Harry Potter character Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Draco Malfoy Gender Male Hair colour White-blond Eye colour Grey House Slytherin Parentage Pure-blood Allegiance The Inquisitorial Squad, Death Eaters (presumed) Film portrayer Tom Felton First appearance Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Draco Malfoy (born 5 June 1980[1]) is an antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and Harry Potter's principal rival at Hogwarts. Draco is described as a pale-faced boy with white-blond hair, pointed features, and cold grey eyes. Harry describes him as a spoiled, arrogant, and selfish person. Additionally, Malfoy taunts Ron Weasley's family for their poor financial situation and treats Hermione Granger with utter disdain for being Muggle-born, calling her by the derogatory term Mudblood. Draco Malfoy is played by Tom Felton in the first five Harry Potter films. Contents 1 Background and role in the story 2 Name 3 Draco in the books 3.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 3.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 3.3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 3.4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 3.5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 3.6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 4 Harry Potter fandom 5 J.K. Rowling on Draco 6 References 7 External links Background and role in the story Draco is the only child of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy (née Black). Malfoy's main role is Harry's equal rival at school. Malfoy is an antagonist. In later books (see below), his role becomes more sinister as he is assigned tasks with greater and darker impact on the Wizarding World. He was raised by at least one Death Eater, playing the part of evil villains in the story: his father Lucius and Aunt Bella. He is forever twisted by darkness and depravity of his childhood at the Malfoy Manor. Name Draco may be derived from the Latin word meaning "dragon" (or serpent/snake). Draco is also the name of a snakelike constellation, in keeping with the tradition of the Black family of naming children after stars/constellations. Notably, "Draco" was the first lawgiver of Athens, who enforced a harsh legal code. The English adjective draconian, meaning "cruel", is inherited from that lawgiver. Variations on the name "Draco" are also translated to "devil" in some biblical and other ancient texts. "Malfoy" is derived from Old French "mal foi" or "mal foy", which means "bad faith", or "bad trust." Draco in the books Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Pansy Parkinson. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Malfoy was 11 years old. In the book he made his first appearance in Madam Malkin's robe shop, in contrast to the film, where they met for the first time on arriving at school. Malfoy initially behaved in a friendly, yet detached, manner towards Harry and tried to engage him in conversation. But he only succeeded in alienating him. Malfoy claimed that he was planning to persuade his father to buy him a new racing broom. This strongly reminded Harry of Dudley Dursley, Harry's spoiled cousin. Draco then inadvertently disparaged Hagrid, whom Harry was associated with at the time. They parted ways without learning one another's name. When they met again on the train to Hogwarts, the two boys' mutual dislike for each other was created when Harry rejected Malfoy's offer of friendship, after Malfoy ridiculed Ron Weasley's family and condescended Harry's parents to save face. They have been bitter enemies ever since. Draco is a bully of the sort who uses psychological manipulation and verbal taunts. He is constantly accompanied by two Slytherins, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as his bodyguards and follow his every order. Despite his cockiness, Malfoy shies away from physical violence when Crabbe and Goyle are not around to protect him. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Draco in Slytherin Quidditch Seeker gear Draco was 12 years old. He gained the position of Seeker in the Slytherin Quidditch team. This was mainly due to his father's generous donation of seven high-quality Nimbus 2001 brooms — enough to equip the entire team. However, he is also apparently proficient enough in this role that the Slytherin's team was competing with Gryffindor for top ranking in the Hogwarts league. He was highly favoured by Severus Snape, the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House. Because of this, Draco often could get away with behaviour in Potions class that would land Harry, or any other non-Slytherin student, in detention. Malfoy introduced Rowling's theme of prejudice in calling Hermioine Granger a Mudblood. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Malfoy was 13 years old. Near the beginner of the year, he was attacked by the hippogriff Buckbeak in Care of Magical Creatures class and subsequently tries his best to get Professor Rubeus Hagrid sacked. Hermione slapped him when he slandered Hagrid behind his back. Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl in his year, begins expressing romantic interest in Draco and will eventually accompany him to the Yule Ball in their fourth year. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Malfoy was 14 years old. Malfoy appeared to be instrumental in the creation of "Support Cedric Diggory" badges for the Triwizard Tournament, as he was the first one to show them to Harry out of spite. These badges switched phrases when touched to say "Potter Stinks". He also gave malicious misinformation to Rita Skeeter about Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid. Malfoy took Pansy Parkinson to the Yule Ball. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Malfoy was 15 years old. Malfoy became a Prefect, joined the Inquisitorial Squad, and played an important part in the exposure of Dumbledore's Army, which Harry led. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Malfoy was 16 years old. Lord Voldemort ordered Malfoy to murder the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. Draco's plan is to mend the broken Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts, to allow Voldemort's Death Eaters to invade and assist with Dumbledore's murder. As the school year progresses, Draco slowly comes to believe that he is unable to fix the cabinet. In desperation, he unsucessfully attempts to curse and then poison the headmaster, nearly killing Katie and Ron Weasley in the process. Ultimately, Draco succeeds in mending the cabinet and allowing the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, managing to reach the North Tower to confront Dumbledore. Though Draco is initially exhilarated, he ultimately proves unable to complete his task. Instead, Snape steps in and kills Dumbledore. Harry Potter fandom Draco Malfoy has developed a large following among many Harry Potter fans as a popular figure in fan fiction, where he is often portrayed as the anti-hero in a romantic relationship with Ginny, Hermione[2], Pansy, Harry (in "slash" fics), or even Luna. Actor Thomas Felton escalated the character's claim to fame among fans by giving them a visual portrayal of Harry's nemesis. Felton received more fanmail than the other actors (including the protagonist's actor) yet ironically had never read any Harry Potter books until after the filming of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Author J. K. Rowling also has attributed Draco's popularity to the "bad boy" persona he has on film: "The trouble is, of course, that girls fancy Tom Felton, but Draco is NOT Tom Felton!" Rowling said in an interview[3]. J.K. Rowling on Draco Draco Malfoy by Mary Grandpre, depicted in Chpt6 of HBP, Draco's Detour Below are the author's quotes about her character from the Connection Interview (October 1999, transcribed by Catwoman at SQ) and the Leaky Cauldron/Mugglenet Interview 2005. "He is the bully of the most refined type in that unlike Dudley, Harry's cousin who is a physical bully, but really not bright enough to access all of your weak points. Draco is, um, he's a snob. He's a bigot and he's a bully, and as I say, in the most refined sense, he knows exactly what will hurt people. "I think Draco would be very gifted in Occlumency, unlike Harry. I thought of Draco as someone who is very capable of compartmentalizing his life and his emotions, and always has done. So he's shut down his pity, enabling him to bully effectively. He's shut down compassion — how else would you become a Death Eater? So he suppresses virtually all of the good side of himself. "But then he's playing with the big boys, as the phrase has it, and suddenly, having talked the talk he's asked to walk it for the first time and it is absolutely terrifying. And I think that that is an accurate depiction of how some people fall into that kind of way of life and they realize what they're in for. I felt sorry for Draco. Well, I’ve always known this was coming for Draco, obviously, however nasty he was. "Harry is correct in believing that Draco would not have killed Dumbledore, which I think is clear when he starts to lower his wand, when the matter is taken out of his hands." References ^ "JKRowling.com Archives: Birthdays" from MuggleNet ^ Opposites Attract Why ... do so many passionate shippers still write and read about a possible romance between Harry's best friend and worst enemy? ^ World Day Chat (March 2004 Interview) External links Lexicon: Draco's Profile Unredeemed.net: Devoted to Draco Mugglenet: Role in the Books MadamScoop's Index on the Malfoys Dracofans.com - A comprehensive Draco Malfoy website The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part II JKR's Quotes: The Younger Generation Search Term: "Draco_Malfoy" Categories: The Black Family | Death Eaters | The Malfoy Family | Quidditch players | Slytherins | Fictional wizards | Inquisitorial Squad | Fictional English people | Fictional racists | Harry Potter characters | Fictional teenagers