Draco's Crimes & Motives for Redemption [was: The Train Stomp]

[Diana <dianasdolls@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51457

<heavy snipping of Laur's interesting post>
> 
> Too bad Harry didn't just punch Malfoy in the mouth, while Fred 
and George held back the goons.  That's the sort of heat-of-the-
moment anger I can understand and expect from teen Gryffs... not a 
total lack of concern for people they've rendered unconscious (and 
maybe worse -- the Gryffs don't *know* and they don't *check*) for 
an extended period.  

I reply:
I do not feel sorry for Draco, Crabbe and Goyle one bit.  Have you 
forgotten how evil Draco and company are?  

Draco's [and his cronies] crimes:
-constantly insults the Weasleys about being poor and being riffraff
-constantly verbally assaults Harry about anything he thinks will 
hurt him or upset him, usually about having no "proper family" 
[pretty cruel to taunt a boy about the fact his parents are both 
dead, no matter Muggle or wizard]
-is consistantly cruel to Neville, who already gets quite enough of 
that from Snape
-tries and nearly succeeds in getting Hagrid fired on his first day 
on the job as CoMC teacher
-tries and nearly succeeds in having Buckbeak killed
-feeds nasty lies to Rita Skeeter about Harry, Hagrid and Hermione
-roots for the death of Hermione openly in CoS
-knows that his father is fully aware of what is attacking students 
in CoS, yet doesn't tell Dumbledore and does nothing to help anyone -
 he even complains that his father won't allow him to help the 
person doing the killing!
-is [more than likely, no solid canon yet] fully aware of the pain 
inflicted upon Harry at the hands of Voldemort; all witnessed by 
Draco's, Goyle's and Crabbe's fathers
-tries to scare Harry during the final Quidditch match in PoA so 
Harry will fall off his broom [the higher the better for Draco]
-Crabbe and Goyle try to get Harry alone to beat him up in PoA to 
take him out of the Quidditch match
-cheats at the dueling club by attacking Harry on the number two 
instead of at three
-tries to get Harry and his friends expelled from Hogwarts many times
-threatens Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys at the end of GoF with 
death.  Draco's not just saying that - he really believes that his 
father and Voldemort will bring about the deaths of everyone he's 
talking to in that train car - and he gloats gleefully about it. 
-gloats about the death of a student who never did him any harm, no 
evidence of any in canon.  Cedric was more than likely not a Muggle-
born student either, though canon does not mention his parentage in 
this regard.
-is a raging bigot that advocates the torture, humiliation and death 
of Muggles, Muggle-born wizards and, using his term, Mudbloods

And that is just what I came up with without checking the books for 
more!  Draco's actions throughout the four books are many times 
reprehensible.  There are a few times when his sneering facade 
falters, such as when Hermione makes the comment that the Gryffindor 
Quiddtich team all got in on pure talent, while Draco had his father 
buy his way onto to their team for one example.  When Harry makes 
the comment about Draco's mom looking like she's was smelling dung 
[just before Moody shows up and turns Draco into a ferret], Draco's 
facade slips there too. 
Now for some motives that may lead to a Draco redemption, IMHO:
I don't think Draco's dad has exactly explained to his son what 
being a Death Eater entails - specifically kissing Voldemort's butt, 
a lot, and taking a lot of crap [and an occasional Cruciatus Curse 
for the Dark Lord's enjoyment].  Seeing how proud and haughty Lucius 
is, I can't imagine Voldemort treating him like he does Wormtail, 
for example, and Lucius taking it.  Could you imagine Voldemort 
teaching Lucius a lesson by performing the Cruciatus Curse on Draco 
while dad watches?  I sure could - that would definitely be 
Voldemort's style, and a way to keep his newly reassembled Death 
Eaters in line, wouldn't it?  Crabbe and Goyle have sons, too, after 
all.  I think the rest of the books could get really dark if 
Voldemort decides to visit his anger upon the children of his Death 
Eaters.  He sure doesn't mind torturing/killing Harry regardless of 
how old Harry is at the time.
Draco pride is very wounded at Harry's and Hermione's comments above 
and he reacts quite violently [using a socially unacceptable term 
for Muggle-borns in one and then trying to curse Harry when his back 
is turned in front of an entire hallway full of witnesses, including 
a teacher, for the other].  I can just see it now [possible scenario 
written below]:

Setting: Gloomy old house where Voldemort is hiding out.  Lucius 
enters with Draco at his side.

    Voldemort slowly turned to look at Lucius as he entered the 
room.  "Ah, yes, Lucius, I see you have brought me what I 
requested.  You were a bit late on delivery however...*crucio*"
    Lucius screams while writhing on the floor.  Draco takes a 
frightened leap backward and lets out a gasp.  He stares at his 
father writhing in agony on the floor and can't move from the spot 
for fear.  Voldemort stops the curse after less than a minute and 
Lucius gets himself unsteadily to his feet.  
    Voldemort lowers his wand. "Well?"  
    Lucius, hurriedly tidying his long silver blond ponytail mainly 
to get it out of his face and back into it's black velvet ribbon, "I-
I'm sorry, Master...the boy's mother was...reluctant...to let him 
accompany me this evening..I was delayed...but I have *corrected* 
her reticence to serve the Dark Lord."
    Draco flushed red at his father's words, remembering the hard 
slap his father had laid across his mother's cheek when she had 
clutched him to her and refused to let his father take him with him 
earlier this same evening.  His mother had relented only when his 
father, seemingly out of desparation, had raised his wand...Draco 
desparately wished he was still at home with his mother.  Meeting 
the Dark Lord didn't seem like such a keen idea right now.  
    Voldemort proceeded as if Lucius had done nothimg more than 
relate that night's weather forecast.  "Let us proceed then to the 
business of punishment...for your failure to do what I asked you to 
do.  I do not tolerate failure."  
    Voldemort fixed Lucius with a piercing glare and Lucius had to 
look away from those penetrating red eyes, so much like the thin 
slits of a snake's.  Lucius' gaze fell upon his son and Draco caught 
his father's eye.  Draco had a look of terror upon his face.  
    Gathering himself up, Lucius said quietly, "Yes, m-master, I 
must be punished, I await whatever pain you feel I deserve, and my 
son will witness it and know that the Dark Lord deserves unswerving 
loyality..."  
    Lucius braced himself, his eyes closed, for another round of 
writhing on the floor in agony.  He was shocked when the next sound 
he heard was Voldemort laughing; a high, mirthless laugh, colder 
than the bottom of the deepest lake in Britain.  Lucius allowed 
himself to relax slightly and then chanced a glance at his son.  
Draco was still standing transfixed with horror at what had just 
happened earlier in front of him.  
    Voldemort looked at Lucius with a smile that didn't reach up to 
his eyes still settling around his mouth, "You are very amusing 
Lucius.  I think you have confused who will be the witness and who 
will be the one providing the lesson in our little meeting 
tonight..."
    Lucius looked up immediately, right into Voldemort's eyes, as 
the meaning of what Voldemort said dawned over him like the sun 
coming out behind a cloud.  He quickly looked at Draco, who, despite 
his still shocked expression, was also beginning to understand what 
Voldemort was saying. 
    Stunned, Draco looked at Voldemort and before he could help 
himself he blurted out, "But...sir...I didn't do anything...I-I-"
With a wave of Voldemort's wand Draco found himself on the floor 
twisting and rolling in agony as what felt like a dozen white-hot, 
foot-long knives seemed to have impaled him through his stomach, 
head and chest.  The pain was so intense he could barely catch his 
breath while he screamed so hard he wondered when his eardrums would 
burst from the noise.  
    Lucius stared wildly at his son for an instant then looked 
away.  Visibly setting his shoulders, he then turned back to Draco's 
madly twitching form with a calmer, more detached look upon his 
face.  Draco didn't see any of this as he had closed his eyes for 
fear of his eyeballs popping out and rolling away in order to escape 
from the pain that now engulfed every part of his body.  Then, 
suddenly, the pain was gone.
    Draco just laid on the floor, afraid to move in case the pain 
started again.  After several moments that seemed like an eternity, 
Draco rolled onto his stomach and got to his knees.  Every part of 
his body ached as if someone had tied him up and thrown Bludgers at 
him all day.  His hair was in great disarray, much of it sticking up 
in all directions, while a long silvery-white strand had settled 
itself across his face.  He brushed it hurriedly away.  Seeming to 
realize, quite suddenly, that he was still alive, and horribly 
frightened that the pain would come back in a moment's time, he put 
his face in his hands and burst into tears.  Voldemort shook his 
head very slightly and wore a look of disgust on his face. 
    Lucius brusquely pulled up Draco to his feet by grabbing the 
back collar of his black velvet cloak, which was now light gray in 
large sections from the thick dust that had come off the floor.  
    Voldemort looked at Draco with the same expression Lucius had 
seen Voldemort bestow upon Wormtail on many occasions.  Like the 
quickly shifting sands on a stormy beach, Voldemort's expression 
changed all of a sudden and he laughed softly.  "Draco, you have 
been useful tonight, but if your father continues to...disappoint 
me, your *usefulness* will end....do I make myself clear, Lucius?"  
Voldemort fixed a hard, cold stare directly into Lucius' eyes as he 
said the last few words, no trace of laughter in his voice or on his 
face.  Lucius, looking like he desparately wanted to look away, 
managed to hold his gaze and then nodded.  
    Voldemort turned back to the roaring fire in the grate behind 
him, dismissing Lucius as carelessly as if he were the butler who'd 
just come up to finalize the evening's dinner courses.  
    Dragging the still sobbing Draco Malfoy from the room, Lucius 
carefully and slowly walked down the once grand staircase outside 
the room where Voldemort stood.  Once at the foot of the stairs, 
Lucius chanced a quick glance behind him and then, half carrying 
Draco, nearly sprinted to the front door and out into the warm 
August night.  
    Carefully, Lucius set Draco upon his broom while Lucius mounted 
his alongside.  Snapping his fingers to get Draco's attention, he 
waited til Draco's watery eyes met his.  "You must hang onto your 
broom son or you'll fall off.  We must go back...home."
    Still shuddering from his bout of crying, Draco nodded to show 
he understood, then said, "Why...did he...the Dark Lord...do 
that...to me?  What did you do, Father?  Why was he punishing m-
...you?"
    Lucius seemed to consider Draco's question.  Looking quickly 
around them, even chancing a glance up to the windows of the 
decrepit-looking old house tucked in amongst the shadowy evergreens 
and oaks that towered all around it, Lucius must have decided it was 
safe to answer because he leaned forward and said, "I didn't do what 
he asked me to do, Draco.  And that is all you need to know."
    Leaning forward onto his broom, Lucius sped off up into the 
starry sky, Draco just behind him.

[end my possible scenario]

If Voldemort punishes his Death Eaters through their children in any 
future books, would the Death Eaters be more likely to betray and 
flee from Voldemort for fear of their children's safety, or would 
they more likely try to do an even better job of serving their Dark 
Lord for the same reason?  I could see there being a possibility of 
Lucius, and therefore Draco, deciding that the Dark Lord's game plan 
isn't such a great thing after all and maybe it's better for them if 
he loses the game.  This is the only possible Redeemed!Draco 
scenario that would make sense to me in context with the characters 
and the rest of the story, so far anyway. 

Diana -pleased that Draco and Lucius get to experience that 
Cruciatus Curse feeling, even if only in my mind. ;)