Avada. This was what Lucius Malfoy began to utter upon the realization that he had just lost his house-elf servant, Dobby. Fortunately, he never got to complete what he was trying to say.
If he had been able to complete the incantation of what we can only assume was meant to be Avada Kedavra, it would have had disastrous consequences.
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Lucius Malfoy’s Anger
But why was Lucius Malfoy uttering killing curses outside of the headmaster’s office in the halls of Hogwarts? What was going through his head? And more importantly, who was he trying to kill?
Conventional wisdom would suggest that Lucius raised his wand to assassinate Harry, the insolent boy who had just lost him his house-elf companion.
Analyzing the Situation
But I’m not sure it was quite that simple. Today we’re going to be discussing all of that, and more, as we unpack Lucius Malfoy’s interaction with Harry and Dobby in the Chamber of Secrets.
The Confusing Scene
Today we’re going to be discussing a scene from the film adaptation of the Chamber of Secrets that left a lot of people very confused. We’re first introduced to Dobby in the Chamber of Secrets, a unique and memorable character in the Harry Potter series known for his loyalty and desire to protect those he cares about.
Dobby’s Introduction
He first appears as the house-elf serving the Malfoy family, in a position that reflects the common practice of enslaving house-elves in wizarding society. But Dobby’s relationship with the Malfoys is complex, as although he is bound to serve them, he often finds himself at odds with their beliefs and actions.
Dobby’s Strong Moral Compass
Dobby’s strong moral compass leads him to help Harry Potter and his friends, despite the potential consequences for breaking the rules of house-elf enslavement. Over the course of the second book, Harry builds a relationship with Dobby, despite the potential consequences of Harry Potter.
Harry and Dobby’s Relationship
Harry was the enemy of Dobby’s masters, that is until Harry breaks Dobby free from his enslavement, ushering in a new chapter of Dobby’s life where he was free to make his own choices. Dobby has no master, Dobby is a free elf.
Freeing Dobby
Harry freed Dobby for several reasons, but the primary motivation for Harry was that he knew that Dobby was miserable serving the Malfoys. It was no secret that Dobby wanted to be free, and Harry saw it as the morally right thing to do.
- Harry’s Clever Trick: Harry devised a clever trick in which he planned to get Lucius to hand Dobby a diary with a sock hidden inside, a gift of clothing that broke Dobby’s enslavement.
- Execution of the Plan: Harry placed Tom Riddle’s diary inside his sock. Lucius then disgustedly ripped the sock off the book and threw the sock into the air, which Dobby then caught, making him a free elf.
Lucius’ Anger and Actions
Freeing Dobby angered Lucius, and depriving the esteemed Malfoy family of a servant added insult to injury. Harry was able to free Dobby by placing Tom Riddle’s diary inside his sock. Lucius then disgustedly ripped the sock off the book and threw the sock into the air, which Dobby then caught, making him a free elf.
Film vs. Book
- Film Version: Lucius pulls out his wand and begins to state the incantation of a spell. Avada. But before he can complete his incantation, Dobby steps in and zaps him.
- Book Version: Lucius only lunges at Harry. Dobby shouts, You shall not harm Harry Potter. There is a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy is thrown backward.
Lucius’ Intentions
As far as I know, there are no other spells that start with Avada besides the killing curse, which begs the question, was Lucius Malfoy really about to kill Harry, a 12-year-old, in broad daylight, just outside the Hogwarts headmaster’s office, over Dobby being freed?
Possible Explanation
Lucius can be a bit of a buffoon on occasion, but the reality is that he is simply too intelligent to make an oversight like killing Harry in the middle of the day. Killing Dobby, on the other hand, wouldn’t have had nearly the same consequences.
The Status of House Elves
As sad as it is, the truth is that house elves don’t have the same level of status in wizarding society and are not even remotely considered to be the equals of witches and wizards.
Lucius’ Influence
Lucius had strong influence in the ministry, and by leveraging this influence, I suspect that he could have claimed he was acting in self-defense. The last thing worth mentioning is that Lucius, uttering Avada, was very much a piece of improvisational filmism.
Improvisation in the Film
Apparently, the scene merely called for Lucius to begin casting an unspecified curse, and Avada Kedavra just happened to be the first curse he thought of in the moment. This can be confirmed by what the original screenplay has written down.
I think it’s fair to say that Lucius, despite all of his buffoonery and questionable morals, is certainly not stupid enough to kill a child in broad daylight, especially at Hogwarts near the headmaster’s office.
What do you think? Was Lucius trying to kill Dobby or Harry? Let me know down in the comment section below.
