Draco's grades

[beccafran <rbroeker@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51275

from CoS:
> "I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, 
Borgin,"  said Mr. Malfoy coldly, and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "no 
offense, sir, no offense meant -"
> 
> "Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly 
still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for - "

Cathy:
> This gives me the impression of someone who is not anywhere near 
the top of his class.  <snip, snip> 

bel:
> It doesn't give me the impression that Draco is any lower than second at 
> all. IIRC, they only ever mention Hermione as having better grades. 
> Granted, that may be because having a "mudblood" beat him stings more than 
> the others that do, but I don't think so.
> 
> I do agree that it's done to embarrass and shame Draco -- hopefully into 
> getting better grades. It's a disgrace to the name of Malfoy that he isn't 
> first in his class, and doubly a disgrace that a "mudblood" is the one 
> beating him every time. <snip> While my father certainly wasn't nasty or
> degrading about it <grin>, he definitely let me know that getting the 
> second-best grades in class were not acceptable. I remember bringing home a 
> report card in high school with 5 As and 1 B. Dad looked at it grimly for a few 
> seconds, then turned to me and said, "Why a B?" If my dad, who I loved dearly, 
> could be that way about grades, I can certainly believe that Lucius Malfoy 
> could be that way, with added malice and coldness.

<snip excellent discussion of pressure on Draco as scion of 
illustrius Malfoy family>

BeccaFran:
I agree with Bel: my dad definetely was one to criticize my grades- 
even an A- could be an A.

*However,* this scene says more about Lucius and the relationship 
between father and son than about Draco's grades, IMO. Lucius clearly 
has high expectations for his son. He is not happy with Draco's 
performance in school, as relates to those expectations. Also, he 
makes no bones about criticizing Draco's performance in front of a 
shopkeeper. As much as my dad lectured me, he never would have done 
so in public like this.

I don't have my book with me, but I bet the rest of this scene is 
even more enlightening in this area. 

BeccaFran