Imagine an blond adolescent boy in robes, strutting about with an arrogant expression, sneering at half his classmates, flanked by two slow-thinking sidekicks.
 |
| Draco and his sidekicks from harrypotter.wikia.com |
Meet Draco Malfoy. One of the (many) heartthrobs of the Harry Potter world. Pansy Parkinson fawns over him. Many fangirls go misty-eyed at the mention of his name. Sentimental fans pair him up with various female characters, one of the most popular "pairings" being Dramione- Draco and Hermione. (Then again, fans can come up with really impossible pairings)
But why? What is Malfoy's appeal?
He's arrogant. He discriminates people based on their so-called "blood status". He's so much of a daddy's boy that that term is rather weak: he idolises his father to the point that he blindly would follow anything Lucius says. Most of his arrogance comes from his supposed "status" which, really, is derived from Lucius' position in the Ministry and reputation as a rich man from an old pureblood family. He's used to being important, and prefers to be in power as far as possible (look at how he joins the Inquisitorial Squad under Umbridge, and that condescending line in the train in the fifth book: "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments.")
Really? And people like this guy? He's a creep. You've heard of inferiority complex? This kid's got superiority complex. He's a bully. End of story.
Or is it?
It's in the second half of the series that you start seeing another side to Draco. He's shown as desperate, afraid, and very insecure ("You don't know what I'm capable of, you don't know what I've done!")
If he's so afraid, why is he a Death Eater?
Lucius, Draco's hero, is a Death Eater and so is Narcissa. Bellatrix, his aunt, is the Dark Lord's "most loyal follower". He was a baby when Voldemort attacked the Potters, but he grew up among purebloods, many of them ex-Death Eaters who had managed to avoid Azkaban. He was brought up to believe whole-heartedly in blood status and the power of the Dark Arts (at the end of the fourth book, on the train, Draco tells Harry: "You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, the first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hang out with riff-raff like this! Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first!")
So why is he a Death Eater? Simple. He's practically forced into it. His family, and close friends of the Malfoys, more or less bully him into taking the Dark Mark. And as Sirius says, "Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death." Look at what happened to Regulus Black (who became a Death Eater at age sixteen, like Draco, and happens to be Narcissa's first cousin). Or even Igor Karkaroff (who managed to survive for a whole year before being killed by the Death Eaters for his treachery). Draco doesn't want that to happen to him.
He can't back out- but by the sixth book, he wants to. Draco tells Dumbledore that the Dark Lord will kill him if he doesn't do what he has been asked - to kill Dumbledore. ("Don't you understand? I have to do this! I have to kill you! Or he's going to kill me!")
At the beginning of his sixth year, Draco seems ready to fulfil the task Voldemort has set him- he has a plan to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and works on it all year (it works). He put Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse for almost the whole year. He tried twice to kill Dumbledore, but both attempts failed (one attempt ended in Katie Bell being cursed and the other in Ron Weasley being poisoned). He is now feeling the pressure to carry out Voldemort's orders and is probably less sure about his capability to kill Dumbledore. The Death Eater status is probably losing its glamour. He's terrified of what he's being asked- no, ordered- to do. It's almost exactly what happened to Regulus.
After the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, he does what he is called on to do as a Death Eater. However, he is reluctant to do so (he hesitates when Bellatrix asks him to identify Harry, Ron and Hermione at Malfoy Manor), which clearly shows that he no longer wants to be a Death Eater.
It's in the sixth year that Draco changes. The movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, showcases this really well. Which brings me to another reason why people- such as the fangirls I mentioned earlier- like Draco Malfoy.
This reason can be summed up in two words.
Tom. Felton.
Do I hear the sighs of fangirls?
Aha, I hit the nail on the head! I agree, he did justice to Draco Malfoy in the movie. I personally thought the way he portrayed Draco's reactions to everything was very characteristic. Just look at the photo above. That is one of the best, most characteristic expressions I have ever seen in a movie adaptation of a book.
So, two reasons for people liking Draco Malfoy- one, that you can feel sorry for him, and two, Tom Felton's portrayal of the character.
Tomorrow brings joy to fans of Draco Malfoy everywhere and will probably convert more sceptics to Dracoism, because JK Rowling will be nice to all of us eager fans of the series and post interesting things on Pottermore. This will start tomorrow, and one of these posts will be about none other than....
(drum roll, please)
DRACO MALFOY!!!
