Abendroth Blutjager's Guide to Harry Potter

Friday, October 27, 2006

Draco and Dudley

I try not to focus too much on theories with which I disagree, but I must say I'm getting tired of seeing posts about the possibility of Draco and Dudley being switched at or soon after birth. Here's why: I don't think it matters at this point in the plot.

JKR says that there is nothing special about Dudley...what you see is what you get.

I understand that some readers want there to be something about Draco and Dudley, so when the truth comes out the Dursleys and Malfoys will be scandalized - the concept that the Dursleys had a wizarding son and the Malfoys produced a Squib... and that someone switched the babies in order to save face and protect those boys. McGonagall?

Why the obsession with this theory?

True, JKR has some tricks up her sleeves and Book 7 will include some "revelations", but it seems a bit late in the game to use such a plot twist... at least when the evidence cited by readers is so cryptic that one has to doubt the reality of them. JKR does like subtle clues, but somehow I doubt she intended "knickerbockers" and Dobby's mismatched socks to point to some deeply hidden secret about Dudley and Draco.... The search for clues about this theory has become too convoluted.

IMHO, these are much more important questions:
1] What really happened at Godric's Hollow the night the Potters were attacked...who else was there that night?
2] What happened when RAB (Regulus Black) took the locket out of the cave...is the horcrux already destroyed?
3] What caused the rift between the Mauraders/Lily and Snape?
4] What are Snape's real feelings towards Lily...what were Lily's true feelings towards Snape?
5] Why did Dumbledore trust Snape...can Harry trust Snape now?
6] How is Harry going to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes?
7] What role do the founders have left to play in this saga?
8] What role will Albus's past play in this...what about Aberforth?
9] Will Wormtail repay his life debt to Harry, and if so, how?

There are more questions worth pondering... I just think baby-switching is not a particularly fruitful path to follow.

I wash my hands of the A-D-O-P-T-E-E threads. Dudley is Dudley. Draco is Draco. A member of the Weasley family being adopted would be a more interesting topic.

Ok, I'm done ranting about this...hopefully....

Labels: