[HPforGrownups] OoP: Percy as a Slytherin? (Long) (Was: Re: OOP Percy is Not

[Laura]

No: HPFGUIDX 65432

Mark:
<SNIP discussion of why Percy seems suited for Slytherin>
>So, where should Percy have been Sorted differently?  Perhaps
>the Sorting Hat considered him for Slytherin, just like Harry.
>Perhaps this is just one of those numerous cases where we wonder 
>why certain characters were sorted into the Houses they were,
>and not in another.

	I agree that, at least in OotP, Percy acts almost exactly 
like a (rather nasty) Slytherin.  However, I am not wondering why 
was he was *not* sorted into Slytherin, but rather why he *was* 
sorted into Gryffindor.

	You see, the Hat *does* have a criteria to meet, and 
although it is possible that it sorted Percy into Gryffindor merely 
because he (like Harry) refused to go to Slytherin, I don't think 
that's all there is to it.  There must be *some* reason why 
Gryffindor was *at least* the Hat's second choice for Percy, if not 
its first.

	In light of all this, I am very suspicious of Percy's new 
allegiances.  Has he *truly* renounced his family?  Remember in GoF, 
when Ron accuses him of being capable of that same thing?  And 
remember what happened not long after?

	"Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Ron 
from the bank as they swam nearer, but Percy, who looked very white 
and somehow much younger than usual, came splashing out to meet 
them. [...] Percy seized Ron and was dragging him back to the bank 
("Geroff, Percy, I'm all right!") [...]" U.S. Edition GoF, pg. 504

	Later, Madame Pomfrey has to "rescue" Ron from Percy, who is 
*still* clutching him.

	Furthermore, there is the fact that when Ron accuses Percy 
of not caring about his family, Hermione scolds him (Ron).  And we 
all know that Hermione's first instincts are usually correct. ^_~

	SO...what does this all mean? Well, I've thought of three 
scenarios...

1) Percy was acting as a spy in OotP, and the fact that he could 
sacrifice his family's love for their safety is rather touching, IMO.

2) Percy sees the light along with Crouch at the end of OotP, is 
dreadfully sorry for his actions, and redeems himself in books 6 and 
7.

3) Percy doesn't realize his error until he actually witnesses his 
own family being harmed by the people he has joined, and redeems 
himself through some sort of personal sacrifice (probably death).

	I've never particularly cared for Percy before, but I can't 
see how the boy who forgot his pompousness to wade out into a frigid 
lake because he was worried about his brother could turn into a man 
who would send back his mother's hand-knit Christmas gift.  
Something MUST be up.

Laura (who had a heck of a time trying to send this message, as her 
new email server apparently doesn't *do* mailing lists)

P.S. I wasn't going to start replying to people until I'd waded 
through at least a good portion of the mail I've gotten in the past 
few days (over 4000 messages..aiyee..), but I just couldn't help 
myself.  If anyone else has already said these exact same things, 
I'm very sorry.