Punishing for sins of the father...

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 68029

Jazmyn: 
> 
> I can imagine that Draco made life a living hell for those that 
stood for Harry.  We likely don't see the Good Slytherins because the 
bad ones would keep them inhibited.  In the scene with James and 
Snape, there were no Slytherins coming to Snape's aid. Unless Lily 
happened to be one, which is about as likely as Hagrid being Lupin's 
father.. Does this mean he was 'too good' to whomever their 
ringleader was at the time and an outcast from them?  Or just such a 
loner that he didn't have any friends at all? Maybe it was the next 
two years that the other Slyherins offered him 'protection' in 
exchange for something. Maybe teaching them Hexes?  He might have had 
so many outstanding O.W.L.s that he was used by the 'evil' Slytherins 
as a way of helping them improve their own  grades or something?
> 
> Perhaps we don't see the good ones because they stay quiet and 
don't stick their necks out.  They just get through school quietly 
and don't make waves that would draw notice from thugs like Draco and 
his gang.
> 


This is all entirely possible. However, just as Lupin and Peter must 
bear some of the responsibility for what happened to Snape by not 
doing more to stop James and Sirius (and in Peter's case, encouraging 
it with his worship) then any Slyths who aren't trying to restrain 
Draco and his gang must as well.

Perhaps this will change now that Lucius is disgraced. My guess is 
that Draco's hold over other students, if that is what he is using, 
had more to do with his father's power and standing rather than his 
own charisma and power.

But, one devil's advocate question. This has also been going on since 
Draco was a first-year. If there were older Slytherins who disagreed 
with what the kid was doing, why didn't some sixth- or seventh-year 
stick his head in a toilet?

Has Draco truly been the alpha male of Slytherin ever since he got 
there, able to dominate even the oldest students?

Because let us remember that Draco has been a failure when it comes 
to "getting Potter." He has been, at most, able to make life 
uncomfortable for Harry with stuff like the "Potter stinks!" and 
slipping tidbits to Rita Skeeter, but Harry always overcomes it, 
always beats Draco at Quidditch, and helped snatch the House Cup away 
from Slyth for the first three books.

So, I find it harder to see how a cunning group like the other Slyths 
would continually follow Draco as he walks into brick walls. That 
tells me they are, in general, indeed cowed by Draco's influence 
(which will change now that Lucius is a public criminal) or truly 
think Draco has the right idea.

Darrin
- Can't believe The Alpha Males hasn't already been a band name.