 
racism, it is passed through the generations.

I'd agree Draco would turn if we had the hint of a spark within him --
 a non-Slytherin love interest, for instance, or a sign of a rift 
with father or something else -- but right now, he's just evil.

And these books are about good and evil. Part of the fun is that we 
don't know exactly who is on whose side, but in the end, there will 
be pure good and pure evil.

As for the death of a character, I submit it will be Neville 
Longbottom. He has got a score to settle with the forces of V-Mort, 
he's courageous to the point of recklessness, and his death will 
fulfill the "fan of Harry that we've known since the beginning" 
parameters. 

I also believe JKR loves this character. He exemplifies the 
awkwardness of that age, and his pluck and determination in the face 
of horrible bullying by his moronic peers (the Slytherins) and adults 
who should know better (Snape) is enough to make him a sympathetic 
character.

All you need to know about bullying is this: Once Neville attacked 
Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, they never picked on him again. Sure, they 
snicker behind Snape's robes when he goes off on Neville, but those 
three have left him alone. Smack a bully in the mouth and watch him 
collapse.

I believe that once his memory clears and he remembers the full 
extent of what happened to his folks, he will be ready to join up. 
Something happened to his memory when he witnessed Moody do the 
Cruciatus and AK curses on the spider. He's ready to crack.

Neville will be one of the great martyrs in the books, I believe.

Darrin
-- Don't mess with Neville