Words have consequences

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 150397

 
> > Betsy Hp:
> > And, if the person in your example was knocked unconscious and the 
> > police were called, he'd be considered a victim and the attackers 
> > would be arrested.
> 
Amiable Dorsai 
> Interestingly, in the actual event, the Malfoys do not appear to agree
> with you.

Pippin:
That might be because they don't want the subject of the quarrel discussed.
If Hermione had had her wits about her, she might have observed
that You Know Who doesn't seem to want his return announced, and while
she's very gratified that Draco believes Harry,  YKW might not
be best pleased to know that his servants' families are trumpeting his return
in public. And he's not as forgiving as we are. <g>

It might well be  that Draco subconsciously wanted to be thumped. It
must have created some tension in him that the boy he'd been rooting
for all year as the Hogwarts champion had been murdered by the person
he'd been reared to view as a savior. Picking a fight with Harry would be
one way to deal with it.

But Draco has never had the guts for a fight and it would have been civilized
to offer him the option of leaving under his own power, even if he didn't
accept. And if our heroes don't model civilized behavior, who will?


Pippin