Apologia pro Draco (was Re: Wizarding Top Ten)

[bboyminn]

No: HPFGUIDX 188467

---  "Geoff" <gbannister10 at ...> wrote:
>
> ...
> 
> Geoff:
> ...
> 
> I think it is obvious by the end of Deathly Hallows that Draco 
> is suffering some degree of internal turmoil. ...en violently 
> undermined on the Tower. 
> 
> ...
> 
> A kind of mirror image comparison occurred to me: that of 
> British soldiers in the First World War. Before conscription 
> was introduced, thousands of civilians volunteered to join 
> the armed services, urged on by the wave of patriotism, 
> ... Later, when those guys were in the trenches, knee deep 
> in mud, with thousands of their compatriots dead around them 
> as the reality , I wonder how many of them thought "God, what
> persuaded me that this was the right thing to do?"
> 
> I see Draco reaching this point. He has gone through the sixth
> year trying to cpmplete Voldemort's task and then facing 
> Dumbledore  and the reality kicking in as to what he was 
> supposed to do.
> 
> ...
>

bboyminn:

Yes, I agree, like soldiers in war, once you are in the thick
of battle, and circumstances are requiring the most immoral 
and inhuman things of you, what can you do but endure. It
is no longer a matter of whose side you are on; others have
made that decision for you. It is no longer a matter of
whether you fight for right or wrong, that too is a decision
make by others.

I think like a soldier thrown into the heat of battle, Draco
has been relieved of all decisions. He is caught up in a
overwhelming tide, and regardless of his personal desires,
he is forced to be carried on that tide. He simply faces,
a kill or be killed situation, and in that situation we all
decide, that with in the limits of our power to do so, we
prefer to kill over being killed. 

I think to some extent, that is what Draco is doing in the
final Room of Requirements battle. He is not supporting
Voldemort, but more doing what must be done to survive. But
we see he takes no pleasre in the act; unlike Crabbe and 
Goyle, who seem to have embraced their new roles. It is not
something Draco desires, but something that inevitably must
be done if he is going to survive the wizarding war. 

Notice, he wants no direct responsibility for torturing or
killing the Trio, though he must understand that that will
inevitably be their fate. But he also knows, he doesn't want
to be the one who does it. 

I'm not freeing Draco of all moral, ethical, or spiritual
responsibility. He own arrogance brought him to his final
fate. But, I have no doubt, that much like soldiers in the
trenches, if it was possible to walk away with no consequences,
Draco would have done so. 

Still, that is a silly and foolish wish - no consequences, he
has committed acts already that certainly have consequences, 
and there is simply no escaping those. And once has has stepped
into the quicksand, there is nothing he can do but sink.

I think the Malfoy's got off pretty easy. Though it was clear,
they had no desire to continue to server Voldemort, and that 
they took know direct part in the final battle. They still did
some pretty nasty things, that should have come with consequences. 

Still, stupid idiot that he was, after Dumbledore's death, Draco
was simply caught up in circumstances that were too powerful
for him to control. There is nothing he could do but try and
survive.

He's still a nasty prat though.

Steve/bboyminn