Does Draco have a Dark Mark?

[birdsofshore]

I posted about this new illustration for HBP the other day and it has given me many many Draco thoughts and feels.



Some of the replies with regard to Draco's Dark Mark really surprised me and I want to discuss this ahead of JKR possibly clarifying it in Pottermore. My general assumption from canon is that Draco did take the Dark Mark some time before 6th year, probably at the same time that he was given the task of killing Dumbledore.

My reasons for thinking this are:

1) This scene in Madam Malkin's (from HBP):

Madam Malkin dithered for a moment on the spot, then seemed to decide to act as though nothing was happening in the hope that it wouldn't. She bent towards Malfoy, who was still glaring at Harry.

"I think this left sleeve could come up a little bit more, dear, let me just--"

"Ouch!" bellowed Malfoy, slapping her hand away, "watch where you're putting your pins, woman! Mother -- I don't think I want these any more--"

He pulled the robes over his head and threw them on the floor at Madam Malkin's feet.

2) This scene in Borgin and Burkes (also from HBP):

Harry saw Borgin lick his lips nervously.

"Well, without seeing it, I must say it will be a very difficult job, perhaps impossible. I couldn't guarantee anything."

"No?" said Malfoy, and Harry knew, just by his tone, that Malfoy was sneering. "Perhaps this will make you more confident."

He moved towards Borgin and was blocked from view by the cabinet. Harry, Ron and Hermione shuffled sideways to try and keep him in sight, but all they could see was Borgin, looking very frightened.

"Tell anyone," said Malfoy, "and there will be retribution."

chibitoaster said in comments to my last post that JKR said in an interview with her editor that Draco did not take the Mark, but I can't find anything to back this up by googling. Can anyone provide a reference for this?

If JKR did say this (or says it on Pottermore in her upcoming Draco entry), then I'm not sure what to think. It just doesn't make sense to me from the information that we have in canon.

Possible explanations if JKR confirms Draco was not Marked:

- We are supposed to take Harry's conviction that Draco has a Mark as further evidence for Harry's penchant for thinking Draco is up to something. But, it really does look like he has a Dark Mark; it's not just Harry being obsessive (not this time, heh).

- JKR wanted to deliberately mislead us into thinking Draco has a Mark, to confuse us about how deep in he is with Voldemort. (cf Snape). But this is pointless, because she never uses this confusion to achieve anything within the text. It's not like we suspect that Draco is Marked and then later we find out he's not, and it's a great shock to learn actually he's been working for Dumbledore the whole time or something.

- Draco drew on a FAKE Dark Mark and used it to scare Borgin. I really like this theory, and I can totally see Draco doing this. He wants the power and protection that being a Death Eater brings, but he can't actually bring himself to kill anyone or take the Mark (or perhaps Voldemort did not think him worthy of the Mark). It makes my heart twist for him, so if this was the aim, I like it. But, again, this is sort of pointless, because JKR never reveals that it's fake in canon, so it doesn't have the desired effect. It's a nice theory, but it doesn't really work.

- JKR did initially mean Draco to have a Dark Mark, but later changed her mind for ~reasons. I'm afraid this is what I'm probably going to assume, if she is quoted as saying Draco never took the Mark.

Obviously, in the film version, Draco does have a Mark and when I looked at an earlier sketch for the new illustration, it seemed to be very much influenced by this moment in the HBP film.






I know JKR didn't have ultimate control over what happened in the films, but I presume she did veto anything she was really uncomfortable with? The fact that Draco is Marked in the films suggests to me that JKR was happy with that premise.

However, the fact that the sketch for the new book illustrations has changed from Draco aggressively displaying his Dark Mark, to Draco (possibly) hiding a Mark, is interesting. It seems pretty clear to me that that's what he's doing in the new illustration - why else would be be clutching at his left forearm like that? But at the same time it's not as unambiguous as the sketch would have been.

I presume again that JKR has approval over things like illustrations, but does anyone know this to be the case? Jonny Duddle's other finished pieces are more or less identical to his initial sketches - this seems to be the only one where there has been a significant change, which suggests to me some editorial intervention. If JKR did have input, this would back up the idea that she wants the issue of Draco being Marked / unMarked to remain ambiguous. And, rereading the passages from the Half-Blood Prince, I feel this is what she's aiming for. She likes the possibility of it, but she doesn't want to definitely confirm it. Why? I don't really get it. Why not confirm that Draco either is or is not Marked during the series? I do tend to be a reader who likes things quite black and white, but I can't see what this uncertainty adds to the series, or our appreciation of Draco's character.

Finally (if you made it this far), I have to own to having a vested interest in Draco being Marked. I really like the Dark Mark and what I can do with it in fic. I like Harry having a Dark Mark kink. Or being appalled by it the first time they get naked. I like a redeemed!Draco being ashamed of it. Similarly, I like a dark!Draco who uses it to intimidate or unsettle. I like it if they're getting romantic and he accidentally flashes it and Harry SEES and REACTS and Draco ASSUMES and FREAKS and, oh, there are just so many fabulous possibilities for Dark Marks. Please don't take them away from me, JKR. /o\

I'd be interested to hear thoughts about any of this. Especially as I am meant to be cleaning and tidying. Please save me from that extremely dull fate and come and hypothesise with me instead.

Comments

[vaysh]

I think JKR deliberately did not come down on one side or the other. We, as much as Harry, are supposed to suspect Draco has taken the Dark Mark but we are not getting the final answer. This is why I think the illustrator ultimately went with an image of Draco where - again - we can suspect he is clutching his arm because he had taken the Mark but we have no ultimate proof.

