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

[Serena Moonsilver]

No: HPFGUIDX 66062

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "snufflesnbeakie" 
<bhauersperger at h...> wrote:
> 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.
> 

It seems I haven't seen this discussed yet either (but in the flood 
of posts post-OotP I could have easily missed it).

It seems the first time around the Order was founded after Voldemort 
rose to power, hence in a way almost too late.  Voldemort had already 
gathered his followers, and Dumbledore put the Order together 
hastily, asking only those he absolutely knew he could trust and 
would be willing to take on Voldemort.  Since we don't know when the 
Order was founded, it may the be that Arthur and Molly already had 
Charlie, Bill, Percy, and the twins on the way.   Dumbledore may not 
have wanted to ask them to put their lives in danger with so many 
small children in their care.

Serena