Why did Draco do it?

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 125379


> Betsy wrote:
> > One thing I'm sure of: Lucius didn't give Draco any advice in 
PS/SS 
> > on whether or not befriending Harry Potter was a good idea.  
<snip>
So I think Lucius would be a little too busy ignoring 
> > and avoiding his son to sit down and give him some fatherly 
advice 
> > on who to hang with at school.  
>  
> 
> SSSusan replied:
<snip>
> I also am not convinced that Lucius stayed totally out of fatherly 
> advising where Harry was concerned.   
<snip>
> So, yes, I'll bet you're right that Draco is curious.  However, I 
> think Lucius is plenty curious, too.  I'll bet he's *dying* to get 
a  report on Harry Potter.  
> 
> I could quite easily imagine a scene, prior to school's starting, 
> when Lucius suggests it might be WISE of Draco to introduce 
himself 
> to Harry Potter, see what the kid is like, see how he behaves.  In 
> fact, I can't imagine any reason *not* to imagine a scene like 
that.  
> It'd be easy enough, as they enjoy their evening meal perhaps, to 
> talk about his surely being sorted into Slytherin, how he should 
be 
> sure to hook up with Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, et al., and how it sure 
> would be interesting to know just what Harry Potter is made of....


Hannah now:  I always think the easiest way to decide how Lucius 
would have acted in a certain situation is to ask 'what would be in 
it for him?'  I think Lucius will use whatever opportunity he can to 
increase his power and standing in the wizard community.  Having a 
son that's friends with Harry Potter would likely benefit Lucius, so 
I think it's safe to say he had a little word with Draco before the 
latter left for Hogwarts.

As SSSusan says, it would be easy for Lucius to suggest to Draco 
that it would be a good idea to get to know the 'Boy-Who-Lived' 
better.  Even in CoS, after a year of bitter rivalry between the two 
boys, Lucius is heard telling Draco it is 'not prudent to appear 
less than fond' of Harry.  

I think that Lucius almost certainly did try and influence Draco on 
the matter of befriending Harry.  Not because it may benefit Draco, 
but because it would benefit Lucius.

Hannah