I can see JKR being content to have the movies show the Dark Mark on Draco's forearm, because the visual impact is so much stronger. She would not go against the director's wishes, I think. She is quite reasonable, and very aware of the differences between movies and books. But her books are her baby, and there she did not want something she meant to be ambiguous be clarified through the illustration.

My reasoning why canonically I don't think Draco took the Dark Mark is this: The Malfoy family was already very much on the decline in Voldemort's favours at the end of fifth year. The Dark Mark is a sign of honour, an initiation into the inner circle of the Death Eaters. I cannot imagine Voldemort would bestow this honour to Draco right after Lucius has failed to secure the prophecy for him. It would more sense that Voldemort promised Draco aka the Malfoys that he would get the Dark Mark once he killed Dumbledore. Draco's wild accusation to Snape that Snape was after a glory that he himself was out to gain, speaks to that theory, I think.

Which still leaves us with an ambiguous canon that we can play around with whichever way we please. I usually write Draco with the Dark Mark, for all the reasons you described.

[vaysh]

Just adding to say I never heard of an interview where JKR outright said that Draco did not take the Dark Mark. I'd be very interested to read it, if it exists. But with such a topic, you'd think a simple google search would bring it up.

[birdsofshore]

I had a good search but didn't turn it up yet. I would also have expected it to be picked up on more widely if she'd been so clear about it at some point.

[birdsofshore]

This is why I think the illustrator ultimately went with an image of Draco where - again - we can suspect he is clutching his arm because he had taken the Mark but we have no ultimate proof.

Ugh, that frustrates me for some reason! I just find it so tricksy to keep HINTING at it but leave canon open so that she could, either this week, or at some point in 10 years or whenever, say, Oh NO, Draco never got the Mark.

The Dark Mark is a sign of honour, an initiation into the inner circle of the Death Eaters. I cannot imagine Voldemort would bestow this honour to Draco right after Lucius has failed to secure the prophecy for him. It would more sense that Voldemort promised Draco aka the Malfoys that he would get the Dark Mark once he killed Dumbledore.

I can see your argument, totally, but then Narcissa sees it as a punishment that Draco's been selected, doesn't she? And Narcissa doesn't have a Dark Mark herself... I'm not convinced she'd want Draco to have one. I think you could argue that both Draco's task, and giving him a Dark Mark, could be twisted retribution from Voldemort, as easily as it could be a reward for loyalty.

Which still leaves us with an ambiguous canon that we can play around with whichever way we please.

Yes, that's the joy of it! I don't take Pottermore as canon, but I still feel pretty anxious about what's to come, though. *clings to you*

[vaysh]

I would be very surprised if the "Draco news" from Pottermore would be about him having taken the Mark or not. But who knows? I am already pouty because I want that scene with Theo Nott, and because it's all HBP stuff, I won't get that. *pouts*

I did some research on Regulus Black. He took the Dark Mark at the age of 16, and from all that I can surmise it was an honour for him. At this point in time, the Blacks were in Voldemort's favour even though they had "blood traitors" amongst them. It makes is less likely for me – canon-wise - that Draco actually got the Mark. Fire made a good argument for the Dark Mark being a punishment, but I think that means underestimating the representative power of such marks. It's a symbol of a pact, between Voldemort and the individual Death Eater. I don't think Voldemort would have someone carrying his Mark whom he considers weak and a coward. And he clearly considers Draco to be pathetic. That's at least the sense I get from canon.

[birdsofshore]

I would be very surprised if the "Draco news" from Pottermore would be about him having taken the Mark or not.

I expect you're right. I think we're all agreed that JKR prefers it ambiguous, and I am coming to see why. I just panicked slightly after the discussion on my last post when I realised Pottermore could confirm or deny it.

My other theory about what might be revealed is that we might get Draco's MIDDLE NAME *sharp intake of breath*

I can't deal with Voldemort thinking Draco is pathetic. *hides behind sofa*

[vaysh]

Don't we already know that Draco's middle name is Lucius? *tries to remember*

You know, Draco for me is this conglomerate of different Dracos from fanfic and my personal investment in him (OBVIOUSLY). Also, my Draco totally looks and speaks like Rai. :) I have to force myself to remember Draco from the books.

[birdsofshore]

Hmm, I thought that Lucius is a fanon thing.

Of course Draco is just like Rai! What else would he be? ;)

[lettered.livejournal.com]

I want that scene with Nott too. I want it most of all, Scarecrow.

Are we never going to get it at all? (I never follow any of the HP news. . .)

[vaysh]

This scene is the one piece of writing I totally want from Rowling. I haven't given up all hope; maybe she still sneaks it in amongst the HBP information.

There are no recent news of Rowling that she will publish this scene.

Btw, Lettered: Wow! You slay me. ♥

[lettered.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's really the only non-book canon thing I've ever wanted from her, HP-wise. I think it's because the Slytherins are just so under-developed, and that scene sounds like one that really could have done something for them.

<3

[birdsofshore]

I too live in hope that we get that scene one day!

[lettered.livejournal.com]

Personally, I just don't find it tricksy to leave it ambiguous. For me, part of the point of reading (and consuming fiction in any medium) is that I get to interpret things, and I dislike it when everything is tied up neat with a bow such that there's nothing left to guess about.

However, I *would* find it tricksy if JKR later did make a black/white statement about it, and JKR does have a habit of doing that way more than I would like. I don't feel like she has to stop talking about HP altogether, but I wish she would stop adding details and changing things in interviews. Even though I don't really care about what she says in interviews.

[birdsofshore]

However, I *would* find it tricksy if JKR later did make a black/white statement about it, and JKR does have a habit of doing that way more than I would like.

I'm pretty sure that's what was bothering me, too. Once canon is closed, we really start to consolidate our own head canon, and someone (even if the illustrious author) coming in to mess with that, is quite unsettling.