Percy (and some Ron and some Hermione thoughts too)

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 16344

Hi --

Demelza wrote:

> I can't argue that people deal with stress differently. However, that
> passage was my response to the assertion that Percy has been
> supportive to his family. This is an example of Percy's lack of
> familial support.

What if they made it clear that they didn't want him with them?  It
might not be so clear-cut as Percy shutting himself off from them.
Someone else today made a good point about the fact that his brothers
haven't exactly been nice & welcoming to Percy.  Percy may have built up
defense mechanisms over a period of years.

> Demelza: Hermione's assessment of Crouch, Sr. was based on his harsh
> treatment> > of Winky.
> >
> > Me: Yes, but it goes deeper than that.  As Sirius said, to get the
> measure of a man, look at how he treats his subordinates.  Sirius
> thinks
> > Hermione has used a good tool for discerning Crouch Sr.'s true
> > character.
> >
>
> Demelza: Who a person views as his inferior is not confined to
> co-workers. Hermione cannot see how Percy treats his family. Perhaps
> this is due to her concrete thinking: Percy is a Weasley, ergo, there
> is no
> possibility that he could turn on his family.

Well, Hermione knows Percy better than lots of other people.  Somewhere
in GoF is a comment to the effect that Hermione had always gotten on
better with Percy than any of his brothers.  They are alot alike and
have been shown chatting.  I would wager she's basing her assessment on
more than just "He's a Weasley; therefore, there's no possibility he
could turn on his family."

> If Crouch were the horrible man as Hermione makes him out to be, why
> should he feel guilt? Most heart-less characters in literature are
> incapable of feeling guilt/remorse. Based upon Hermione's portrayal,
> Crouch Sr. is a cold, cruel, heart-less individual. Winky's pleadings
> should not have made difference at all.

It's not just Hermione who portrays him this way.  Sirius has some very
harsh judgments to pass on Crouch, Sr.   He thinks Crouch Sr. did a
lousy job as a father.  He thinks Crouch was rigid & abused his position
as head of the Magical Law Council (he was the one responsible for
ordering Sirius be taken to Azkaban with no trial).  Hermione's judgment
was initially based on his treatment of Winky, yes.  But, her judgment
turned out to mesh with that of Sirius in any case.

> "Normal" (maybe "instinctive" is a better term?) cat behavior dictates
>
> that cats are predators of rats and rodents among other things.
> Therefore, is it the responsible action of a cat owner to allow cat to
>
> be near a pet rat and pooh-pooh the fears of the rat owner that the
> cat is after the pet rat? It's rather telling of the regard Hermione
> has for Ron and his possessions.

Ah well ... since that *is* an argument against R/H, I'll leave it be.
:--)

Penny



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