#The Dursley's
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lily evans being a nickname person is so special to me. not only do we canonically have “tuney”, “sev”, and “wormy”, but she literally married into a friend group with secret code names.
and there’s literally no limit to her nicknaming ability. I mean, we’re already pushing it with “wormy”—a nickname for a nickname. so why stop there. “jamie”, “pads”, and “moons” when she’s feeling affectionate. “monty” and “effie” for her in-laws. “jimmy” when she just wants to fuck with james. “harold” when it’s three in the morning and she’s sleep-deprived and harry won’t go back to sleep. need I go on.
#nicknames are her love language#lily evans#lily potter#lily evans potter#james potter#prongs#sirius black#padfoot#remus lupin#moony#peter pettigrew#wormtail#severus snape#petunia dursley#jily#james and lily#marauders era#marauders
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Thinking about them again
#snily#platonic snily#severus snape#lily evans#petunia dursley#harry potter#harry potter books#artists on tumblr#my art
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how bad do you think Harry's abuse was? like, okay we all know he was neglected his entire childhood. Do you think he really didn't know his name until he went to school? That he was forced to help around the house the moment he could walk? He prob also didn't know his birthday at some point :(( I love him so much, i want to throttle the dursleys
I mean, just from his behavior I feel like it was pretty bad. I talked about it a bit before and he's very aware he is being mistreated. Harry literally makes a joke about Vernon beating him:
“You don’t seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles. . . . All they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies. . . . ‘Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!’ ” “You’d need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle,” said Harry darkly. “Good sense of when to duck, more like . . .”
(OOTP, 657)
As for the abuse itself:
Dudley and his friends beat him often. As mentioned repeatedly.
He slept in a cupboard under the stairs until the Dursleys thought someone else might notice. Only when they got the Hogwarts letter that mentioned the cupboard did they move Harry to Dudley's second bedroom. (The title of the room itself and where Harry was sleeping show how much of an afterthought he was).
The house had no pictures of him, no belongings, no sign Harry lived there, he only got Dudley's cast-offs.
So, yeah, it's definitely neglectful to an insane degree.
As for the more fanon portrayals of the Dursleys' abuse.
They did starve him as a form of punishment:
Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, “Go — cupboard — stay — no meals,” before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.
(PS, 23)
And Harry didn't get much food at the Dursleys in general:
This was their encounter with the fact that a full stomach meant good spirits; an empty one, bickering and gloom. Harry was least surprised by this, because he had suffered periods of near starvation at the Dursleys.
(DH, 250)
But he did get to eat with them at the table when he wasn't being punished, seen with Aunt Marge, and when the Dursleys didn't have guests:
Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.
(PS, 19)
That being said, Harry seems to be punished at the Dursleys pretty often. (Although, Harry considers sitting with them at the table punishment enough)
So the fanon portrayal of getting locked in the cupboard/his room with no food for who knows how long (or just, not enough food, like in CoS when he shared a canned meal with Hedwig) is actually canon.
He gets physically abused by Dudley, but also by Vernon and Petunia. We saw Petunia try to hit him with a frying pan.
Aunt Petunia knew he hadn’t really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan. Then she gave him work to do, with the promise he wouldn’t eat again until he’d finished.
(CoS, 17)
The above qoute mentions how he was forced to do chores with the threat of no food until he's done with his chores. So, yes, he was forced to work at the Dursleys. Another quote indicating he had plenty of practice cleaning over at the Dursleys:
“Filch’ll have me there all night,” said Ron heavily. “No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I’m no good at Muggle cleaning.” “I’d swap anytime,” said Harry hollowly. “I’ve had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart’s fan mail . . . he’ll be a nightmare. . . .”
(CoS, 114)
That being said, we see Petunia cooking more often than Harry, and she's also mentioned cleaning on occasion:
At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge’s stay arrived. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine.
(PoA, 26)
“Right — I’m off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you,” he snarled at Harry. “You stay out of your aunt’s way while she’s cleaning.”
(CoS, 14)
I think he wasn't constantly worked like a house elf the way the fandom sometimes portrays it. He was made to clean often enough but he didn't cook that often. The breakfast in PS is likely more of an exception than the norm as whenever any fancy dinner, like with Marge or the Masons, it's always Petunia cooking it, not Harry. So, I don't think Harry cooked or cleaned for them since he could walk, I mean Petunia is a perfectionist about how her house looks, so she wouldn't let a small child who'd do a subpar work do it.
