Percy (yes, again :-)

[Doriane]

No: HPFGUIDX 69050


KathyK :

> I think Percy's story is much more interesting as one of a well 
> intentioned young man who makes stupid decisions and will hopefully 
> live to correct his mistakes. 

Me : I personally never quite knew what to make out of Percy. He 
seems too one-dimensional to me, but then Draco is too. So I'm not 
defending one view of Percy in particular, because I truly can't make 
up my mind.

> I do want to add a few counters, though.

Please do, please do :-) !!

(snip) 

> I don't know how Percy could think Ron would understand that he was 
> trying to convey the exact opposite of what he was saying.

Yep, that's the main question that's been bothering me. One part of 
the answer could be that he's not expecting Ron, but *Hermione* to 
understand that. He knows she's smart. But I think that would be a 
lot to ask of even Hermione...

> I also think Percy has quite a high opinion of himself for 
> accomplishing as much as he has in so short a time when Fred and 
> George just want to open a joke shop. 

What about Bill and Charlie ? But still I get your point, and I can 
hardly disagree with it : it sure *looks* like Percy is eaten alive 
by his ambition. But is it true, or is it just an act he's playing ?

> <Snipping out quite a good bit of evidence that the letter may 
> indeed be code to warn Ron about what Fudge is up to because I have 
> nothing to contribute except some nodding of the head and the 
> occasional, Oh yeah!>

Confusing, when you start looking at it this way, isn't it ? ;-)

>   
> > And we know he can lie, since he says in the letter that Umbridge 
> > is not getting much help in her work at school, while he is 
> > quoted as saying that she is immensely successfull the next day 
> > in the DP !!
> 
> KathyK:
> I took this differently.  He says in the letter that the other 
> teachers are not cooperating with Umbridge.  In the newspaper 
> article, he says "she's been an immediate success, totally 
> revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and 
> providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's 
> really happening at Hogwarts." (that's on p 307 of the US edition). 

Oh, right ! How could I miss the highly humourous "totally 
revolutionizing the teaching of DADA" ? It sure is revolutionizing, 
NOT to teach any kind of defence !!

> I would have said you were way off before I read your post that I 
> have just chopped, cutting out all the good, convincing parts in an 
> attempt to not be entirely swayed by this letter.  But now I don't 
> know...No, you know, It is quite convincing, but I can't bring 
> myself to believe that Percy is working for DD undercover.  I will 
> now keep an eye open for that sort of slant on the books as I 
> reread them.

LOL ! I have exactly the same problem :-) That's why I brought it out 
in the open, because it confused me mightily once I started looking 
at "the Percy Problem" that way.

Del