Draco and Daddy (was: Why did Draco do it?)

[Eustace_Scrubb]

No: HPFGUIDX 125416


Betsy:

> Draco is not pampered by his parents.  When he is introduced, he's 
> been left alone in a shop while his parents split up to get the 
> other shopping errands done (including buying his wand, which I 
> thought was an Ollivander no-no). This is not the actions of people 
> thrilled and excited about their only son's upcoming trip to 
> Hogwarts.  It's what people do when they want to move as quickly as 
> possible to get an annoying job done.

Eustace_Scrubb:
It is possible for children to be "spoiled" by their parents--given
all the newest toys, most stylish clothes, sent to the best
camps/schools, etc.--even when (perhaps in fact most often) when those
parents maintain a distant personal relationship with the children.

By the time we first meet Draco, he's plenty old enough to have
figured this out and started using it to his advantage.  (In fact,
it's not that much different from Dudley's relationship with his
parents, except for the fact that as far as we know, Vernon isn't the
wealthy, smoothly evil scion of one of England's best families. 
Though he'd probably admire Lucius if he could just get over his magic
phobia.  And really, we know more about how Lucius acts in public with
Draco than we do about how the Dursleys act with Dudley--with the
exception of the zoo trip is SS/PS, we don't really see the Dursleys
in public except at King's Cross when they're all petrified of the
magic folk about them.)

Anyway, I suspect that Lucius and Draco are both adept at using each
other to get what they want.  And I suspect that Lucius _does_ want
first-hand reports on the remarkable Harry Potter.  I'm not sure that
I agree with SSSusan that I could see it happening as they "enjoy
their evening meal" together, because I imagine the Malfoys' dinners
as formal occasions, at which the distance between Lucius and Draco is
heightened.  I'd see it more like this:  Draco being ushered into his
father's library for some formal advice and admonitions about his
behavior at Hogwarts--and his parents' expectations, one of which is
to find out what he can about young Potter.  And Draco would try, not
because of any warmth he feels towards his father, but because it
could be a useful chit to have later on, when he wants something from
Lucius.

A minor comment about the Malfoys' shopping trip:  Draco tells Harry
that "mother's up the street looking at wands," but it's open to
interpretation whether she's _buying_ his wand.  She may be doing some
pre-screening for him, or maybe she's looking for a new wand for
herself...we don't know.  I agree that Ollivander wouldn't approve of
Draco's mother choosing his wand for him.  Also, this could be a way
of indicating that the Malfoys don't really feel that parental
oversight of the fitting for mere school robes is worth their time. 
Checking into the quintessential magic appliance--the wand--would be
much more important.

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb