Even though they were not friends, Draco Malfoy helped save Harry Potter’s life during the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor. From the moment they first met at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Draco established a rivalry with Harry.
After getting rejected by Harry, Draco made it a mission to bully Harry. He mocked him for being an orphan, challenged him to a duel, and tried to get him in trouble.
While Harry, Hermione, and Ron, search for the remaining Horcruxes, Harry said Voldemort’s name and triggered the Taboo curse by mistake. The curse brought Snatchers who captured and take them to Malfoy Manor. Hermione thought fast and used the Stinging Jinx to disguise Harry’s face before the snatchers caught them.
The jinx disfigured Harry’s face and hid his scar. Unsure of their identity, the Snatchers took them to the Malfoy Manor, where Draco, his parents, and Bellatrix are waiting. Since Draco was classmates with her prisoners, Bellatrix asked him to identify the boy with the puffy face.
Draco hesitates and then responds, saying he cannot be sure whether the boy is Harry Potter.
Later, a dialogue in the Room of Requirement reveals that Draco knew it was Harry back at the Malfoy Manor. Harry asked him why he didn’t reveal his identity to Bellatrix, but Draco didn’t respond.
Here is what you need to know about why Draco lied to Bellatrix about Harry’s identity.
Why Didn’t Draco Tell Bellatrix That Harry Was In Malfoy Manor?
Here are 4 reasons why Draco lied about Harry’s identity to Bellatrix:
- Draco got tired of following his father’s arbitrary views
- Draco Knew The Fate That Would Have Befallen Harry and The Others in the Cellar
- Draco believed Harry was the Only Hope of Defeating Voldemort
- Draco Was A Bully with no mind to Hurt Anyone
#1. Draco Got Tired of Following His Father’s Arbitrary Views
One of the most noticeable things about Draco was his boastful attitude. He also resembled his father, Lucius Malfoy, a pure-blood wizard. Lucius and his wife, Narcissa Malfoy, were believers in the supremacy of purebloods and taught Draco to be nothing less.
Draco also grew up thinking it was alright to look down on Muggle-borns and half-bloods. His family taught him only to respect pure blood. As members of the Slytherin House, Draco and his friends. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle bullied other Muggles and half-bloods.
He also echoed his father’s beliefs in the purity of magic blood to the point of calling Hermoine a Mudblood.
Aside from being a bully, Draco was ultimately shaped by his father’s ideologies, even though his views were wrong. His father’s life stories, accomplishments, and failures influenced him to make bad choices, such as joining the Death Eaters.
Draco did not reveal Harry’s identity to Bellatrix because, at that moment, he no longer went by his father’s desires.
#2. Draco Knew What Harry and The Others Would Have Suffered
Draco knew how the Dark Lord dealt with his enemies from his father’s tales. However, Draco never understood how ruthless the Dark Lord was in dealing with his enemies and servants who defied him.
Draco watched Voldemort humiliate his father and kill his servants for disobeying him. Only after Voldemort’s return did Draco understand how ruthless the dark lord was.
He watched Voldemort torture and murder the Hogwarts professor of Muggle Studies, Charity Burbage. During one of the Death Eater meetings, Draco watched in horror as Voldemort tortured, killed, and fed the professor to his snake Nagini.
Voldemort killed her for teaching students that Muggles were also witches and wizards.
“For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage, who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes … Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles … how they are not so different from us …”
Draco also watched others get killed or thrown into Azkaban for going against Voldemort. He lied to Bellatrix because he feared for Harry and the other prisoners.
#3. Draco believed Harry was the Only Hope of Defeating Voldemort
Draco’s refusal to reveal Harry’s identity to Bellatrix was not because he liked him. It was because he believed that Harry was the only chance they had at defeating Voldemort.
At first, Draco admired and revered Voldemort until he threatened his family’s safety. He realised that Harry was his only shot at escaping the Dark Lord and protecting his family.
Draco joined the Death Eaters to protect his family, especially his father. He even accepted his first assignment to kill Albus Dumbledore because he feared Voldemort would kill his family if he refused.
Draco didn’t care as much about anyone outside his family. When Voldemort thought Harry was dead, even Narcissa lied to the Dark Lord to protect Harry. Draco and his mother did not want to consider that they might have to continue living under Voldemort.
He lied because, without Harry, he would have succumbed to living under Voldemort’s control until he died.
#4. Draco Was A Bully with no mind to Hurt Anyone
It was clear from their very first night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that Draco was a bully and a spoilt, rich child. He sought a relationship with Harry because his father had implied that Harry was a Dark Wizard.
When Harry rejected him, Draco became his rival instead.
Draco loved to brag and make threats, but he never followed through. Even on school grounds, he always got his friends to do his dirty work while snickering in the background.
After joining the Death Eaters at 16, he didn’t volunteer for any assignments but was content with fixing the Vanishing cabinet.
Voldemort gave Draco the task of killing Professor Dumbledore to test his loyalty and punish his father. His failure to complete the task showed that Draco was unwilling to hurt anyone.
Draco lied to Bellatrix because he hated everything he had to do for Voldemort. He also hated seeing people tortured till they begged for death and all the killings he had to witness.
Conclusion
Draco had several reasons for lying to Bellatrix, including the fact that he was never a bad person. Moreover, he no longer found working for the Dark Lord appealing and hated how Voldemort treated his family.
He did not intend to harm anyone and believed Harry was the only person capable of defeating Voldemort.
It was also for this reason why his mother, Narcissa, lied about Harry being dead too!
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