[HPforGrownups] Re: OoP: Has Anyone Seen Redeemable Draco???

[Jennifer Boggess Ramon]

No: HPFGUIDX 66967

At 1:38 AM +0000 7/3/03, jenny_ravenclaw wrote:
>
>I see Draco as less of a threat now than I ever have.  Someone (sorry,
>forgot who!) mentioned that Draco is the only one who can give Harry a
>run for his money, and I must disagree.  There has not been one single
>time in all five books where Draco, in the end, is triumphant the way
>Harry is.  Harry is a better Quidditch player, better fighter, and
>better at magic than Draco is.  He also has better support, as Crabbe
>and Goyle usually end up on the floor, unconscious and next to Draco.

At this point, I would like to point out that I don't think Draco is 
meant as a counterpart to Harry in the books.  (He thinks he is, but 
he's wrong.  That's been Neville's job all along, and Dumbledore's 
explanation of the prophecy has more or less borne that out.)

Draco is a shadow-counterpart to *Ron*:

Rich pureblood family vs. poor pureblood family
Only child, son, and heir vs. middle child and youngest son of a large brood
Bought way onto Quidditch team early vs. joined later on own merits
First fellow Hogwarts student to try to befriend Harry vs. Harry's first
	friend at Hogwarts
Father is well-connected with the ministry vs. father works for Ministry
Doting, if distant, mother vs. doting, if overworked and overwhelmed, mother
Both possibly have a crush on Hermione
Both are nagged about their grades and compared to others by a parent
Both became prefects in 5th year
Etc., etc., etc.

Complaining that Draco is constantly shown up by Harry is like 
complaining that Ron is constantly shown up by Harry.  It's true, but 
that's the way the story works - neither is a main character.  They 
were each potential First Friends of the main character, just like 
Harry and Neville were both potential Prophecy Boys.

Now, Redeemable!Draco is in some ways a shadow theory to Traitor!Ron. 
Just as it might occur that Ron does what is easy instead of what is 
right, by being tempted by fame, glory, or wealth, it might occur 
that Draco eventually chooses to do what is right instead of what is 
easy, presumably out of either loyalty to Snape or fear of what the 
Death Eaters really represent (which a large number of us suspect he 
doesn't yet truly know - what was it Headmaster Nigellus said about 
Slytherins and skin-saving?).  I would find it interesting if both of 
these are offered - with Ron turning from the temptation at the last 
minute, thus showing that he was the correct First Friend after all.

One last possible link:

Father claimed Imperius curse under Voldemort vs. Imperio'd!Arthur?

Hmm . . .
-- 

  - Boggles, aka J. C. B. Ramon			boggles(at)earthlink.net
"It is not knowledge, but the act of learning, not possession but the 
act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment. "
	- Gauss, in a Letter to Bolyai, 1808.