OOtP: <Spoiler> Why Weren't the Weasleys in the Order?

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 66461

Beth wondered:
 
> But why would the Weasleys not have been in the Order the last 
> time?  They would have been old enough, they are obviously staunch 
> supporters of Dumbledore, they are disliked by death eaters - surely 
> they would have been members.  This seems like a huge contradiction 
> to me.


Time for my two knuts.

The idea that Arthur and Molly were involved in the previous Voldemort
war is one that has always seemed very out of character to me. 
Several people on this list have created possible
Arthur-and-Molly-involvement scenarios, ranging from Auror activity to
Imperius-forced atrocities.

However, I see no reason to think they should have played any major
role.  You comment that they ARE staunch supporters of Dumbledore, and
ARE disliked by Death Eaters.  Perfectly true now, and as a result,
they are members of the Order this time around.

But what was the situation during the last war?  Bill and Charlie were
probably at Hogwarts, and the twins about two years old.  We have no
evidence that Molly has ever worked outside the home, so I'm going to
assume she was a stay-at-home mom, especially since she was coping
with young twins (not easy).  And Arthur?  Again, nothing definite,
but as twelve years have passed and he still isn't a very prominent
official, I assume he was probably still a junior official at the
time.  

The Weasley's current closeness to Dumbledore seems directly related
to Harry.  Prior to Harry's arrival, the Weasley's never mentioned
Dumbledore on a friend basis.  They were, prior to Harry, just another
family with children at Hogwarts, like hundreds of other wizarding
families.

So, basically, during the first war, we have a junior official and his
wife, who currently have four children.  Arthur is not placed high
enough in the Ministry to provide any invaluable information.  I can
see nothing that would make Dumbledore look twice at this family.  The
Order is composed of an elite team of wizards, willing to risk their
lives for the cause.  The Weasley's simply weren't prime candidates
for this task.  Not that I think they would have refused had
Dumbledore approached them, but I see nothing that would have
influenced him to do so.

-Corinth