Draco's nature (was Power vs Morality )

[LeahBrahms]

No: HPFGUIDX 110697

Del wrote:

> Draco is another interesting parallel to Tom. [snip]
> Fourth, just like Tom, Draco is after *power*, and he fears those 
more
> powerful than he. He doesn't care about right and wrong, only about
> who is most powerful and how he himself can gain more power.

There's been a lot of discussion about Voldemort's ability to love 
and/or form friendships, and comparisons with Draco and his 
questionable home environment.  I've tried to find the post that 
pointed out that, while Draco has before him the example of the 
friendships between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, his friendships are 
apparently quite lacking in depth.  The CoS polyjuice scene is 
perfect to demonstrate the superficial relationship between Draco and 
Crab and Goyle.

The first time through GOF, when Rita quotes Draco as saying that 
Harry has made friends with werewolves and giants, that "he'd do 
anything for a bit of power", I assumed that this was Draco just 
finding the nastiest things he could think of to say about Harry.  
But notice that it's firmly based in fact.  Pansy didn't seem 
particularly concerned with being factual when she described Hermione 
(okay, "really ugly" can be subjective, but it sounds like she's just 
being spiteful).  

Does anyone read this as Draco actually believing that Harry is 
making a power play by befriending Hagrid and Lupin?  We've seen 
Draco suck up to Snape (telling him he should apply to be headmaster 
when Dumbledore is gone, etc.) and apparently got on Umbridge's good 
side pretty quickly.  Is Draco capable of friendships that aren't 
merely self-serving?  If he isn't, he *would* only see Harry's 
relationships with Lupin, Hagrid, and Dumbledore (he accuses Harry of 
being Dumbledore's pet; obviously he believes Harry to be sucking up 
to DD) as bids for power and self-advancement.

To counter this idea, of course, we have ample evidence that Draco 
holds Hagrid in no esteem and thus would have a hard time believing 
that someone would be more powerful with Hagrid on their side (of 
course, the irony is that it's likely that Dumbledore will be shown 
to be).  And with Draco's reaction to Lupin's being a werewolf - that 
he resigned lest the "mommies and daddies" complain that their 
children are at risk - it seems that Draco trivializes how dangerous 
Lupin might be (and therefore his importance as a Dark creature).

But if Draco believes that all Harry's friendships are about seeking 
power, it sounds like Draco might be heading down the path of those 
who believe that "there is only power, and those too weak to seek 
it".  


LeahBrahms, longish-time lurker, first-time poster, hoping this angle 
hasn't been completely talked to death yet