Extra Credit: Narcissa Malfoy

Narcissa Malfoy was a cold, proud woman who believed in the superiority of Purebloods. She was not a Death Eater, but she supported her husband, Lucius, and Lord Voldemort as they wreaked havoc on Muggle-borns, blood-traitors, and all those who were different, including goblins and werewolves. She looked down upon others, treating them as second-class. In Half Blood Prince, she vehemently told Madam Malkin’s owner that she would not shop at a boutique that sold to the likes of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Andromeda Tonks, her sister, and Sirius Black, her cousin, were spared her presence as they both openly opposed their family’s beliefs. Andromeda married a Muggle-born and Sirius left his parents’ home. To Narcissa, these were acts of betrayal.

For all her faults and regardless of what she believed in, Narcissa was a mother and a wife-she would not sit quietly and let her family die. After Lucius failed to retrieve the prophecy in Order of the Phoenix and was sent to Azkaban, Voldemort punished the Malfoy’s by choosing Draco to kill Dumbledore in Half Blood Prince. Narcissa believed this was intended to be a mission in which Draco would fail and ultimately die. Despite Bellatrix’s attempts to stop her, Narcissa asked Snape to help Draco. She formed an Unbreakable Vow with Snape, who promised to look over Draco and execute the mission if need be. Lucius was also under her protection. When Lucius was told to give Voldemort his wand, Narcissa covered his hand with hers, a sign of support and consent. Had Lucius refused, they would’ve died.

Narcissa had truly abandoned the idea of Pureblood supremacy the moment she lied to Voldemort. After the duel between Voldemort and Harry, she walked over to Harry to see if he was still alive. After feeling his heart beat, she asked Harry if Draco was still alive. When she received confirmation that he was, she stood up and lied to Voldemort, telling him Harry was dead. In that moment, she didn’t care about Purebloods and Muggle-borns and the war, she wanted to keep her son safe. While the war raged on, Narcissa and Lucius searched for Draco; they had turned their backs on Voldemort.  

Narcissa was on the Voldemort’s side up until the moment she decided to lie to him to save Draco. She was not a nice person, as seen by her previous actions, but when it truly mattered, she came through. She betrayed Voldemort to save her family, an action Voldemort would never understand.