Percy and the MoM in Book 6

[Dave Hardenbrook]

No: HPFGUIDX 74243

What do you all think the attitude of the Ministry will be now that
they've had to concede that V really is back?  I think we actually got
a clue/foreshadowing from Sirius back in _GoF:Padfoot Returns_:

   "... the Ministry of Magic's in disarray, they don't know what to
   do ... Terror everywhere ... panic ... confusion ...

   "... The Aurors were given new powers - powers to kill rather
   than capture, for instance.  And I wasn't the only one who was
   handed straight to the dementors without trial.  Crouch fought
   violence with violence, and authorized the use of the Unforgivable
   Curses against suspects.  I would say he became as ruthless and
   cruel as many on the Dark Side."

So I think we're now going to see the MoM swing to the opposite extreme
and engage in Joe McCarthy-style, look-for-DE's-under-the-bed paranoia,
combined with egregious miscarriages of justice and people getting
thrown into Azkaban for any perceived "subversive activity".
(Which will probably include many innocent things, like, oh, say,
campaigning for the freedom of House Elves, or having a father who
writes about Crumple-Horned Snorkaks, or giving aid and comfort to
Werewolves, or snogging half-Veela from French-speaking Europe, or ...)

In this scenario, I think Percy will become the new Barty Crouch, Sr.,
bent on imposing an oppresive regime on the WW, and counteracting
"Dumbledore's Army" with "Fudge's Gestapo".  And I think Percy
*will* throw at least one of his family into Azkaban -- Possibly
Arthur, in a cruelly ironic reversal of the Crouches (son turns in
father).

It will then be up to Dumbledore's Army to go into Azkaban and help
the unjustly accused to bust out, and overthrow the Ministry's reign
of terror.

That's my theory.  Thoughts?  Comments?

-- 
Dave