Draco's Choice (was:Re: The Twins are bad, Harry is bad, but Draco is good...)

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 137094

Betsy Hp:
Draco feels honored in being *chosen*. Draco did not make a choice
here, Voldemort did. And what's interesting is that Narcissa, in
her exchange with Bellatrix, brings up the point that Draco is
underage and therefore, according to the custom of the WW, unable to
make an informed decision.

vmonte:
Narcissa is right that Draco is a kid and that he does not know what 
he is getting himself into. But the fact is that Draco was excited to 
join the DEs--he did out of his own free will. 

Betsy Hp:
Exactly! Voldemort (with Bellatrix's help I'm sure) convince Draco
that he's been given an honorable task. That Draco seems to buy the
party line at first I agree with. But that doesn't change the fact
that Draco was *given* this task. Draco did not choose it. 

vmonte:
Yes, Voldemort is very good at manipulating people, Snape even 
mentions this to Harry during one of the occlumency lessons. But 
Draco still made the choice to become a DE. It's not until later in 
the school year that Draco realizes what he has gotten himself into. 
The scene with Moaning Myrtle for example reminds me of the scene 
with Quirrell crying in the classroom (SS/PS). A lot of pressure is 
being put on Draco to find a method to get the DEs into the school-- 
add the threats against his family...  

Betsy Hp:
Draco didn't have a choice here at all. JKR makes that very clear,
IMO.

vmonte:
I disagree. JKR makes it very clear that WE are responsible for our 
own actions.   

Betsy:
Third, he makes sure that Dumbledore realizes that he *did not* 
invite Fenrir to the school (which implies to me that Draco, for the 
first time in his life quite possibly, is looking for Dumbledore's 
approval).

vmonte:
Draco is a racist pureblood. To Draco it doesn't matter whether it is 
Lupin or Fenrir..a werewolf is a werewolf is a werewolf...

Betsy Hp:
Honestly, I wouldn't have called Draco an innocent, myself, for the
very reasons you brought up. Stomping a helpless Harry, nearly
killing Katie and Ron, his use of Unforgivables don't call up images
of fluffy bunny innocence to me, either. But Dumbledore said it,
and if you think about how Draco parallels Harry...

vmonte:
Draco does not parallel Harry, he parallels Snape. 

Betsy:
And in a round about sort of way, keeping his friends out of his
tangles with Voldemort showed a form of compassion too...I get the
impression that Crabbe and Goyle don't know what Draco is up to.

"Look, it's none of your business what I'm doing, Crabbe, you and
Goyle just do as you're told and keep a lookout!" (383)

vmonte:
He doesn't want his friends to know what he is doing because he wants 
the glory all for himself. It's the same reason why he didn't want 
Snape to get involved. 

Vivian