Sirius and Draco; was James and Snape.

[Alex Boyd]

No: HPFGUIDX 113813

Alla wrote:

> I just feel that if JKR decides to change Draco in book 6, I will 
> NOT believe it. Two books left, that is it and NO hint whatsoever 
> dropped in any of the previous books that Draco has a fighting 
> chance to see the light.

I see what you mean here--JKR hasn't really left herself much room for
a redemption story arc, since she would still have to *get* him to
Ever-So-Evil, and then *back* to Redeemed, in only two books.  I'd say
"neither totally evil nor Redeemed!" would be an option, except she's
given him an awful lot of ink for him not to have any major role.  

I do wonder if he's an option for playing out the "The world isn't
divided into nice people and Death Eaters" concept, where Harry has to
face up to the fact that Draco, while not nice, has never actually
been evil (this would, I guess, be the Misunderstood!Draco plot that
your post indicates you don't believe in).  But she's got plenty of
*other* characters to do that with, so probably not.  <Sigh.>  Which
is such a shame, because I *like* the little blighter.  I think in
real life I'd find Harry, Ron, and Hermione to be tedious little
goody-goodies.  Draco's got some edge.  

*I*, personally, find it a little disappointing that the Spoiled
Rotten Rich Boy introduced in the first book is apparently not going
to develop past that.  Harry pegs him as the "wrong sort" the very
first time he sees him....and, lo and behold, he's the wrong sort.  I
*hope* he'll be redeemed--but I think I agree with you that if he was
going to be, there would be *something* that a determined reader such
as myself could interpret as hinting at his Inner Goodness.  And while
I maintain that evidence of his Inner Evil is inconclusive, I admit
that there's not anything to point toward Inner Good.  

Alex