All fans of Harry Potter (and Draco Malfoy), celebrate! We're going to find out lots more about the people in the series and other fascinating tidbits!
So see you all the next time I post something (which may actually happen soon, given that it is likely the new Pottermore info will provoke me into writing), and until then...
DRACO MALFOY'S A JERK!
Just kidding!
He's undoubtedly the typical snooty kid, only with a vindictive spirit thrown in for good measure (take, for example, the lyrics of the Slytherin version of "Weasley is our King" and the badges flashing "Potter Stinks" during the Triwizard Tournament). Merlin's beard, he even has two personal slow-thinking bodyguard-ish kids.
Really? And people like this guy? He's a creep. You've heard of inferiority complex? This kid's got superiority complex. He's a bully. End of story.
Or is it?
It's in the second half of the series that you start seeing another side to Draco. He's shown as desperate, afraid, and very insecure ("You don't know what I'm capable of, you don't know what I've done!")
If he's so afraid, why is he a Death Eater?
Lucius, Draco's hero, is a Death Eater and so is Narcissa. Bellatrix, his aunt, is the Dark Lord's "most loyal follower". He was a baby when Voldemort attacked the Potters, but he grew up among purebloods, many of them ex-Death Eaters who had managed to avoid Azkaban. He was brought up to believe whole-heartedly in blood status and the power of the Dark Arts (at the end of the fourth book, on the train, Draco tells Harry: "You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, the first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hang out with riff-raff like this! Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first!")
So why is he a Death Eater? Simple. He's practically forced into it. His family, and close friends of the Malfoys, more or less bully him into taking the Dark Mark. And as Sirius says, "Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death." Look at what happened to Regulus Black (who became a Death Eater at age sixteen, like Draco, and happens to be Narcissa's first cousin). Or even Igor Karkaroff (who managed to survive for a whole year before being killed by the Death Eaters for his treachery). Draco doesn't want that to happen to him.
He can't back out- but by the sixth book, he wants to. Draco tells Dumbledore that the Dark Lord will kill him if he doesn't do what he has been asked - to kill Dumbledore. ("Don't you understand? I have to do this! I have to kill you! Or he's going to kill me!")
 |
| No, Draco! Don't listen to Voldemort! from harrypotter.wikia.com |
At the beginning of his sixth year, Draco seems ready to fulfil the task Voldemort has set him- he has a plan to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and works on it all year (it works). He put Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse for almost the whole year. He tried twice to kill Dumbledore, but both attempts failed (one attempt ended in Katie Bell being cursed and the other in Ron Weasley being poisoned). He is now feeling the pressure to carry out Voldemort's orders and is probably less sure about his capability to kill Dumbledore. The Death Eater status is probably losing its glamour. He's terrified of what he's being asked- no, ordered- to do. It's almost exactly what happened to Regulus.
After the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, he does what he is called on to do as a Death Eater. However, he is reluctant to do so (he hesitates when Bellatrix asks him to identify Harry, Ron and Hermione at Malfoy Manor), which clearly shows that he no longer wants to be a Death Eater.
It's in the sixth year that Draco changes. The movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, showcases this really well. Which brings me to another reason why people- such as the fangirls I mentioned earlier- like Draco Malfoy.
This reason can be summed up in two words.
Tom. Felton.
Do I hear the sighs of fangirls?
Aha, I hit the nail on the head! I agree, he did justice to Draco Malfoy in the movie. I personally thought the way he portrayed Draco's reactions to everything was very characteristic. Just look at the photo above. That is one of the best, most characteristic expressions I have ever seen in a movie adaptation of a book.
So, two reasons for people liking Draco Malfoy- one, that you can feel sorry for him, and two, Tom Felton's portrayal of the character.
Tomorrow brings joy to fans of Draco Malfoy everywhere and will probably convert more sceptics to Dracoism, because JK Rowling will be nice to all of us eager fans of the series and post interesting things on Pottermore. This will start tomorrow, and one of these posts will be about none other than....
(drum roll, please)
DRACO MALFOY!!!
All fans of Harry Potter (and Draco Malfoy), celebrate! We're going to find out lots more about the people in the series and other fascinating tidbits!
So see you all the next time I post something (which may actually happen soon, given that it is likely the new Pottermore info will provoke me into writing), and until then...
DRACO MALFOY'S A JERK!
Just kidding!
