Draco as Victim in GoF (was: Re: The Huge overreactions...)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 150313

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Joe Goodwin <joegoodwin1067 at ...> wrote:

> Joe: 
> This even aussume that Draco can be redeemed. I know that now in the 
> oh so trendy how about a hug world that it seems everybody get more 
> chances than they deserve. Still there isn't anything that Draco can 
> do to be redeemed. Dumbledore will still be dead and Bill Weasley 
> will still me scarred.
>    
> Can Draco help the Order against Voldemort? Oh I am certain he could. 
> Can he be redeemed? No, there are some things that you cannot make 
> amends for.

Geoff:
Sorry to disagree but redemption is /not/ a trendy huggy thing.

Speaking as a Christian, I see redemption is the very core of Christian fbelief. I have said 
on several occasions that no one is irredeemable unless they make themselves so by 
refusing to see their need for it. Jesus taught that he would not turn away anyone who 
comes to him in faith - wherever they are coming from. That is the key; the willingness to 
seek a change.

Just to underline my point, I will finish by repeating part of what I wrote in post 149543:

<quote>
Moving on to a different topic, there has been a lot of discussion over the months as to 
who, on Harry's side, might turn traitor and defect to the dark side. I often wonder if there 
will be a counter-defection from Voldemort to the Wizarding World's side. This sort of 
situation is not unknown in fiction, or real life for that matter. Those of you who follow my 
ramblings will know that I have a (surprising) weak spot for Draco. I have often written that 
I believe he is not irredeemable and this came back to me when Nikkalmati made reference 
to this in message 149494. I feel that we were seeing the beginning of an epiphany in
respect of his world view when he confronted Dumbledore on the tower at the end of HBP 
– another of a series of happenings which would cause him to think. Since I have been 
writing in Biblical terms, I would again do so and refer to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, 
who became St.Paul. OK, he was a lot older than Draco but he came up against events
which challenged his point of view. He was a Pharisee, highly trained in the Jewish 
Scriptures, who set out to stop early Christians by any method. The turning point seems to 
have come when he witnessed the death of Stephen and it was soon afterwards that he 
had his experience of meeting Christ on the road to Damascus. Taking the line of parallels
between real Christian experience and the events of the Harry Potter books, I would like to 
see something happen to young Mr.Malfoy and would also be interested to know whether 
there are other candidates who members of the group feel might be put forward to be 
"turned" to the good.
</quote>