Draco's crime ( Repost of Amy Z post)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 128857


Alla: 
OK I found Amy Z Post about Draco and Buckbeak. It is in the 
recommended posts ( 25303). I agree with her that this was evil 
action, but then I think that everything Draco does is evil or at 
least has evil potential. :-)
 

Amy Z wrote:
I think Draco's worst crime wasn't trying to get Hagrid fired or 
gloating over Cedric.  The thing I think was worst was trying to get 
Buckbeak killed. This isn't Amy the touchy-feely, kittycat-loving, 
animal-rightsist bleeding-heart speaking--as bad as killing a puppy 
or kitten, or someone's pet, is, I think killing Buckbeak is far 
worse in the eyes of the wizarding world.  Before I explain, I just 
want to say that I don't think that this means Draco is or isn't evil 
or unredeemable.  For the record, I think he is a really evil person, 
not just a slimy little twerp, and I also hold out hope that he'll 
make a substantial turn to the good before the end of Book 7.
  
In the eyes of the wizarding world, Buckbeak has a status above that 
of an ordinary animal.   (1) He is sentient; one might not be able to 
explain to him that he has to go into hiding, but he understands when 
he's being insulted (very gratifying moment, that) and he understands 
a bow.  (2) When one kills a violent animal, one refers to it 
as "destroying" or "putting down" or perhaps "euthanizing" the 
animal.  Buckbeak's imminent death is referred to as an execution--
not just by Hermione (14) and Lupin (17) but Fudge (16)--a term 
usually reserved for humans.  (3) There is a hearing and 
an appeal, again more on a human model of justice than along the 
lines of what is typically done for a biting dog.  (4) The Minister 
of Magic and a member of the Committee come up to witness the 
execution and are both quite grim about it--again, well beyond what 
one would expect if a hippogriff were merely an ordinary animal orpet.
  
Trying to get Buckbeak killed--framing him, in fact--isn't as bad as 
trying to get a human killed, but it is definitely treated as 
something in between killing an animal and killing a person.  It 
appears to be a very serious offense.