Analyzing Draco (Was: Re: Dark Book - Blood and Cruelty)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 177435

> Jen:
> I thought Crabbe meant he and Goyle (and now I'll add in Draco)
> hung back during the evacuation. I guess they could've hung back
> from going to the Great Hall...

> Debbie:
> I think it's conceivable that the three of them were there, but
> that Draco was more or less hiding behind his friends.  However, I 
> think it's more likely they didn't show up in the Great Hall in the
> first place.  Slughorn's earlier comments to McGonagall implied 
> that he was still terrified of defying DEs ("I'm not at all sure
> whether this is wise, Minerva.  he is bund to find a way in, you
> know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in most 
> grievous peril").  Slughorn was the least likely of all the heads
> of house to follow through to ensure that all his students went to
> the Great Hall, especially sons of DEs who had demonstrated an
> enthusiasm for the Cruciatus Curse.  So, while canon doesn't tell
> us, I'm assuming that MCG did not show up in the Great Hall.

Jen:  I think you're right, the three weren't in the Great Hall.  
Mostly because I can't picture Harry *not* noticing Draco; he and 
Draco are tied together throughout the series in such a way that they 
always seem aware of each other's presence.  And the students aren't 
in the Great Hall for more than a few mintues before Voldemort 
interrupts (basing that on the fact that when the chapter opens 
McGonagall is just starting her speech about the evacuation and 
answers a couple of questions before LV speaks).  I was more thinking 
of other teachers not noticing rather than Slughorn, whom I agree 
wouldn't have stopped them at that point.   

Debbie:
> Heh, if Draco had been standing by when Voldy killed him I'd bet
> he'd have turned over a mostly different set of memories, full of 
> conversations with Dumbledore on how to protect Draco in addition 
> to the ones he showed Harry.

Jen: Argh, why couldn't we get those too?! I particularly want to 
know if Snape was as reluctant a DE as Draco was from early on, or if 
he embraced it until the moment he discovered Lily was going to be 
targeted.  

> Debbie:
> I'm with you here, although if Harry is the prey I'm not sure how
> the diadem will distract them.   But for the life of me I can't
> figure out what Draco was going to say about the diadem.  I've 
> checked the canon and there's nothing to suggest he knew that Harry
> was looking for anything, so he must have made something up.
> 
> "'Potter came in here to get it,' said Malfoy with ill-disguised
> impatience at the slow-wittedness of his colleagues, 'so that must
> mean -- '"
> 
> (a) . . . that it's really powerful and we should find it and use 
it?
> (b) . . . that the Dark Lord would want it, and bringing it to him 
> would cover us in glory?
> (c) . . . that if Potter wants it, we should find and destroy it
> immediately?

Jen: I'll take door B, attempting to appeal to Crabbe's desire for 
glory by suggesting there was something *additional* they could bring 
to the Dark Lord to earn his favor along with Potter.  Not that Draco 
really wants to take either to Voldemort, but perhaps he can keep 
Crabbe from destroying the diadem with all the spells he's blasting 
around.   Draco doesn't know what it is or how it's protected.  Btw, 
do others think there were protections on it or that LV thought the 
room was enough?

> Debbie:
> Very true.  What really strikes me about Draco in DH as a whole and
> this scene in particular is the challenge he faced growing into his
> new role as an opponent of the DEs.  I believe, as you suggest, 
> that the correct parallel is Snape.  Having decided he doesn't want
> the DE life, he continues to have to live it outwardly, one of the
> toughest jobs ever.  He's clearly not as good at it as Snape,
> because unlike Snape, Draco's not much of an actor.  He wears his 
> heart on his sleeve always...<snip> 
> As it turns out, Draco is a fool who loves, and this is the biggest 
> surprise of DH.  Draco wasn't redeemed because he was a coward, but 
> because, like Snape, he had the capacity to love.

Jen: Snape lost so much more that it makes sense he could 
compartmentalize his emotions better and become a more convincing 
actor.  It appealed to me that Draco retained the quality of wearing 
his heart on his sleeve, and that Dumbledore and Snape gave up so 
much to help him reach that point instead of the two of them only 
helping Harry.