Draco & Hagrid

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 172844

I wanted to comment on two of the series most prominent characters
being short shifted in this final volume.

First, Draco... I know we learned reasons why Snape AK'd Dumbledore in
HBP, but I feel one big reason was so that Draco wouldn't. So that he
could remain innocent, at least from murder, so he could turn around
and have a chance at a life, and... I just don't think he earned it in
book 7.

Draco's always been a nasty little pissant, but I thought we were
shown how he could at least partially redeem himself.  In 6 he started
down the path, away from being nasty to being evil, and in 7... well,
he comes across more like he's weak-willed than because he has had any
change of heart.  I can see how it can be read that he's simply not
evil enough to be a true death eater, but he doesn't do anything
worthwhile either.  Goyle remains dull as a brick, while Crabbe seems
to have truly embraced evil - and 'grown out' of Malfoy's leadership,
but Draco... stagnates.  Sure, it's a great comic relief moment when
the trio saves him for the second time and he gets a fist in the face
from Ron, but what has he done to deserve that reprieve? And what have
his parents done? I've always hated Narcissa more than Belatrix - B is
crazy, but Draco's Mom is cold as ice.  And Lucius... at least
Narcissa seems to care about her son. I still feel Lucius is more put
out by his loss of standing.

If Draco is going to move on and join society, he should have had some
change of heart other than simple defeat and dishonor.

Harry has had 4 main foils in the series as a whole (plus an extra
foil or two in each individual book): Dudley, Draco, Snape, and
Voldemorte.  Voldemorte is pure evil.  Snape is nasty, but we find
that he is on the side of good.  And his two child-foes... we see
growth even in Dudley, who gets much less page time.  But Draco... is
draco.  He's been a prominent presence in the book, but he gets no
arc.  He simply is.  Dissatisfying.



The other character similarly left out to dry is Hagrid.  I've been
put out ever since he didn't get a wand after he was exonerated in
book 2 (you don't need to go to/graduate hogwarts to have a wand and
be a wizard. let him buy a new one and be a real wizard!)  And he gets
treated not too nice pretty often by the trio (like the other sad,
slightly annoying, but often loyal background characters - Dobby,
Myrtle, Nick).

But he did have a couple plotlines all his own - Grawp, which... I
mean, it's nice he was at the battle, and on 'Hagger's' side, but was
that really the payoff?  Of Hagrid's treacherous journey, of being
beaten up taming his brother, of the whole giant...everything?  It
feels like something is left out.

And who was TOTALLY left out? Madame Maxime!

We can love or hate the epilogue, but I think to leave out a character
who has been in the forefront for so long - from Harry's first moments
in the wizarding world, to the one who takes him on his final escape
from his childhood home - was a mistake.  I think Hagrid deserves not
to be left hanging.