Draco's potion making skills WAS: Scary Teachers - Good Teachers

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 153074

> Alla:
> >
> > I mean, don't get me wrong - Marchbank may not be in Malfoy's
> > pocket, she likely is not as in 'taking bribes", but why wouldn't
> > she come for dinner as one Ministry employee to another?
>
> Magpie:
> She might be having dinner with Stan Shunpike too for all we know,
but when
> Draco says they have dinner and Neville says she never mentions
the Malfoys
> it's showing us that the Malfoys don't impress Marchbanks, even if
she's had
> dinner at their house. Nice little subtle show that Neville's
social
> connections are very good.

Alla:

That's true, it does show that Neville's connections are good, that
I agree with.


> Alla:
> > I don't think her being friends with Dumbledore is relevant
though,
> > since as we know Dumbledore thought that Fake!Moody was his
friend
> > too
>
> Magpie:
> So the woman is polyjuiced now?  The story is ready to collapse
from all the
> complications piled onto it!


Alla:

Hehe. No, I meant that DD is not always good in choosing his friends
or recognising them :)


> Alla:
> >
> > I don't think Neri's original point even was that she is
necessarily
> > taking bribes, but more like that Malfoys KNOW people in high
places
> > and his daddy will at least attempt to ASK those people a favor,
> > whether Marchbank will do so or not is a different story of
course.
>
> Magpie:
> Her point was to use a scene of Draco bragging and Neville
innocently
> revealing how much he's exaggerating as a reason to discard any
ggood rade
> Neville got on an OWL.

Alla:

Neri is a "he", as far as I know :). That's the thing though - to me
Neville does not show that Draco exaggerates here, although it
certainly can be read that way, I understand, I just don't see the
reason to discard the other possibility.

> Magpie:
> Yes, Snape's relationship with Draco goes beyond his performance
in Potions,
> that's clear.  But that doesn't mean he can't get an O on his test.

Alla:

Yes, he could get an O on his test. My point is that I don't see
signs in canon that he did. If JKR considers this to be not an
important detail that can go in without any foreshadowing, than
sure, he could get any grade for all I know.

If JKR thought that this needed foreshadowing, then I just don't see
any, that is all I am saying.


> Magpie:
> No one is arguing that Snape favors Malfoy *because* he's a good
student.
> We know Snape's favor of Malfoy is personal.  We're saying that he
still
> also does well in his class, which isn't that remarkable. If he
didn't, imo,
> Snape's favor would come across very differently.


Alla:

Okay, first of all then I misundertood you completely. Didn't you
said somewhere upthread that Snape favors Draco BECAUSE he gets good
grades, because he is a good student? I apologise if this was not
your point.

And as I said above I don't see the signs of Draco doing well in
class, it is not necessarily contradicted by canon ( although I
agree with Neri - if one is good at something, usually one does not
feel a need to suck up in the first place IMO), but it is not shown
there either.

And how differently Snape favor would come across if Darco was not a
good student in your opinion?

I am not sure I understand.


> Alla states:  
> > I mean, don't get me wrong - Marchbank may not be in Malfoy's 
> > pocket, she likely is not as in 'taking bribes", but why 
wouldn't 
> > she come for dinner as one Ministry employee to another?

Susanne: 
> Since when is Malfoy an employee of the Ministry?   

Alla:

Ooops. Sorry. :) How about as one Ministry employee to "unofficial" 
Ministry employee, who donates a lot of money and made Fudge 
basically do whatever he wants?


JMO,

Alla