But he was definitely put to work as either punishment or when the Dursleys wanted him occupied. And considering he mentions "plenty of practice" when he's 12 and he spent the last two years at Hogwarts, he likely started doing chores earlier than that, but old enough to use a mop properly. So, I'd guess he started helping to clean the house around the time he was 6 or 7 years old, and started cooking on occasion only very recently before the books start in all likelihood.
The really shitty thing about all his chores is that Dudley isn't doing anything and it's just Harry. This difference is one Harry was always aware of and considers unfair, because it is incredibly unfair. The fact he is forced to do work and gets punished when the other child in the house doesn't adds to the sense of worthlessness the Dursleys already make Harry feel.
Uncle Vernon in general is pretty violent towards Harry, shown in the first quote in this post and in others:
Harry ran down the stairs two at a time, coming to an abrupt halt several steps from the bottom, as long experience had taught him to remain out of arm’s reach of his uncle whenever possible.
(HBP, 45)
I wanted to add the imprisonment in CoS, because the treatment is truly subhuman:
The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Harry’s window. He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Harry out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, he was locked in his room around the clock.
(CoS, 28)
They treat him like an actual prisoner. They let him out to the bathroom twice a day! Like WTF! This is so not okay I don't have words.
As for not calling him by his name...
“We could phone Marge,” Uncle Vernon suggested. “Don’t be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy.” The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn’t there — or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn’t understand them, like a slug.
(PS, 19)
They usually refer to Harry simply as "boy" or "the boy", they also use "you" when talking to him or "him" about him, but not his name, except one time in PS when Vernon is faking being nice:
“Er — yes, Harry — about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking…you’re really getting a bit big for it…we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley’s second bedroom.
(PS, 30)
Considering how Harry mentions they often don't speak to him, but at him or about him, definitely suggests they don't use his name often. Vernon seems very odd about using Harry's name, and we see it isn't something common, but it does happen. I think Harry did always know his name though, I'm sure he asked, and regardless of how awful the Dursleys are, Petunia likely told him his name in the same breath she talked about how his father was a drunkard that got both him and Lily killed.
We also know they don't do anything for Harry's birthday, and Harry doesn't think they remember it:
The lighted dial of Dudley’s watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he’d be eleven in ten minutes’ time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.
(PS, 35)
So, it's very plausible the Dursleys never told Harry when his birthday is and that he had to discover it himself somehow.
TL;DR
Harry's abuse at the Dursleys was awful. It included physical abuse from all three Durslesy and periods of starvation.
He was put to chores like cleaning the house, but it wasn't a constant thing where he worked like a house elf. It actually seems Petunia did most of the cooking.
He probably only started cleaning when he was 6 or 7 at the youngest. And cooking is likely a later development.
Harry was allowed to sit at the table and even watch TV on rare occasions but usually didn't get to choose what to watch. It means Harry should be somewhat aware of muggle pop culture at the time.
Harry, in general, wasn't really treated as human. Not having his name used, only talked at, not having his birthday celebrated, not getting pocket money or anything of his own. Not to mention being forced to sleep in the cupboard or on the floor (in the shack on the sea in PS) and getting his food through a cat flap on his bedroom door like an actual prisoner in CoS.
So, while fanon portrayals make the Dursleys worse than they actually are, they are plenty awful on their own. Believe me, if I could throttle them, I would.
#harry potter#hp#hp meta#hollowedtheory#asks#anonymous#harry james potter#harry potter meta#the dursleys#petunia dursley#vernon dursley
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From that one "Daddy?" Vine
#DadMort#Harry Potter#Voldemort#Tom Riddle#Harry Potter Fanart#No Glasses for Harry because the Dursleys don't give him any until the school does those eye exams#redraw meme#NOT Tomarry or Harrymort#please don’t tag this as shipping#Harry is raised by Others#My art
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remember when harry’s clothes were always too big for him because he was a stick of a child. remember when ron hit a growth spurt, ended up taller than half his siblings and realistically, all his clothes became too small. what if they just- what if they swapped
little tiny harry having clothes that were given to him by someone who loves him for the first time, having clothes that actually fit him, having clothes that feel like family.
lanky youngest son ron getting clothes that have barely be worn (because dudley got everything he ever wanted and had too many clothes to count, let alone wear regularly), trousers that don’t stop above his ankles, clothes that are only his and not bill and percy and fred’s first.
harry and ron started swapping clothes and never stopped. they are now fifty and don’t know who owns what. it is a reoccurring issue
#hermione always manages to find out who the clothing item actually belongs to#not really tho#she just duplicates them#and tells both harry and ron that it’s theirs#harry potter#ron weasley#hermione granger#golden trio#golden trio era#hogwarts#gryffindor#the weasleys#the dursleys#molly weasley#arthur weasley#bill weasley#charlie weasley#percy weasley#fred weasley#george weasley#ginny weasley
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Harry after surviving someone's attempt to kill him: Still better than living with the Dursleys
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It is funny to me how Harry Potter is literally the main character, yet people tend to go like he didn't suffer that much or he wasn't "abused"; Like, how can one misunderstand the literal main character of the damn franchise?
He wasn't abused; yes okay. He absolutely did not grow up inside a cupboard; the tiny place that is mostly reserved for brooms or cleaning supply. He absolutely was not treated inferior to the other child who lived in the same house. He was totally was not treated like a "freak" or a "stain" that his family was ashamed off. He grew up inside a cupboard while there was a literal unused bed in the same house. And you want to know what that screamed to a child, a baby — who slept inside a cupboard while there being a perfectly usable room right there? You are worth nothing and we don't love you and we are ashamed of what you are.
He wasn't starved, or at least he was fed; Yeah, no. We see it from the first book. How Vernon was no food for you and in the cupboard you go — and by the looks of it, that was like his most common punishment. And then, in the second book — you practically see it happen. He was locked, inside a room with only a can of soup that he shared with Hedwig. Now, tell me what it would do to a child — to be given food through a cat flap, and fun fact? Harry got to eat less than people on war rations; in short? He was starved, yes.
He wasn't abused physically so it's not abuse; As for people's thinks abuse isn't abuse until it's physical (which is inherently wrong because abuse isn't only physically, fyi); Harry has learned to dodge Vernon and he states that, very proudly when his uncle tries to grab him. He dodges a flying pan and states that fact, again very proudly as if it is the norm; do you know how heavy pans are? And do you know what would happen when one hits you? If you want an even clearer proof; Vernon Dursley strangles Harry in Ootp. There you go. Also, in the first book, we clearly see Vernon encouraging Dudley to hit Harry. Read between the lines and actually try to understand what that signifies.
And favourite part; When he wasn't treated like a prisoner, or a freak— he was their servant. And that is very much canonical. Tending Petunia's garden during summers and drinking from the water hose in the garden because of how hot it was? Having to wake up early so he can tend the kitchen and when he wasn't doing all that he is locked away. And it is all canon.
In conclusion, Harry— not only grew up to think that he was inhumane, undeserving of love, a freak that didn't even get to have his own bed because someone like him didn't deserve it, physically harmed enough times that he dodges them out of reflex and also the Dursleys' glorified servant; that is not even taking into account what Harry went through in Hogwarts. And after all that if someone tells me; this child, right here — didn't go through much then well, maybe read the books again?
#harry potter#this is a mess#but I'm just angry and sadly#this is just a#rant post#some people really need to read the books#harry potter deserves better#than these readers i swear#harry james potter#hjp#he doesn't deserve this slander#like seriously????#this is just me typing everything i remember; it's not really something i planned posting#but#i saw something and got pissed#sorry for the#rant#maybe one day ill write something more articulated#dursleys#can fuck off thanks#hp#golden trio era#harry potter meta#hp fandom
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i am SO desperate for evans sisters angst. give me lily never understanding why she felt different from her sister until she got her letter. give me petunia and all of her jealousy manifesting into hatred and contempt. give me lily trying so hard to reach out to petunia but she has no idea how to fix it, because she can't change who she is. give me petunia wracked with grief because she never got to fix things with her sister. give me lily laying in bed at night begging to understand why she got to be a witch and her sister didn't. give me petunia looking into harry's eyes and seeing her dead sister look back. GIVE ME EVANS SISTERS ANGST
#i will never understand why they get so much less attention when the fandom eats up black brothers angst#the petunia/regulus parallels are unending#marauders#lily evans#harry potter#petunia evans#petunia dursley#mwpp#dead gay wizards#regulus black#sirius black
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“black brothers angst this” “black brothers angst that” CAN WE PLEASEEE GET MORE PETUNIA AND LILY ANGST PLEASEEE
#the marauders#lily evans#lily evens potter#petunia dursley#petunia evens#evens sisters angst#black brothers#black brothers angst#marauders era#marauders
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Harry dealing with abuse trauma/people finding out about Dursley’s treatment
Ok so I didn’t know exactly how to word this particular genre of Harry Potter fanfiction, but I have been reading some fanfics where either the teachers, Sirius or the golden trio find out that Harry has been abused by the Dursley’s and how Harry deals or heals from that trauma. #cupboardreveal
so therefore below is a list of fanfics that deal with this topic, this is pretty obvious but TW for child abuse, some of these I haven’t read yet so i don’t think any of them feature active abuse, more so past abuse.
All of these will be angst but many with a hopeful/happy ending. Organised by word count. If you would like some fic recs that don’t focus on Harrys abuse here’s the link to my master list Harry Potter Fic Rec (mostly Drarry)
How Each Weasley Found Out About The Dursleys - burnthebodiesandbedonewithit
What it says on the tin, Harry/Ginny (very light tho), protective Weasleys | G | 1k
Food For Thought - LoveHP
Snape notices some things throughout the years, have not read yet so IDK | T | 1.2k
Bottle It Up - mallfacee
Disabled Harry, Severitus, hurt/comfort, hiding medical issues, apart of a series | T | 2.1k
Aftermath - CreateImagineWrite
Post-final battle, Harry is dealing with trauma, Ron helps him and finds out, Trigger Warning for food issues and trauma responses | G | 3.1k
Disguised as something else - aloneintherain
Everybody lives, au war ends early, Wolfstar custody of Harry, hurt/comfort, THIS IS SO GOOD #cupboard reveal | T | 3.1k
Muggle Management - LadyWinterlight, NerdyKat
Hermione recognises the signs of abuse, part of a series, Hermione finessing the muggle system | G | 3.4K
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell - IamShadow21
Not focused on past abuse but is mentioned, Ron and Harry friendship through the years | T | 3.7K
The Cupboard - GreenEyesGreySkies
Drarry, panic attack, harmless prank that turns out to not be so | T | 4K
Bruised Hearts and Painted Skin - mikimouze16
Lupin, McGonagall and Snape find out, therapy, depression | G | 4.4K
Cascade - taradiane
Drarry, post-Hogwarts, Harry has nightmares, discussion about the Dursleys | PG | 4.7k
Claustrophobic- Annie1025
Summer at Spinner’s End, sevitus, 5th year, hurt/comfort, panic attacks | T | 4.8k
Where the Sunbeams Start - zedpm
Sirius/Severus, Soulmate au which leads to Severus getting Sirius freed, then they adopt Harry! T | 7.1k
Locked Cupboards - Lomonaaeren
Redemption, Draco is assigned to guard Dudley, Dudley talks about their childhood | T | 7.2k
Darker Than You Think - Lomonaaeren
Drarry, Draco is very much a psycho, bent on revenge, dubious consent | M (definitely should be E) | 7.8k
Fac Mihi Viam - MistressKat
Canon divergence, Harry stays at Grimmauld Plac, abuse not necessarily discussed but implied, Wolfstar | T | 7.9k
The Uncle - copprbadge
Wolfstar, gangsters au, Remus saves Harry from Dursley’s | T | 7.9k
Tugging Sleeves - Windschild178
Harry isn’t responding to Rons letters, POV Ron, Ron to the rescue | G | 8.1k
Harry Potter And The Summer At Grimmauld Place - Silver_Queen_DoS
What it says on the tin, Sirius is free, home renovation, book 3 | G | 8.6k
Listen - Marchling
Need to sign into Ao3, Sirius spies on Dursleys, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings, reconciliation | T | 10.9k
Finite Incantatem - skullcandy11
Rogue spell hits Harry and reveals some truths, manipulative Dumbledore, Harry joins the dark side | T | 12.3k currently, ongoing
Scars - pheonixgirl26
Some Gryffindor’s see some of Harry’s scar, and decide to help | M | 12.5k
Timeshare - astolat
Honestly i have not read this yet but it looks promising, Harry is spending summer at the Dursleys and then the Malfoy’s | M | 14.1k
Seven Plus One - ABlackRaven
Sirius adopts Harry, 7 times Sirius is called uncle and 1 time he’s called dad, Peter caught, hurt/comfort | T | 15.4K
What’s Left Unsaid - angel74
Post-Order of the Phoenix, Hermione and Ron look into Harry’s life at the Dursley’s, angst, hurt/comfort | T | 16.1k
A Hero - Celebony
Dudley begins to see his family in a different light | T | 18.1k
The Lioness - Aya_Diefair
Molly becomes suspicious of Harry’s relatives, she visits them, BAMF Molly, Sirius is freed | G | 18.3k
That’s Your Punishment? - slytherclaw7
Molly actually asks Harry questions, this is definitely a fix-it fic, Sirius is freed, Peter is caught, Dumbledore bashing, Tonks family taking Harry in | IDK how fanfiction.net ratings work | 19k
Pinky Promise - etymolodrarry, huffinglepuff
Remus is observant, angst with happy ending, Dumbledore bashing, implied self harm, Wolfstar | T | 19.5k
Listen Now - mrsfizzle
Harry confides in Remus, hurt/comfort, Wolfstar adopts Harry, moving into Grimmauld | G | 21.2k
Conquering the Dark - noeon (noe)
Healer!Harry and neuromagic!Draco, both work together, unearths trauma | E | 23.7k
The Chamber of Secrets and Half the Adults are Idiots - Des98
Apart of a series, Drarry, Harry recognises Lucius’ treatment of Draco, fix-it, inter-house friendships | M | 42.8k
The Article - LeeASherlook
outed by the Daily Prophet (not in the gay sense), 6th year, Drarry friendship | T | 43k ongoing
Burnt - lastcrazyhorn
Disabled Harry, Slytherin!Harry, have not read so refer to tags | T | 104.9k
Memories and Dreams - paganaidd
Series, one part Dudley’s POV | T | 140.3k
Malfoy Family Values - belana, Merry1978
This only really mentions Harry’s mistreatment but i thought it is an interesting fic to possibly explore, Malfoys adopt little Harry | G | 141.7k
Stronger At the Broken Places - enigmaticblue
More so focus’ on Sirius’ trauma, but it’s a whole Wolfstar family affair | T | 174.9k
Digging for the Bones - paganaidd
Hogwarts starts screening students for abuse, Snape conducts Harry’s screening, Snape is Harry’s bio dad, Severitus | M | 212.2k
The secret language of plants - Endrina
Severus/Remus, Sev rescues toddler Harry, this is a series of Severus/Remus being Harry’s parents, pre-Hogwarts to post, future Drarry | rating varies | 373k
Innocent - MarauderLover7
Ok so this does not focus on Harry’s abuse but Sirius gets freed and raises Harry when he’s 8 | M | 487.5k
A Year Like None Other - aspeninthesunlight
Disability, slightly Severitus, 6th year, canon divergence, Snape forces Harry to read letter from Dursleys | T | 789.5k
#remus lupin#wolfstar#sirius black x remus lupin#sirius raising harry#severus snape#harry potter fic rec#harry potter fanfiction#Harry Potter#Harry Potter abuse#the dursleys#protective wealseys#drarry#drarry fic rec#bamf molly Weasley#bamf Ron Weasley#dumbledore bashing#severitus#the daily prophet
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If you're comfortable answering, how do you think JKR intended Draco to come across, and how did he actually come across in your mind?
I think Draco was intended to come off as a weak and kind of pathetic bully. The Dudley Dursley of the Wizarding World.
That’s how we’re introduced to him: “Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.” Almost he first thing we hear Draco say is the very Dudley-ish - “I'm going to drag [my parents] off to look at racing brooms... I think I'll bully Father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." Later books re-contextualize this as a brag - he is not actually able to bully his father into buying him presents, and instead of Dudley's tantrums Draco likes to embellish things in order to seem more impressive and get the result he wants. But initially, I think Draco = Dudley. They both dislike people who are different, dislike Harry for being more special (and because they’ve been given tacit permission to bully him...)They’re spoiled by their parents. They’re even both platinum blonde.
JKR loves the idea of an antagonist who realizes that they were wrong and *you were right* a little too late, and then has no choice but to punish themselves. (Basically the entire deal with Snape.) So - Draco and Dudley get some of that treatment too. After Dudley meets the dementor he breaks down, has a moment where he leaves Harry a cup of tea, and another where he says “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.” BUT Dudley’s initial breakdown is framed as pathetic (even a touch comedic.)The tea he leaves outside Harry’s door has gone cold, and when Harry steps in it he initially thinks it’s a dumb prank. Dudley says “I don’t think you’re a waste of space” only in response to a comment Harry makes. Hestia Jones is super unimpressed, and thinks Dudley should be doing more.
Like, JKR is aware that it’s not *completely* Dudley‘s fault he’s like that. Dumbledore comments on the “appalling damage [Vernon and Petunia] have inflicted on the unfortunate boy sitting between you.” But the damage is still done, and Dudley is meant to be seen as a figure of pity. All this is supposed to read as ‘too little, too late.’ If Dudley were less of a coward, a stronger person, a better person, he would’ve brought Harry the tea directly.
Now let’s look at Draco, who is given some *very* similar beats. We see him crying in the bathroom, comforted by Myrtle (a comedic character) very similarly to how Dudley basically goes into shock after the dementor. Draco and Dudley are both framed as weak, but able to see the error of their ways, and their breakdowns set up an important plot/character moment for Harry.
Draco’s little “I can’t— I can’t be sure,” when he’s asked to identify Harry at Malfoy Manor is another beat of ‘too little, too late.’ Harry takes Draco’s wand a few minutes later (absolutely castration imagery - just look at how the text treats Lucius losing his wand) and then Dobby shows up to low-key shame Draco by doing the job that he [narratively] was supposed to have done: rescuing Harry and friends, probably dying in the process. I do think that’s how we’re supposed to read that scene. And then Harry gets these very similar selfless beats of saving Dudley (from dementors) and saving Draco (from fiendfyre.) That’s why JKR is so baffled when people like Draco, think he’s attractive, or ship him with Hermione. It’d be like shipping her with Dudley, it doesn’t make sense.
But a couple things went “wrong” when Draco was released into the world. For one thing, I think a lot of people saw his more indirect underhanded approach (he likes rumors, smear campaigns, blackmail, poison, sneaky back entrances, tricking/provoking Harry into breaking rules) as evidence that he's clever, and not that he’s a cowardly, spineless little weasel.
Then because JKR is committed to making Draco look ineffectual and comedic, she also makes him… not that bad? Most of his bad behavior goes down between books 1 and 3, and I’m sorry - when you’re 12 your politics are your parents' politics. You are not not responsible for that. By the end of the series Draco’s politics *have* changed, pretty drastically, and they changed under challenging circumstances.
I also think JKR accidentally gave him a better relationship with his father than she meant to? Jason Isaacs plays Lucius Malfoy as cold, I could see him being a *bit* of a bully when it comes to Draco - but in the book, they go on outings, Draco complains to his father, Lucius is patient with him, gives him advice, sets boundaries, sends him little newspaper clippings in the mail. Lucius and Narcissa are running around without wands during the Battle of Hogwarts looking for him, and it’s supposed to be like “here are the Malfoys defanged.” But it's just a sweet moment. And if you’re positioning Draco as a romantic lead, then yeah I’d say that “good relationship with his parents” is an attractive trait.
The movie also did Draco Malfoy a HUGE favor by saying that yes, he absolutely does have the Dark Mark. That is never confirmed in the book. You can make the case that he doesn’t have it, and he’s doing what he does and embellishing the truth to seem more impressive. Hermione doesn’t think he has it. Ron says “I still don’t reckon You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join.” If he doesn’t have the Dark Mark, Draco gets to stay a semi-pathetic minor villain. But the second he does have it… well now you have someone who was given this tattoo/brand thing the *moment* he turned 16 (Draco has a June birthday) and now is 100% stuck. He is on a magical leash to Voldemort. He can’t run, can’t hide. All he can do is ride out this thing as best he can, and hope it doesn’t kill him or his parents. That’s a much more sympathetic character.
