Draco's culpability (Was: My doubts about Snape being Evil)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 139317

 
> Betsy Hp:
<snip> 
  For one thing, we don't know if Draco 
> actually *is* a Death Eater.  


a_svirn:

Yes, we know this. We might not know for sure whether or not he has 
the Mark yet, but what does that matter? For all intends and 
purposes he *is* a DE. He acknowledges Voldemort as his Master, he 
embraces his ideology (or at least what he thinks this ideology is), 
and he looks forward to the final victory of the Dark.  Most 
importantly, he pledged himself to his cause and carries 
Voldemorte's orders out diligently. What else could the Dark Lord 
wish in his servant? 


> Betsy Hp:

But for another, we know that Draco 
> was selected for a suicide mission he was expected to fail.  Draco 
> was being used to punish his father's failures.  Draco did *not* 
> volunteer for this.  Bellatrix makes that very clear, IMO.
> 
> "Draco should be proud," said Bellatrix indifferently.  "The Dark 
> Lord is granting him a great honor.  And I will say this for 
Draco: 
> He isn't shrinking away from his duty, he seems glad of a chance 
to 
> prove himself, excited at the prospect --" (HBP Scholastic p.33)
> 
> The words used here ("granted" "duty" "chance") speak to an 
> assignment, IMO.

a_svirn:

Yes, of course it is an assignment. But I don't quite see what his 
receiving orders from Voldemort has to do with the fact that he's 
joined on his own volition. After all, that's what servants do: 
receive orders, try to please their masters and get punished if they 
don't. And in HBP that Draco made it clear he was quite keen to 
join, after which, yes, he got his first glorious assignment.  

 
> Betsy Hp:
> It was *never* Draco's choice, if he's even a Death Eater at all.  
> There were also several comments made about Draco's age.  He's too 
> young (at sixteen) to make the decision to become a Death Eater.
> 
>

a_svirn:

In principle, yes, he's too young to make the choice. The fact 
remains, however that he did or there would have been no DE on 
Hogwarts grounds.