Draco as a student (WAS: Re: Bathroom Scene - A Different Perspective.)

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 165237

Eggplant:
> Then "O" is a more common grade than "E",and something is SERIOUSLY 
wrong!

zgirnius:
No, it could also mean that no other students with Es, however few or 
many there might have been, opted to take NEWT potions when the option 
became open to them by Slughorn's more liberal policies. Perhaps they 
don't like Potions any more than Harry and Ron do.

Eggplant:
> And from the evidence of the preceding 5 books nothing
> would even hint that Draco could ever get a lofty grade like an "O" in
> potions, not in his wildest dreams. Even a "E" would be pushing the
> envelope for Draco.  

zgirnius:
I recall one mention of Draco's performance in a class of Snape's, and 
it was an instance where he was complimented for his slug stewing 
technique, in the very first class. Lots of instances of his being 
nasty to Harry and Ron, sure, but not having lousy Potions. Where do 
you get this idea that he is bad at Potions?

In general, I would say the evidence favors the idea that Draco is 
overall an excellent student academically in all his subjects. He was 
chosen as Prefect over Zabini and Nott, who at least are known not to 
be morons in the style of Crabbe and Goyle. Dumbledore's comment to 
Harry at the end of OotP also indicates that Snape did not dictate this 
choice, Dumbledore must have agreed.

In addition to his Prefect status, I think Lucius' comment in CoS, 
about Draco doing worse than a 'girl of no wizarding family' indicates 
that it is not laughable to compare his grades to that girl's. If Draco 
has a bunch of A's, I don't think his father would bother to berate him 
for losing out to Hermione, he would complain of his utter mediocrity 
instead. Also in CoS, I don't think Snape would have picked a weak 
student from Slytherin to partner Harry in the Duelling Club. Do you 
think he was trying to make Harry look good? I think he picked Draco 
because Draco is the best.

In GoF, Draco creates the buttons that say "Support Cedric Diggory" and 
change to "Potter Sucks". Looks like he's also good at Charms, to me.

And finally in HBP, he comes up with the Vanishing Cabinet plan on his 
own. It is clever, and again includes difficult using magic. He needs 
to fix the cabinet himself. He needs to use the Protean Charm to create 
the coins for communicating with Rosmerta. If he indeed Imperiused her, 
that's an advanced Dark spell. 

--zgirnius