And my last thing, about the moment where he lies for Harry in Malfoy Manor (movies frame it as 100% a lie, books keep it more ambiguous)... is I don’t think J. K. Rowling realizes that Draco is the first person in the entire 7th book who helps Harry, at all. Molly Weasley is actively sabotaging the Golden Trio's planning by splitting them up and making them do wedding chores. Xenophilius Lovegood betrays them, Bathilda Bagshot betrays them, Rufus Scrimgeor is no help, Remus Lupin needs *their* help, Dumbledore gave them a series of maddening riddles. Snape gives them a weird puzzle to solve (also he’s very much acting under Dumbledore’s orders…) So when Draco DOES put himself on the line to buy them a few minutes, it makes for a pretty striking moment. He also keeps to this lie even when Lucius tells him not to, he lies to Bellatrix, he is almost certainly going to have to repeat this lie to Voldemort, who can read minds…
So I think most fans look at Draco and see someone who is arrogant, a little bit of a shit, but is also sensitive, clever, emotional, nonviolent. (He’s definitely got a little bit of boy band non-threatening sexuality going on.) Draco will go out on a limb for the people he loves, and he comes through when it counts. There’s a survivor-mentality practicality to him, which is especially appealing in a series where so many characters are so willing to martyr themselves.
#draco malfoy#hp#draco malfoy meta#dudley dursley#framing#literary critisism#jkr critical#anti jkr#writing stuff
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<check my blog for more>
tf is this shit?
im at a loss for words...
#professor snape#severitus#severus snape fanfiction#pro snape#severus snape#pro severus snape#snape#snape fandom#pro severus#severus snape fanart#hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry#wizarding world#hogwarts houses#slytherin#gryffindor#hogwarts oc#hogwarts legacy#hogwarts mystery#quidditch#the dursleys#harry potter books#harry potter
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do you ever think about how many little mannerisms harry and lily might’ve shared because harry was raised by her sister that harry never found out they had in common. what if they all shared the same cheeky smile, or isolated themselves when upset, and of course petunia never would’ve pointed that out, she’s petunia.
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petunia had that innocent, blonde, farm girl look for years, but as she got older, she grew into herself more and dyed her hair brown and started doing her makeup in that classic 1960’s way and dressed that way too
but that’s just my hc for her
#aidens headcanons#petunia evans#petunia dursley#petunia headcanon#dead gay wizards#marauders era#marauders headcanon#headcanon#fuck jkr#harry potter
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"harry potter is literally about wizards and magic stfu" just say youve never fucking read a book ?? or interacted with media and thought about it ??? that youve never tried to find meaning in anything ???? that even when the meaning is shoved in your face you ignore it because its easier for you to oversimplify complex characters because you dont get it ?????
harry potter tackles overthrowing the government, prejudice, exploitation, complex and heavily morally grey characters, war, prison escapees, death, child soldiers, guilt, abusive families, sacrifice & redemption, ptsd, corrupt governments, ethnic cleansing, betrayal, ethics of morality,
#mauraders#moth's own#dead gay wizards from the 70s#sirius black#james potter#sirius orion black#remus lupin#james fleamont potter#regulus black#regulus arcturus black#lily evans#lily potter#lily evans potter#remus john lupin#peter pettigrew#barty crouch sr#crouch family#black family#petunia dursley#dudley dursley#vernon dursley#dursley family#hagrid#death eaters#harry potter#harry james potter#harry potter fandom#severus snape#albus dumbledore#aberforth dumbledore
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I really wonder what kind of people Fleamont and Euphemia Potter were because James gives such Dudley Dursley vibes.
The thing is, I can kinda understand why Remus and Sirius behaved as they did as part of the Marauders. Remus wasn't going to turn against his only supportive friend group, even when it was his duty to. And Sirius came from a completely toxic, possible abusive, family that was made up of Slytherins, so he took his anger out on another Slytherin. But James? The boy with all the privileges; the spoiled son of doting parents, financially stable, socially well placed, tight friend group. Who targeted an abused, poverty stricken, socially disadvantaged boy because he existed. James had no reason to behave as he did, other than the fact he was a spoiled brat who had never been told "no" in his life. James Potter is just an athletic variant of Dudley Dursley. Only difference is, Dudley matured and realised he was wrong.
#James Potter is a spoiled little tosser#A Dudley Dursley clone#I fully support any and all retaliation Severus got on the little prig#anti james potter#anti marauders#pro severus snape
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