Wizarding Top Ten

[sistermagpie at earthlink.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 188464

> Nikkalmati
> 
> Maybe it is just that I had some hope for Draco's showing some character development aftere the scene on the Tower.    But he and
> Goyle and Crabbe were waiting disillusioned outside the ROR with the idea of capturing HP and taking him to the Dark Lord. He only tried to keep Crabbe from killing HP because the DL had ordered it.  He only tried to save the diadem because (very like a Slytherin) he figured it must be important if HP wanted it.  He clearly could not fight without a wand.  If he had had one, I don't know what side he would fight on. He may have been afraid to cross to the Forest to join LV without a wand (and if he had what would have happened to HP?  Narcissa would not have had a motive to lie to LV about HP being dead). He turned down his chance at redemption, so I still consider him a bad guy even if he was neutralized.  

Magpie:
I thought it was pretty clear that Draco wasn't fighting *for* LV at the end there, and even more clear that his not wanting Crabbe to kill Harry was mostly down to Draco not wanting Crabbe to kill Harry. (He also stopped him from killing Hermione, didn't he?) The one thing we can say about Draco, I think, is that he definitely learned that he doesn't relish that kind of cruelty and violence, even against people he doesn't like. His saying that LV had ordered against it was just the most obvious way to get Crabbe to stop. It seems like he's basically trying to stay alive, which means hopefully having LV pleased enough with him and his family or at least not angry enough at them that he'll leave them alone. It also means claiming to be "on your side" to the DE who's attacking him when he has no wand. If Draco had to honestly pick a side he wanted to win I think it's clear it would be Harry Potter all the way. He just avoids ever having to say that actively. His choices against Voldemort are as passive and unobtrusive as he can make them, because he really is limited by the fact that he simply *can't* be on Voldemort's side because he's incompatible with them. (He could be bigoted, but when faced with what LV truly represents he's just sickened.)

So I'd basically agree with you--neutralized. Though I'd disagree in that I don't see him neutralized because he just didn't get the chance to fight for LV like he wanted. His failure, imo, wasn't that he just didn't have the means to fight for LV, but that he didn't have the courage to take the next step and declare for the other side.

-m