Slytherinas/Harry/Buffy

Carol justcarol67 at yahoo.com
Mon Feb 2 00:42:22 UTC 2009


No: HPFGUIDX 185592

DA Jones wrote:
> I think what you are leaving out in this analysis is that the
Malfoy's are simply redeemed by their inability to kill. This is what
makes them human. They do believe in a repungent ideology, but aren't
willing to kill even enemies to do this. I'm pretty sure Lucius never
uses an AK, and we know Draco's story.      

Carol responds:

While I agree that the absence of likeable Slytherins is largely JKR's
own fault, IMO, she wanted to spring Regulus on us in DH with little
preparation and Snape's true motives after having made him appear as
evil as possible. Even Phineas Nigellus, who helps out as best a
portrait can in the service of Headmaster Snape, has previously been
presented as a bigot and a snob and (in liee) "the worst headmaster
Hogwarts ever had" (his great-great-grandson's less than objective
opinion, as someone pointed out). In other words, except for Slughorn,
whom we know to be weak and sentimental and fond of creature comforts
but not evil, we really don't know any "good" Slytherins, but I think
that JKR is holding off in presenting them until DH. At least we
finally see a human side to Draco Malfoy and his mother (and Snape
quietly saving Dumbledore and Katie Bell and quite dramatically saving
Draco, but that's all undermined by his seeming treachery at the end
of HBP). I think that JKR is focusing her attention on these few
Slytherins that the reader knows (or suspects will play a role, in the
case of Regulus [RAB] Black) at the expense of all those other
characters, just as she focuses on HRH and a few DA members (chiefly
Neville, Ginny, and Luna) at the expense of the unnamed Ravenclaws and
Hufflepuffs who also stayed to fight. (I won't get back into the
discussion of the Slytherins who were forced to leave by McGonagall,
who assumed, perhaps wrongly, that Pansy Parkinson spoke for the whole
House. But, then, she was still under the mistaken impression that
Snape was a murderer at the time.)

But to get back to dear Lucius. I think you're being a bit too easy on
him. He's quite ready, unlike Draco, to turn Harry over to Voldemort
in "Malfoy Manor" and has nearly touched his Dark Mark to summon him
when Bellatrix knocks his hand away--not for any humane motive but
because she's desparately afraid of what LV will do if someone has
broken into the vault that holds Hufflepuff's cup.

And Lucius, the leader of the DEs in the MoM battle, tells the others,
 "Be gentle with Potter until we've got the Prophecy. You can kill the
others if necessary" (OoP Am. ed. 288). Doesn't sound to me as if he
has any scruples about killing (or using AK, which they would
presumably do). It's not quite as direct an order as Voldemort's "Kill
the spare!" but it's still condoning murder as a practical necessity.
All that matters to Lucius at that point is safely retrieving the
Prophecy. Even Harry can be killed once the Prophecy is in Lucius's
hands--no indication at this point that they should leave him to
Voldemort. And he's leading several known murderers in that gang,
including Antonin Dolohov, who murdered the Prewetts. Dolohov's wand
is pointed at Harry's face when Lucius tells him to hand over the
Prophecy, and Dolohov is leering. He'd love to kill the Prophecy Boy,
and Lucius would be happy to let him (799). His face is flushed with
pleasure (800).

When Neville tries to "Stubefy" the DEs, Lucius sneers, "It's
Longbottom, isn't it? Well, you grandmother is used to losing family
members in our cause. Your death will not come as a great shock"
(800). He says nothing when Bellatrix sadistically tortures Neville
for her own pleasure. He's interrupted by the entrance of the Order
members. Death Eaters are casting AKs. Whether Lucius is doing so or
not, we don't know. He attenmpts to fire an unknown spell at Harry and
Neville, but Lupin jumps between them. Then Harry drops the Prophecy,
Dumbledore appears, and the fight is over for Lucius. What he would
have done had those last two incidents not happened, we can't say, but
I don't think he would have hesitated to kill either an Order member
or a teenager if it meant getting the Prophecy. And he certainly would
have let one or more of the others kill them.

Carol, who thinks that if Lucius Malfoy is redeemed at all, it's
through his love for his son and his apparent renunciation of
Voldemort, which would not have happened if LV had not taken his wand
and abused and humiliated his family





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