Draco an underdog?

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 131920

> >>Geoff:
> I think, Alla, that you have created a contradiction in terms here.
> My dictionary defines "underdog" as : A competitor thought to have 
> little chance of winning a fight or contest.
> <snip>

> >>Alla:
> Oops, I may have created a contradiction, so let me try to clarify. 
> I thought Betcy was talking about Draco as underdog in relation to 
> whole Hogwarts, not just in terms of Draco/Harry relationship.

Betsy Hp:
No, you're right about what I was saying, Alla.  Draco *is* the 
Hogwarts underdog, while Harry is the Hogwarts golden boy.  Every 
single book plays this out.  However, JKR cleverly sets it up so that 
Harry *appears* to be the underdog.  She does it by having Harry 
*see* himself as the underdog, not recognizing his goldenboy status.  
How else can you explain Harry's nervousness at finding a date for 
the Yule ball when just about every single girl in Hogwarts is 
gagging to be his date?

> >>Alla: 
> Here I most definitely see HRH as underdogs, because they have to 
> overcome external circumstances, which are often adversarial to    
> them. I gave examples in my previous post when everybody in school 
> is ready to turn on Harry when he does as much as a wrong step,    
> when Hermione has to work harder than many purebloods,simply       
> because she is a muggleborn.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
When has Hermione *ever* suffered for being a muggleborn?  I mean, 
sure *Draco* calls her names, but she is definitely the teachers 
favorite and certainly known as one of the smartest students of her 
class.  As to Harry, yes, sometimes his popularity sours, but he's 
got a strong crowd around him (the Weasley twins support should never 
be sneered at) and even when he at his lowest his fame is strong. (A 
good example of that is the DA) 

> >>Alla:
> Draco does not have to work for anything, he already has            
> everything, because of his family status.

Betsy Hp:
What everything?  Draco wasn't able to bring a broom in first year, 
that was Harry.  Draco doesn't have the top-of-the-line quidditch 
broom, Harry does.  Draco's never won the Quidditch cup, Harry has.  
Draco's never won his house the House Cup, Harry has.  No one 
chanted "we got Draco!" when Draco got sorted into Slytherin as the 
twins did for Harry.  Draco doesn't have all the girls panting after 
him like Harry does.  Draco doesn't get the Ministry of Magic 
smoothing over rules he's broken like Harry does.  Draco doesn't have 
the headmaster in his back pocket like Harry does. Draco's name 
couldn't open every single door in the WW like Harry's can.  Hell, 
the *only* thing Draco had going for him was a powerful father, and 
Harry's taken even that away from him.

Now, Harry *does* pay a powerful price for all of his fame and 
glory.  If his parents hadn't died, no one would know his name any 
more than they know Draco's.  But Draco doesn't see that.  He only 
sees Harry beating him, time and time again.  And he sees the rules 
getting set aside for Harry time and time again.

What JKR does, and she's very clever about it, is she doesn't let 
Harry see how powerful he really is in the WW.  I think Harry is 
starting to get an inkling of his power, hence the DA and his 
interview with Rita Skeeter.  (Hermione, clever girl that she is, 
figures out Harry's power before he does.)

> >>Alla:
> <snip> 
> Also, I don't even view Draco as underdog in his relationship with 
> Harry, because IMO even thought he loses, he is not supposed to    
> lose.
> Harry often wins against all odds in the situation which Draco 
> himself starts and that is why it is such immense satisfaction for 
> me  to see Draco loose over and over again.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
See, that's because *Harry* thinks, "gosh, how could I possibly win?" 
but he's got the school's smartest witch, the WW's most powerful 
wizard, an incredibly powerful wizarding family, his family's money, 
and his own prodigy-like skills on his side.

Draco only ever has his bravado and a good front.  Which is all an 
underdog ever has. 

Betsy Hp