Draco and the Tonkses

[donnaimmaculata]

Not being much into Draco Malfoy, I've never given it a thought, but maybe someone else (... slippyslope?....) has: How did Draco really feel about Umbridge's crusade of denial? I mean, it is pretty obvious that he quite liked the idea of Dark magic (Borgin & Burkes, CoS), that, in his opinion, there was something thrilling about the whole Heir's of Slytherin affair? I by no means assume that Draco is evil, but he grew up within an environment which idolised Voldemort. So how would the stupid, deluded kid react to Umbridge and the Ministry's propaganda? One should think he wasn't too happy about it. I honestly don't give him enough credit to think that he can mask his feelings well enough to support Umbridge even though he disagrees with her policy, because Draco tends to display his likes and dislikes very openly, without considering possible consequences. Is he on her side because it's not Dumbledore's? Or is it merely because Rowling makes Draco take the wrong side, regardless of the the quality of the individual 'wrong'?

And where are Ted and Andromeda Tonks? They are not dead - Tonks uses the present tense when talking about them ("My dad's Muggle-born and he's a right old slob." "My mum's got this knack of getting stuff to fit itself in neatly - she even gets the socks to fold themselves ..." The Advance Guard, OotP) - but they never get mentioned as Order members/supporters. Are they relevant at all? They should be. Andromeda is Bellatrix and Narcissa's sister, after all.

Hm, yes. That is what I think about when I should be working instead.

Comments

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am inclined to think so, too. However, I always vaguely felt that Draco is not very prudent and that his actions are often very impolitic. He is an opportunist, on the one hand, but on the other, he doesn't try to conceal his disgust for Harry even at times when it might be more clever to pretend to like (or at least to not hate) the boy. You know? That's exactly what Lucius Malfoy tells him at Borgin & Burkes in CoS. I don't see Draco as able to conceal his true feelings, even if there is a distinct advantage to do so.

suck up to the authority so you can do exactly what you want to do, but if someone should come and try to pin your mistakes or your bad behaviour on you, you have the advantage of being able to blame it on someone else.

Yes, I agree with this view completely. I see both Lucius and Draco as very pragmatic, but I think Draco is not (yet) able to conceal his feelings as well as his father can. I bet Lucius thinks Fudge is a pompous idiot, but he doesn't let it show.

Hah, I just realised something. I was about to say that Draco likes to show it when he thinks people are idiots, but he is friends with Crabbe and Goyle. Which indicates that either his judgement is much poorer than one should wish for or that he, indeed, is able to ignore his feelings if he thinks there's benefit to be gained from it.

Your thoughts make perfect sense :-) And they made me rethink my concept, which is always a Very Good Thing.