Muggleborn/OWLs/War/Fleur/Neville/Rubeus/Draco/Veil/Patronus/Occlumency

[kchuplis]

No: HPFGUIDX 144934

Catlady wrote:
 
> JKR said in
> http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-
2.htm
> that "I think Draco would be very gifted in Occlumency, unlike Harry.
> Harry�s problem with it was always that his emotions were too near the
> surface and that he is in some ways too damaged. But he's also very in
> touch with his feelings about what's happened to him. He's not
> repressed, he's quite honest about facing them, and he couldn't
> suppress them, he couldn't suppress these memories. But I thought of
> Draco as someone who is very capable of compartmentalizing his life
> and his emotions, and always has done. So he's shut down his pity,
> enabling him to bully effectively. He's shut down compassion � how
> else would you become a Death Eater? So he suppresses virtually all of
> the good side of himself. But then he's playing with the big boys, as
> the phrase has it, and suddenly, having talked the talk he's asked to
> walk it for the first time and it is absolutely terrifying. And I
> think that that is an accurate depiction of how some people fall into
> that kind of way of life and they realize what they're in for. I felt
> sorry for Draco. Well, I�ve always known this was coming for Draco,
> obviously, however nasty he was."
>

That is interesting, and I can certainly believe it.(I, too, feel for Draco. I think it 
intersting that the actor playing "Lucias" said in some interview that I saw - sorry - 
don't remember which movie's DVD that is on- something to the effect that he 
portrays Lucias as being pretty hard on Draco because that is how he thinks Draco 
got to be the bully he is). I always found it interesting that as big as Draco talked and 
as annoying as he is, he was never hugely good on follow through and definitely 
scared easily. That doesn't bode well for a career as a Death Eater (well, other that the 
Peter Pettigrew variety.) I think DD was right and Draco was not expected to live 
through the end of HBP.

  Back on Harry though, I still think Harry has to improve in occlumency, even if to 
gain seconds of advantage. He's never going to be great at it, but he *can* do it, as 
we saw the one time with Snape (well, I don't know if pushing back and using 
legilimens is actually doing oclulmency) but he wouldn't have to be a master. He just 
needs a little more skill to buy a bit of time (IMO). 

kchuplis