Draco the Death Eaters and Voldemort (was: Re: Draco's culpability...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 139941

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > <snip> 
> > Draco gains no lethal skills.  That interests me.  

> >>a_svirn:
> Why is it of so great interest? So what if Draco didn't learn 
> any "lethal skills"?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Because it doesn't fit neatly into the "Draco is a coldhearted, 
murdering little bastard" theory.  At all.  JKR could easily have 
had Draco creating a magical bomb; instead she has him restoring a 
piece of furniture.  It backs up, IMO, Dumbledore's contention that 
Draco is not a killer.  A killer would have worked on something that 
kills.  Draco worked on opening a door.  

> >>a_svirn:
> Are you sure that "benign" and "assassination" belong to the same 
> sentence? 
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
They belong in the same sentence as much as "killer" and "furniture 
restorer" belong in the same sentence.  And you're right, they 
*don't* go well together.  Which is my point, really.
 
> >>Betsy Hp:
> > Though I think Dumbledore was thinking a bit higher than the    
> > court of law.  

> >>a_svirn:
> Could you elaborate on that one, please? It sounds kind of cryptic.

Betsy Hp:
I've touched on this in other posts. I think I'm most specific in 
message #137075 where I say:

"There is powerful imagery invoked in the three times Dumbledore 
gives Draco the time to act and then tells him he is not a killer. 
I'm not sure if JKR had this particular idea in mind while she was 
writing, but once I noticed the pattern of three I immediately 
thought of Peter who three times denies Christ before the 
Crucifixion and then, after the Resurrection, is able to redeem 
himself when Christ asks Peter three times if he loves him. (I 
believe this takes place in the book of John in the Bible.) But even 
if she didn't, there's a certain power within the number three. 
Draco's act of confession, Dumbledore's benediction, the repetitive 
nature of their exchange... I think Draco leaves this encounter 
effectively blessed by Dumbledore. Proven, I think, by Draco not 
giving into the demands of the Death Eaters.
(I don't want to take this imagery too far. I think it implies a
certain symbolism, but I don't think it's supposed to be taken
literally.)"

> >>Phoenixgod:
> <snip>
> Dumbledore has no authority to give forgiveness or pass a         
> benediction to Draco.
> <snip into a later message on this thread>
> JKR even says in one of her interviews that DD isn't a
> metaphor for jesus and even he admits to his own falibility so I
> think he neatly cuts off his own confessional authority.

Betsy Hp:
Within the Christian tradition one doesn't need to be Jesus or 
infallibal to hear confession or to give a benediction.  Far from 
it, actually.  Any authority Dumbledore has comes from his love for 
Draco and his interest in his welfare.  Actually, the way I read it 
(and others may well disagree since this is getting into my own 
belief system) Dumbledore opens the way for Draco to forgive 
himself.  After all, it's Draco who fears he's a killer.  It's Draco 
who's suffered the most for the path he's been taken down.  It's 
Draco who is most in danger, IMO.  Dumbledore gives Draco the chance 
to choose a different way. Which is well within his rights as 
Headmaster of Draco's school, both morally and legally, I think.

> >>Phoenixgod:
> One thing I don't think I heard you say was what sort of punishment
> Draco should recieve for his actions. Even if there were mitigating
> circumstances there should be a consequence to his actions. After
> all, it wasn't like he was being held at gunpoint. He kept up his
> actions even after he was safely behind the wards of hogwarts and 
> he could have gone to dumbledore at any time. Should he have his   
> wand snapped? should he be imprisoned? What should happen to him   
> according to you?

Betsy Hp:
First of all, it's *exactly* like he was being held at gunpoint.  
(Well, wandpoint if we want to be fully literal.)  And he *wasn't* 
safe behind the wards.  Even Dumbledore knows that.  He specifically 
tells Draco so on the Tower.  It's why Dumbledore couldn't approach 
him.  And not only is Draco's life on the line, but his mother's as 
well.  (Why does this always get overlooked?  It's curious.)

As to punishment, how about having his chest and face slashed open 
and nearly dying on a bathroom floor?  There's a certain poetic 
justice to it, don't you think?  And, as Pippin points out, he's 
taken out of Hogwarts, away from his friends, and possibly given to 
Voldemort. That's more than enough to my mind.  (Though I'm betting 
JKR will have more things in store for Draco.  She does seem to 
enjoy making him bleed.)

Now here's a question for you.  What punishment should the twins 
face for nearly killing Montague?  (Who they attacked on purpose and 
for which they've yet to show the slightest remorse.)

Betsy Hp who pulled and snipped from different messages on this 
thread so may have put things out of order