Thoughts on Draco and JKR's interview.

[mizbean]

I had some thoughts about Draco after reading JKR’s recent interview. Part I and Part II (The Draco stuff is in the second part).

Comments

[shikishi]

Hmmm.. I actaully enjoyed that she discussed Draco and that she has given him some room to breath and grow and *gasp* speak in full sentences in this newest book, and that she openly admits to it. I find that Draco having the ability to perform Occlumency very fitting to his personality and his character thus far

[coffeejunkii]

didn't jkr say that harry and snape will meet again in the next book?

*wanders back to the interview*

ah yes, here: - Harry-Snape is now as personal, if not more so, than Harry-Voldemort. I can't answer that question because it's a spoiler, isn't it, whatever I say, and obviously, it has such a huge impact on what will happen when they meet again that I can't.

i'd love to see draco helping harry et al, too, but i'm inclined to agree with you that it probably won't happen. on the other hand, i never would have thought that draco would be given so much room in hbp, so who knows.

[mizbean]

Well, I'd like to think JKR would not have Dumbledore die in vain. If Draco does become an unrepentant DE, he will have. And what an awful thing for Snape to have done, if Draco does become a Death Eater.

[shikishi]

I do not believe that Draco will go that far (to become a DE) as he has seen what it means, and that he cannot do it. However to have him go so far as to be a usuable ally I have a hard time with. Snape yes, so big stuff going on there and Draco may or may not play a part, but . . . .

[_lady_narcissa_]

Someone made a comment to me earlier that of course Draco would know Occlumency; imagine being raised in a family like his. You would have to learn it for your own self-preservation:DMmm that would be me. Because can't you see Lucius calling young guilty Draco into his office and being all like "What have you been up to?" And Draco responding "Umm nothing" and Lucius poking into his mind and finding out exactly what Draco has been up too. LOL. Poor boy

[mizbean]

Haha It was you!

I thought the interview was really interesting. Usually I avoid her interviews like the plaque, but I was curious because of all the delusional H/HR fan wank.

if those H/Hr shippers who are wailing about having wasted 8 years of their life are any indication of such young girls states of mind

exactly.

[tesseract_5]

but I think Draco would be very gifted in Occlumency, unlike Harry. Harry’s problem with it was always that his emotions were too near the surface and that he is in some ways too damaged.

ooooh. This makes absolute sense JK. She is so good about explaining very directly why her characters act the way they do.

Hmm... I thought the fact that he wouldn’t even look at Fenrir was telling, when he boasted of him being a family friend earlier in the book. Yes, Draco is now frightened with good reason of the blood and bone Fenrir rather than the idea of a frightening associate of his dad's.

I think there's also a lot of Draco thinking of how he can do better than his father. If he's managed to pull off the mission, he'd be more valued (Draco thinks) in the DEs, more than his dad who's been stuck in prision.

[mizbean]

Ooh, that's a good point about wanting to do better than his father. I think that's why Dumbledore's appeal to him worked so well, because he praised him for all his hard work, which he was "oddly" buoyed by, according to Harry. He recognized his efforts.

I don't know, perhaps things would have went differently had Dumbledore praised him earlier.

[tesseract_5]

Yes, that builds on Draco's severe disappointment that Professor Slughorn didn't notice him. After the way that Snape had given him special treatment his whole school career, not to get the same from the old head of Slytherin must have been a genuine shock.

ps, love that icon is it from Ladyhawk?

[mizbean]

Actually, I found that photo in a photography annual. The photographer's name is Michelle Clement and I think she primarily does fashion and editorial work. She also did this one which reminded me of Snape.

[coffeejunkii]

i felt the same way about the draco comments. jkr's remark about draco being an imperfect character read a little strange to me because isn't harry an imperfect character as well? as you said, the imperfection and complexity of many of the characters makes them attractive, so i am not sure why jkr singled draco out there.

as for what happens to draco now, at first i thought snape might take him back to narcissa, but that might be too dangerous for him, so yeah, maybe snape will hide him somewhere else.

[mizbean]

At first I was inclined to think that Snape will hide Draco, but I'm not sure of how that would work. Snape's not much use as a spy if he's hiding from Voldemort. Perhaps, he will tell Voldemort that Draco died in the attempt and somehow get those three other DEs on board with that.

[coffeejunkii]

oh, i meant that snape hides draco away somewhere and then leaves. i don't think snape will stick with draco for longer than absolutely necessary.

it would certainly be safest for draco if voldemort believes he died. if i remember correctly, snape and draco fled separatedly from the other death eaters, so snape would even have a good chance of convincing them/voldemort that draco is dead.

[mizbean]

I wonder if Snape had contingencies with Narcissa for something like this, although I don't know how much he knew about the DEs coming that night, otherwise he might have been more front and center with the action.

[sistermagpie]

I didn't find the comments insulting either. I thought it seemed obvious exactly what attitude towards the character she was correcting, and not only would those attitudes ("waxing lyrical") be disturbing if applied to a real person, they also aren't a mark of someone really being a fan of the character in the book, imo. JKR seems perfectly pleased to have gotten a chance to write this story, and pleased with people being fascinated with the character as she wrote him, and happy to talk about him. Focusing on his vulnerability and making that his whole character is just...not seeing that character.

And I so love that picture of Draco. I love it.

[mizbean]

JKR seems perfectly pleased to have gotten a chance to write this story, and pleased with people being fascinated with the character as she wrote him, and happy to talk about him.

Yes, I totally agree!