J.K. Rowing’s "Harry Potter" series has a multitude of characters, each with interesting and unique backgrounds and qualities. Most people know of the main ones—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore, but what about those minor characters? Not too many Potter fans will name Katie Bell, Dean Thomas, or Mrs. Figg when rambling off a list of characters. They may be small, but they still contribute a few interesting (and often times important) parts to the stories. Take, for example, Narcissa Malfoy—Draco Malfoy’s mother. She isn’t talked about too much, but she is mentioned and introduced enough in the later books to be worthy of a closer look.
The thing about Narcissa is that we don’t hear much about her life. We know she is Draco’s mom, Lucius’s wife, Bellatrix Lestrange’s sister, and Sirius Black’s cousin. We know she had to have been a Slytherin because all of the Black family was sorted into Slytherin (besides Sirius), and Lucius would never have stooped so low to have married any other house, anyway. Rowling tells us she is a bit of a snob, obviously on the enemy side, and protective of her family. But what is Narcissa’s role in the books? Is she a nurturer? An antagonist? Does she help or hinder Harry in any way? It’s pretty clear that Narcissa is a protector. Everything she does is for her family, and she’ll defend them to the end. But her motherly love and instincts go far beyond her own kin. Narcissa saves Harry’s life in The Deathly Hallows. Remember when Harry “dies,” and then comes back, and Voldemort sends Narcissa to check if his heart still beats? She, of course, feels his heart beating, and instead of yelling out to anyone, she leans down and whispers, “‘Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?’” To which Harry whispers back, “‘Yes.’” Harry is saved by a mother’s love once again.
Narcissa didn’t care about Voldemort’s victory or her family’s name. She didn’t care if Harry came back and defeated the Dark Lord. She cared about her son’s life, and the happiness and well-being of her family rather than their status. If it had been Bellatrix, or perhaps even Lucius, Harry would have been thrown under the bus. But there’s something to be said about Narcissa’s character here. She wasn’t as prideful as she seemed. She didn’t have to lie for Harry after he had informed her of Draco. She could easily have told everyone he was still alive, but she saved his life out of love. That’s not a trait we see prominently in the Black, Lestrange, or Malfoy family very often.
It’s interesting to look deeply at the minor characters in books because often times we can learn great lessons from them. They have a lot more to them than meets the surface, and Rowling does a fantastic job at portraying them and creating a meaning behind them. If you haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, you should. If you have read them, take a look at the less talked-up characters sometime. They’re a fascinating subject all on their own.
