TBAY: The Bill Weasley is Ever So Evil post (1 of 3)

[erinellii]

No: HPFGUIDX 85610

Eleven p.m. Erin, a relative newcomer to Theory Bay, is seated at the 
bar of the Royal George, her red hair shining in the candlelight as 
her long brown trench-coat brushes the side of the barstool. She 
gazes dreamily at the bartender. 

"You really *are* just as good-looking as everyone says, you know..." 
she remarks in a suspiciously slurred voice. 

"I think you've had enough for tonight." George says firmly. He looks 
around. The bar is very nearly deserted, only a sullen Avery sitting 
all alone in his corner, but then, it *is* a Thursday night. "Let me 
make sure you get back to your ship safely. The Imperius!Arthur 
trimaran, right?" Erin nods. 

As they make their way to the dock where Erin left her rowboat, 
George takes it upon himself to point out a few of the more 
interesting sights in Theory Bay. "There's the Canon Museum, the Safe 
House, the forest, Diana's castle complete with croquet.... Hey! 
Where are you going?!" 

Erin is heading towards a path which leads into the forest, stumbling 
only slightly as she walks. She stops in front of a large fir tree, 
which is missing several limbs toward the top. It almost looks as 
though the tree had undergone massive can(n)on fire sometime in the 
distant past. 

Under the tree sits a small gravestone marked: 

          ESE!Sirius Black Hedgehog
         June 7, 2002 - June 21, 2003

Curiously, the dirt around in front of the grave looks to have been 
disturbed rather more recently. Erin prods it with her foot and looks 
an inquiry at George, who explains; "Kneasy was out here a few weeks 
ago trying to resurrect the poor thing. He didn't have much luck, 
though." 

"So, is this the tree I think it is?" Erin asks George. "The one 
where Elkins first spotted her Evil!McGonagall hedgehog?"

"It is," George confirms. 

"Good. You know, I've never been able to believe in Evil!McGonagall, 
but I think this tree is historically appropriate for my own pet 
theory's debut. Yes, I've finally finished it, which is what I was 
celebrating back there in the bar. And I want you to be my witness, 
George." So saying, Erin reaches under her trenchcoat and withdraws a 
BB GUN. 

George flinches. "You aren't another nutter like Captain Cindy, are 
you?" he asks nervously. 

"If I was, would that be a safe question to ask?" Erin laughs. "Don't 
worry though, it's perfectly all right. This is only a BB GUN. You 
know, an acronym? It stands for Bitter Bill Goes Undeniably 
Nefarious." 

"Nefarious Bill, huh? As in Bill Weasley? What made you think of 
*that* one?" George asks, politely stifling a yawn.  Although only a 
simple Snapetheory, George has been around for more theory debuts 
than he cares to remember. Seemed like nearly everyone in the Bay 
felt drawn to confide in the handsome bachelor bartender at one time 
or another. Still, he reflects, it's always best to feign interest 
when the lady carries a weapon. 

"I'm going to need a clear head for this," Erin says. Concentrating 
intently, she causes a small barrel of water to appear before her and 
plunges her head into it, emerging sputtering and stone cold sober. 
Drawing a deep breath, she prepares to theorize. 

"It all started," Erin begins, "with a conversation I overheard back 
in April, back when Abigail and Errol believed that Bill would be the 
main death in OoP. Here's some of what Errol said in post #55155: 

**************** 
"Ah, but none of them are as perfectly set up as our dear Bill.
What function does Bill play in the narrative? He's just one of
many "elder brother' figures--talk about redundancy and
usurped roles. And his make up is startling similar to Cedric- 
excellant student, straightforward, handsome and well liked and
has been conspicuously pushed into the forefront of activity.
He's someone liked and respected by Harry, and the first of
Harry's generation to actually qualify for being on the
battlefront. Besides there are too many Weasleys- one definitely
has to go. <snip>

Why bring Bill into the story so much in GoF? He practically took a
year off from Gringotts- or had an awful lot of traveling to do
just to support Harry. Molly turning up at the tasks in lieu of
Harry's family is understandable, but why not Arthur along with her?
He's around in England isn't he? Or why not Charlie who's
also over from Romania around the time of the tasks?
Nope, it had to be Bill, untiringly dragged in all the way from
Egypt. Smacks of a conscious agenda to me!!" 
**************** 

"I agreed with every word," continues Erin, "but it seemed to me that 
the author's agenda wasn't necessarily limited to death. That she 
could, in fact have *another* use in mind for Bill- as a traitor. A 
disposable bad guy. Which is actually a lot like dying, plot-wise. So 
I set out to look for evidence, and boy, did I ever find it." 

"The first thing that jumped out at me was the clothes. There is just 
something a little *off* about those rebellious rock-concert duds, 
something which doesn't quite match up with his ultra-responsible 
demeanor. Tell me, George," Erin said, whirling suddenly to face the 
bartender, "What do you think about Bill's clothes?" 

"I, uh, don't think about other guys' clothes all that much," said 
George, idly eyeing Erin up and down, but finding his gaze thwarted 
by the bulky trenchcoat. "But Abigail once thought they might mean he 
was gay. Of course, he's dating Fleur Delacour now, so I guess that's 
out. So let me think... he has an earring, right?" 

********* 
> He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling 
>from it. 
*********GoF, Ch. 5 


"That's the canon," says Erin. "I actually have a bit more to say 
about Bill's clothing, but it will keep. We can to move on to the 
earring first. Do you remember that Molly didn't like it?" 


*********** 
> In the middle of the table, Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Bill 
>about his earring, which seemed to be a recent acquisition. 

> "... with a horrible great fang on it. Really, Bill, what do they 
>say at the bank?" 

> "Mum, no one at the bank gives a damn how I dress as long as I 
>bring home plenty of treasure." said Bill patiently. 
************GoF, Ch. 5 


 "Why do you think Bill was wearing that earring to dinner when it 
bothered Molly so much?" asks Erin. 

"Well, it was new," offers George, "so maybe he didn't realize it 
would bug her."

"No, I don't buy that. She's his mother. He's grown up with her, and 
you can't tell me he isn't aware of what she considers proper attire 
for her sons. He *knows* she's going to be bothered, and yet he wears 
it anyway. To a simple family dinner. It's not as if there are any 
girls or any of his friends there that he wants to impress. Nope, 
just his family and Ron's little friends. 

"So why is he wearing the earring? He's wearing it BECAUSE it bugs 
his mother. He *wants* to irritate her. He's practically begging to 
be confronted about it. There are some serious Issues lurking here.

"And you know what else disturbs me, George? That 'damn'. 'No one at 
the bank gives a damn how I dress...' Bill is swearing at his mother. 
We've never seen any other member of the Weasley family do this. If 
you had asked me which of the family would be most likely to, I'd 
have said the twins. After all, they were pretty sorely provoked the 
summer of GoF, when Mrs. Weasley threw away all their Weasley's 
Wizarding Wheezes candies. But no. They get angry, they shout at her, 
but they don't curse. Because even as angry as they are, they know 
that would not be tolerated. 

"Sure, there are some families, like the Osbournes, where swearing is 
commonplace and unremarkable. But the Weasleys are not one of those 
families. Molly wouldn't stand for it. This is made clear in GoF, 
Chapter 9:

***************** 
>Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have 
>dared say in front of Mrs. Weasley. 
****************** 

"Bill is older, though," points out George, "so maybe he can say what 
he likes without Molly correcting him."

"Age didn't seem to make that much difference to her in OoP, when 
she's determined to keep the twins, who are now of legal age, out of 
the know during Harry's question and answer session. And look at how 
she dotes on Percy in GoF, defending him from the twins even after 
he's gone all adult and gotten a real job. And the way she tells 
Arthur right before the QWC that she'll "send along" Bill, Charlie, 
and Percy around midday, as if they're not capable of deciding a 
sensible time to leave by themselves. No, Molly doesn't treat her 
grown-up children as adults. She treats them as her children, same as 
she always has.

"So what's different about Bill? Why does he swear in front of Mrs. 
Weasley? And why doesn't she call him on it? Does Bill perhaps have a 
temper? Maybe Mrs. Weasley is afraid to cross him- perhaps he's blown 
up at her on previous occasions and she doesn't want to provoke him 
now. Whatever the case, she ignores his baiting and immediately 
changes the subject to his hair."

"Isn't all this behavior a little immature?" asks George. "Bill has 
been out of school, and presumably out of his parents' house, for at 
least five years at the beginning of GoF. We know he's had the 
Gringotts job in Egypt for at least 3 years. The very youngest he 
could be would be around 23, and he could be considerably older- even 
up to 30. If you go by the Lexicon, he was 27 that summer. That would 
mean he'd been of legal age for 10 years. So why does he still feel 
the need to rebel?"

"For the same reason a teenager would---- because he doesn't feel in 
control of his life," Erin answers. "Let's look at Bill's clothes 
again- this time the whole quote:

*************************
>"Bill was-- there was no other word for it-- *cool*. He was tall, 
>with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing 
>an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. Bill's 
>clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except 
>that Harry recognized his boots to be made, not of leather, but of 
>dragon hide." 
*************************GoF, Ch. 5


"What kind of clothes do you think belong at a rock concert, George? 
What color would they be, for instance?"

"With the earring and the long hair and the boots?  I suppose they'd 
have to be black to really pull off that 'cool' look," George 
replied, his handsome brow furrowed with thought.

"Black. Yes, that's exactly what *I* thought also.  And when I 
picture Bill all dressed in black with his fang earring, long hair, 
and boots, I get this flashback to my high school days.  I knew 
people like Bill!  These would be the "Goths", the "alternative" 
people, the "Trenchcoat Mafia" types--the ones who listened to 
Marilyn Manson back when he was cool.  If you had a poem to write in 
English class, theirs would always be about death. Often very smart 
people, but bitter.  The very people who might think an Evil Overlord 
was Ever So Cool. Yes, I had tons of friends just like Bill.  

"The thing was, they grew out of it!  I've been out of high school 
for six years now, and as we all went to work and college and life, 
the goth look just got old.  We weren't mad at our parents any longer 
because we were in control of our own lives!" Erin says.

"Um..." says George uncomfortably. "As a Snapetheory,  I've never 
been to high school or experienced any of that growing up stuff.  I 
guess you're trying to say that Bill hasn't grown up, hasn't gotten 
over his anger?"

"That's right.  It's not only left-over anger from his childhood.  
No, that earring was recently acquired. Whatever Bill's fashion 
statement means to him, it is something that he is still involved in 
and adding to. 

"And now, you're no doubt wondering what it is that has Bill feeling 
so out of control and angry? Well- what else? Lord Voldemort. Let me 
quote from PS/SS, Ch. 4:

****************
>"--- but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our 
world knows---"

>"Who?"

>"Well--- I don't like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

>"Why not?"

>"Gulpin' Gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared."
*****************


"Even ten years later, people are terrified to say the name. Think 
how truly bad it must have been while Bill was a young child, during 
his formative years, when Voldemort was taking over. All of Bill's 
life, the shadow of Lord Voldemort has been hanging over the WW."

"So?" says George "That must be true for everyone who's Bill's age. 
Why does it affect Bill so particularly badly?"

"For several reasons," says Erin. "Nymphadoraotonks says- no, not the 
real Tonks!" she exclaims in irritation as George opens his 
mouth, "she says in message 85375: '...Percy has seen what a life 
of 'doing right' can give. His father has, for the most part, always 
done the right thing. Arthur has always been on the right side, and 
yet it has afforded his family very little in luxury....'  

"Well, Percy isn't the only one who is hip to this dynamic.  Ron, 
Fred, and George all resent being poor.  And Bill sees the same 
thing.  Do-gooding really *hasn't* afforded the Weasleys much in 
terms of wealth or rank or even personal safety.  If anything, it's 
put them in the path of danger, earning the emnity of powerful 
wizarding families like the Malfoys. 

"And if you believe, as I do, in LAW CAMERA (Lovable Arthur Weasley 
Controlled And Manipulated by Evil Riddle Anagram), the Imperius!
Arthur theory, then it only gets bleaker.  It's even worse than that 
if you believe in the Missing Weasley Child.  Bill has seen his 
family go through some horrible things.  And he knows Voldemort is 
coming back someday. Heck, practically the whole wizarding world 
knows it:

***************
>"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough 
>human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, biding his 
>time, like...
***************PS/SS, Ch. 4 


"Sure, the Weasleys have Dumbledore's support, but will that really 
help them if Lord Voldemort decides to target them?  Look what Hagrid 
says about that in the very first book:

*************
>'Course, some stood up to him -- an' he killed 'em.  Horribly.
***********PS/SS, Ch.4


"and:


**********************
>No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, 
>an' he killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age....
***********************PS/SS, Ch. 4


"So see there? No one ever escaped except Harry.  Bill knows that 
being friends with Dumbledore won't save him if Lord Voldemort 
decides to kill him," says Erin grimly.  "And Bill admits to being 
frightened when he's telling Ron about the Death Eaters at the 
Quidditch World Cup:


*************************
>"...I bet they'd be EVEN MORE FRIGHTENED THAN THE REST OF US to see 
>him come back." (emphasis added)
*************************GoF, Ch. 9


"So what does Bill do in this situation? Because he's a Gyffindor, he 
decides to face up to his problem. There's an old saying-- if you 
can't beat 'em, join 'em.  And this is Evil!Bill's choice.  

"Not everyone has this option, you know.  Hermione, for instance, has 
no choice but to fight Voldemort.  Even if she wanted to join up, the 
Death Eaters wouldn't take her.  And the same goes for all the other 
Muggle-borns.  But Bill is from an old, pureblood wizarding family. 
He'll do very well in the Voldemort chain of command."


George was looking uncomfortable. 

"Well?" says Erin sharply, "what's the matter? Don't you like my 
theory so far?" 

"It's just that, er, you've brought up some good characterization 
points, but what has your Evil!Bill actually *done* ? What makes him 
so evil? Elkins and Pippin have big long lists of the crimes ESE!
McGonagall and Lupin supposedly committed. And don't even get me 
started on the Magic Dishwasher Defense Team (MDDT). They can go on 
all day about Dumbledore and his spies." 

"Oh, so you want the evidence I promised you at the beginning? Well, 
you have to keep in mind that ESE!Bill has only recently officially 
come over to the dark side, and that his most horrendous acts will be 
committed in future books. But I think that I can come up with a few 
tidbits," Erin smiles. 

"If you can stand just a wee bit more background first."


To be continued.... 


--Erin 
(who would like to request that people answering this post try out 
the TBAY format. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate; just 
saying "so-and-so [your name and a brief description of your TBAY 
persona] popped in and said to Erin [then making the rest of your 
post like normal]" will do. Though if you want to get more detailed, 
that would be great! Go on, try it, it's fun! Thank you!)



Notes on post references:

Imperius!Arthur theory- messages 40168, 45290, and 77654

The Evil!Sirius hedgehog- message 39553

Kneasy's post- message 84133

Evil!McGonagall- message 39470

Evil!Lupin- message 39362